The Delaware Museum of Nature and Science’s Fourth of July week includes daily family programming, young people science sessions and a Sunday collections tour.
WILMINGTON — Families looking for a cool indoor stop during the Fourth of July week can find a full slate of daily activities at the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science, from storytime and live animal programs to sandbox demonstrations and weekend Star Lab presentations.
The museum, at 4840 Kennett Pike in Wilmington, is open 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, with Nature Nook hours varying slightly during the week. The Nature Nook is open 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Monday.
Daily programming includes Storytime in the Nature Nook at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.; an animal presentation at 11 a.m.; Augmented Reality Sandbox demonstrations at noon, 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.; and an exhibit highlight at 2:30 p.m.
For the museum’s youngest visitors, Summer Camp for Tiny Explorers continues this week with sessions Wednesday, July 1, and Thursday, July 2, from 9 to 10 a.m. The program is designed for children ages 6 months to 4 years with one caregiver and includes hands-on nature activities, counting, sorting, outdoor exploration, art, music and movement. This week’s theme is “The Third Rock from the Sun.”
The museum’s Star Lab program is scheduled for Saturday, July 4, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., according to the museum’s events calendar. Star Lab presentations are also listed on the visit page as weekend programs offered at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., with an add-on fee.
The week wraps up Sunday, July 5, with “Collections & Research Tours: Behind the Scenes” from 1 to 2 p.m. The small-group tour gives visitors access to the museum’s Collections & Research department, an area normally closed to the public. The tour is led by Robbie Mueller, director of interpretation and exhibits management, and highlights how shells, fossils, birds and other objects are preserved and used to study natural history and environmental change.
Pre-registration is requested for the collections tour, though walk-ins are accepted if space allows. The program is recommended for ages 8 and older, with children ages 6 and older permitted. The cost is $10 for DelMNS members and $30.50 for non-members, which includes general admission for the day.
General admission to the museum is $15.50 for ages 3 and older, with a 5% cash discount. Toddlers ages 1 to 2 are $5.50, also with a 5% cash discount, and infants younger than 12 months are admitted free. Museum members are admitted free. Online ticket sales end at 9 a.m. each day, but walk-ins are welcome.
Visitors should note that anyone younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult throughout the visit. Hours and admission may vary for special events and holidays, and the museum recommends checking its events calendar before visiting.
To Go
- What: Delaware Museum of Nature and Science Fourth of July week activities
- Where: 4840 Kennett Pike, Wilmington
- When: Museum hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Nature Nook hours are 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Monday.
- This week’s highlights: Tiny Explorers sessions are 9 to 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 1, and Thursday, July 2. Star Lab is scheduled Saturday, July 4. The behind-the-scenes collections tour is 1 to 2 p.m. Sunday, July 5.
- Daily activities: Storytime in the Nature Nook at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.; animal presentation at 11 a.m.; Augmented Reality Sandbox demonstrations at noon, 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.; exhibit highlight at 2:30 p.m.
- Admission: Members are free. General admission is $15.50 for ages 3 and older. Toddlers ages 1 to 2 are $5.50. Infants younger than 12 months are free. A 5% cash discount is available.
- Know before you go: Online ticket sales end at 9 a.m. each day, but walk-ins are welcome. Visitors younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
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This post was originally published on TownSquareDelaware
