Science, But Make It Summer: Your Ultimate Hands-On Adventure
- Kate Fox
- May 21
- 6 min read
Your summer of science starts here! Get ready: this summer at the Emerald Coast Science Center is packed with hands-on experiments, up-close animal encounters, and plenty of “whoa, did you see that?!” moments. Whether you’re here for a day or making us part of your weekly routine, there’s always something new to discover. To start the summer on a high note, we'll have a discount on memberships from May 26-June 2 only; see below for more info! Beginning May 26, our hours of operation will be Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (we are closed Monday, May 25, in observance of Memorial Day).
Mad Science Mess Fest Summer Kick Off
On June 6 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., let's kick off summer in the best way possible: by making a giant mess that you don't have to clean up! Expect slime, splatter, and science you can feel. It’s messy, it’s chaotic, and it’s an absolute favorite for a reason. It’s the perfect chance for kids (and grown-ups!) to get creative, curious, and a little bit messy. Pro tip: your family might want to wear clothes that you don't mind getting dirty (anyone have a rain poncho?) to this event... definitely leave your Sunday best safely in the closet at home. You can RSVP for a morning of messy fun here.
Discover Our Animal Ambassadors
From June 1 through August 7, join our Creature Features every Monday and Wednesday and at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. and every Friday at 1:00 p.m. Once school is back in session, we'll be hosting Creature Features Wednesday-Friday at 11:00 a.m. from August 12-September 4. Meet the scaly, the slithery, and the surprisingly adorable! Creature Features runs all summer long, giving you the chance to get up close with our animal ambassadors and learn what makes them so unique Our trained educators are a wealth of unique facts when it comes these animals, so you'll definitely leave each presentation with new knowledge. This is a great opportunity for all ages to safely interact closely with our Animal Ambassadors--if you're feeling brave, you'll even get to touch some of the animals! We have varying species that are native to our region, exotic, or even invasive in some cases. With such a wide array of animals, you can expect to see fuzzy or scaly new faces every day. This is definitely one of our more popular programs, so be sure to grab your spots early to enjoy the show! Access to Creatures Features is included with general admission.
Become the Chemistry Expert
We love leaving a lasting impression on our guests, and we find lighting things on fire or small-scale explosions help us accomplish this goal quite well. Our Chem Demos give guests a safe viewing experience during our 'Mad Scientist' moments, but we want your family to go chemistry crazy, too. Join our Chemistry Corner every Friday to be wowed with awesome feats of science as you witness a Chem Demo at 11:00 a.m. followed immediately from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. by hands-on chemistry and science experiments your whole family can do together...discover how to make slime, watch our fire breathing watermelon, make your own water color salt painting to explore the states of matter, and more. Chemistry Corner begins June 5 and runs until August 7; access is also included with general admission.
Climb Aboard the STEAM Machine
Calling all builders, thinkers, and tinkerers! STEAM Machine is your chance to dive into engineering, design, and creative problem-solving. This is definitely our version of the Magic School Bus! Join us on the STEAM Machine every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon in June and July from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Enjoy different activities every week,f rom discovering robotics, using 3D pens to create, exploring engineering, and more, it’s all about experimenting, building, and seeing what happens when ideas come to life. In the STEAM Machine, you'll be able to explore creative ways to solve challenges with the whole family. For our upcoming schedule of activities, visit our events page. STEAM Machine activities will be held June 2 through July 30.
Experience the sciPad
Step into an interactive world where learning meets movement. With sciPad featuring smallab, you don’t just learn science, you experience it. This immersive program blends technology and hands-on exploration in a totally unique way....it's like diving into a room-sized iPad to play! Whether it's a fun game of Memory trying to matching our animals, debating Marvel vs DC characters, or learning a new language, sciPad featuring SMALLab Learning has a lesson for just about everything...and they're so much fun you don't even realize you're learning! You'll be up, moving and immersed in enjoyment, we promise.
We'll have our sciPad open to the public from 1-3 p.m. Monday through Friday beginning June 1 until August 7; once school is back in session, sciPad will be open Wednesday-Friday from 1-3 August 12-September 4. This one is great for ALL ages since there are so many different types of games, so bring the whole family. Grandma and Grandpa will enjoy playing on the sciPad just as much as you and your kiddos! We'll feature a new game each day. No reservations required, just stop on in and join the fun.
Travel the Cosmos
Head to the Galaxy Gateway building, courtesy of Impact100 of Northwest Florida, and have a space adventure on your visit! Here is our schedule of shows beginning June 1 through August 7:
Space Adventure Shows (recommended ages 5 and up), Monday through Friday at 2 p.m. Please ask our front desk at check in for the specific show topic our educators will present on the day of your visit. Shows feature intriguing topics on space, history, and how various cultures around the globe view the night sky, both past and present! Shows are around 30-45 minutes in length.
Young Astronomers Show Tuesday & Thursday at 11 a.m. Blast off to the planetarium in this show perfect for astronauts-in-training ages 3-5 from 11-11:30 a.m. All ages are welcome, but the focus on this show will be for the little ones to enjoy!
Tickets for all shows can be purchased at our front desk when you check in ($3 members/$5 nonmembers). Learn more about our planetarium dome, seating, and more here. Please note, our back to school schedule is as follows: Space Adventure Shows Wednesday through Friday at 10:30 a.m. from August 12-September 4.
Looking for Drop-Off Workshops?
Summer STEAM Workshops start June 1! We have exciting new workshops for 2026 including hands-on, interactive lessons that give kids the opportunity to spend their vacation on a science adventure. From a fan-favorite, slime, to deep sea mysteries and more, Monday and Tuesday workshops will delight and educate all.
Camp time includes the lessons listed on our camp page as well as fun activities on the sciPad, in our STEAM Machine, and in our outdoor exhibit area, plus a 20-minute lunch break. Each week, there will be the same theme on Monday and Tuesday, but there will be different activities each day (no repeats), so kids can experience the ultimate amount of fun!
We offer member discounts, multiple sibling discounts, and 10% off workshops when you sign up for at least 8 workshops at once. Currently, a few spaces remain in several workshops, so give us a call 850-664-1261, email website@ecscience.org, or stop by to register.
Enjoy it all with a membership!
We LOVE our members, and we'll be running a special from May 26 to June 7 only: receive 20% off all Science Center memberships so you can be ready to celebrate the summer with us! Our members get in FREE to the museum as many times as they'd like, so all general admission activities like Mini Makers, STEAM Machine, Chem Demos, Creature Features, Planetarium Nights (returning in September!), Discover Science Saturday, and sciPad experiences come at absolutely no additional cost to our members. Members also receive discounts on all our workshops and in our gift shop! Are you planning on traveling this summer? Because your Science Center membership also gets you access to over 300 other Association of Science and Technology Center museums for free! Check out the list of participating museums here.
For more information about the types of memberships we offer or to grab this awesome discount, please visit our membership page. Membership discount offer cannot be combined with any other offers or used on previous purchases. Be sure to use code SUMMER26 (all caps, no spaces) at checkout to receive your discount.
We look forward to seeing you and your family this summer!
