Snow Many Ways to Have Fun This Winter Break! ☃️

Kate Fox
3 days ago
7 min read

Winter break is coming in snow fast, and we’re gearing up for frosty fun at the Science Center! From arctic animal adventures to high-flying sled experiments, we’ve got hands-on workshops, Creature Features, sciPad fun, and planetarium shows that are snow-much fun for the whole family.

Enjoy Winter Break at the Science Center! Access to workshops, sciPad, and Creature Features is included with general admission pricing; planetarium shows include an additional fee. Military & local discounts are available. Please note, these are not drop-off workshops, but activities for the whole family to enjoy together. Spaces for each activity are available on a first come, first served basis. Our Winter Workshops officially kick off on December 22, followed by new workshops on December 23 and 26 (the center is closed for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day). The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with our special workshops starting at 10:30 a.m. December 22, 23, and 26.

Emerald Coast Science Center Winter Workshops, December 23, 26, & 27

December 22, 2025:

Winter Workshop: Winter Sports | 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Sled into some fun in this engaging workshop where you’ll build and launch your own soda straw skier, then code it into action on the Ozobot hockey rink. Snow joke, it’s gonna be a blast!

Planetarium Show: Forward to the Moon | 11:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Kari Byron from Crash Test World and MythBusters launches us on a journey beyond the Earth towards a sustainable future in space. NASA’s 21st century Artemis program, named after the Greek moon Goddess and twin of Apollo, is the next step in our mission to explore the universe.

Creature Feature | 1:00 p.m. Meet some of our coolest Animal Ambassadors up close.

sciPad | 1:30-3:00 p.m. Hop onto the sciPad for winter-themed fun and interactive games!

Planetarium Show: Mysteries of the Brain | 2:00-2:30 p.m.

Jump into an animated adventure following a girl and her crow companion as they explore what makes the human brain so special. Together you’ll zoom along the paths of neurons, find out how human and animal brains differ, and experience illusions on a grand scale! Along the way, you’ll learn how your brain makes you, well, you, and see that ultimately, we each have the power to change our brains.

An Original Bell Museum Production made possible through generous support from the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation and Boston Scientific

Please note that space for the Creature Feature, sciPad, and planetarium are available on a first come, first served basis.

December 23, 2025

Winter Workshop: Elf Chaos | 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Things have gone a little merry and wild! Rosie the Elf has taken over the room, and she wants you to join in the holiday chaos. Create marshmallow catapults, build the tallest tower for the elf, and engineer a LEGO maze to test your skills.

Planetarium Show: Drifting North: Into the Arctic Pulse | 11:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Follow an international team of scientists from over twenty countries who embark on an epic year-long expedition to the Central Arctic, MOSAiC. The Multidisciplinary Drifting Observatory for the Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) team froze the German Icebreaker R/V Polarstern into the sea ice for a year. For a year, the team drifts with an ice floe and strives to understand the Arctic climate system and its future. The 360-degree planetarium dome show is the first planetarium feature film that captures the entire year of the central Arctic climate, transcending the Arctic’s Polar Night and Day, and the experiences of the MOSAiC team as they face one of the most extreme and unique regions on our planet.

Creature Feature | 1:00 p.m. Meet some of our coolest Animal Ambassadors up close.

sciPad | 1:30-3:00 p.m. Hop onto the sciPad for winter-themed fun and interactive games!

Planetarium Show: Drifting North: Into the Polar Night | 2:00-2:30 p.m.

Step out onto an ice floe in the middle of the Arctic Ocean, and watch and listen as scientists race the fading light to set up one of the most ambitious international climate collaborations ever, MOSAiC. The Multidisciplinary Drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate launched in September 2019. Led by the German Alfred Wegener Institute, the mission froze an icebreaker into the Central Arctic Ocean, to better understand the remote region and the role it plays in global climate and weather patterns.

Please note that space for the Creature Feature, sciPad, and planetarium are available on a first come, first served basis.

December 26, 2025

Winter Workshop: Cool Creatures | 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Discover amazing winter adaptations through hands-on experiments and frosty fun! Learn how animals survive the chill by crafting 3D animal tracks, building a bear den, and finding hidden creatures all around the museum.

Planetarium Show: Drifting North: Into the Polar Night | 11:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Creature Feature | 1:00 p.m. Meet some of our coolest Animal Ambassadors up close.

sciPad | 1:30-3:00 p.m. Hop onto the sciPad for winter-themed fun and interactive games!

Planetarium Show: Drifting North: Into the Arctic Pulse | 2:00-2:30 p.m.

Please note that space for the Creature Feature, sciPad, and planetarium are available on a first come, first served basis.

While the museum will be closed on December 31 and January 1, we will be open for more winter fun on December 29, 30, and January 2. Enjoy the the museum from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day with special activities beginning at 10:30 a.m. You snow the drill, all activities listed below are included with general admission except planetarium shows, and space for the Creature Feature and sciPad is available on a first come, first served basis.

December 29 and 30, 2025:

Don't miss our Creature Features from 10:30-11:00 a.m. Then dash over to join in on winter games from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. on the sciPad. Planetarium shows will take place at 1:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. both days.

December 29 Planetarium Shows:

11:30-12:00: Cosmic Mashup

Supermassive black holes are found in most galaxies, and we're beginning to uncover how the merging of galaxies activates galactic centers. This engaging fulldome film was produced by Fiske Planetarium in collaboration with CU Boulder APS Professor, Dr. Julie Comerford and former graduate student Dr. Becky Nevin through support from an NSF award.

2:00-2:30: Mars: The Ultimate Voyage

This dynamic, animated experience highlights real NASA research and initiatives that are preparing the next generation of astronauts to travel to Mars. It illuminates how creativity, collaboration, communication, and expertise in a diverse number of fields are key for the success of deep space travel—while also inspiring the next generation of STEM professionals! This planetarium show is produced by the Bell Museum, in partnership with NASA and UNC Morehead Planetarium and Science Center.

December 30 Planetarium Shows:

11:30-12:00: Mysteries of Your Brain

2:00-2:30: Cosmic Mashup

January 2, 2026:

Enjoy a winter-themed Chemistry Corner today! Join us for a visual chemistry demonstration 10:30-11:00 a.m. followed by hands-on chemistry activities for the whole family to enjoy from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Then dash over to join in on winter games from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. on the sciPad. The planetarium show will run at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets for these shows can be purchased at our front desk during your visit. Learn more about our planetarium dome, seating, and more here.

January 2 Planetarium Shows:

11:30-12:00: Mars: The Ultimate Voyage

2:00-2:30: Forward to the Moon

Our planetarium is powered by FPL.

We hope you all have a wonderful holiday season, and we can't wait to ring in 2026 with all of you.

Pass the time while you wait for all our winter activities to begin with our holiday trivia. Share with friends and family to see who's the ultimate holiday hero!