• Exploration Station: Chinese New Year Lanterns

    Celebrate the Chinese New Year by making a paper lantern to take home or share with someone you love. Inspired by age-old traditions, this activity invites children to welcome the Year of the Horse with color, light, and stories of celebration. A perfect blend of hands-on art and cultural exploration.

  • Braaains! with UW Neuroscience Outreach

    Join our friends from the UW Neuroscience Training Program outreach team for brain-building activities and interact with REAL neurological specimens. Come learn how we think!This program is part of our Free Thursday Evenings, 4 pm to 8 pm each week.

  • STEAM Time: Succulent Planters

    Adopt a pot from our "Clay it Forward" program and plant a succulent to bring home. Gain a better understanding of plants' cycles and processes.

  • Braaains! with UW Neuroscience Outreach

    Join our friends from the UW Neuroscience Training Program outreach team for brain-building activities and interact with REAL neurological specimens. Come learn how we think!This program is part of our Free Thursday Evenings, 4 pm to 8 pm each week.

  • Dairy Air

    Moo-ve over—there’s science in the air! Join us for hands-on games and puppet fun as we explore air quality and how it connects to farming and daily life. Kids will discover how air travels, what affects it, and how we can all help keep it fresh and clean. “Sharing Our Dairy Air” program is funded by Sanofi as […]

  • Braaains! with UW Neuroscience Outreach

    Join our friends from the UW Neuroscience Training Program outreach team for brain-building activities and interact with REAL neurological specimens. Come learn how we think!This program is part of our Free Thursday Evenings, 4 pm to 8 pm each week.

  • Braaains! with UW Neuroscience Outreach

    Join our friends from the UW Neuroscience Training Program outreach team for brain-building activities and interact with REAL neurological specimens. Come learn how we think!This program is part of our Free Thursday Evenings, 4 pm to 8 pm each week.

  • Dairy Air

    Moo-ve over—there’s science in the air! Join us for hands-on games and puppet fun as we explore air quality and how it connects to farming and daily life. Kids will discover how air travels, what affects it, and how we can all help keep it fresh and clean. “Sharing Our Dairy Air” program is funded […]

  • Exploration Station: Stomp Rockets

    3... 2... 1... Blast off with some out-of-this-world rocket science! Launch your very own air-propelled rocket from the Rooftop Ramble. How many fins fly the farthest? Does your rocket need a nose cone? Test out different features and see how high your designs can fly. Join us each week for new STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, […]

  • Free Night: Badgerland Learning Days Celebration

    Join us for free admission and hands-on activities throughout the museum, 4–8 pm! Learn about dozens of free family events taking place May 2–10 in southern Wisconsin as part of Badgerland Learning Days. Admission is free, registration not required. Free activities provided by: • Wisconsin Historical Society• BadgerBots• Lussier Family Heritage Center• Wisconsin National Primate […]

  • Exploration Station: Plant, Sprout, Grow!

    Ready to get your hands in the soil? Discover how plants grow as you plant seeds to take home and care for. Learn what happens beneath the surface and what helps seeds sprout into something green and thriving. Will your plant live in a pot or the ground? Come explore and start your garden! Today's […]

  • Dairy Air

    Moo-ve over—there’s science in the air! Join us for hands-on games and puppet fun as we explore air quality and how it connects to farming and daily life. Kids will discover how air travels, what affects it, and how we can all help keep it fresh and clean. “Sharing Our Dairy Air” program is funded by Sanofi as […]

  • Exploration Station: What’s Alive in Lake Water?

    Take a closer look at lake life! Examine real Madison lake water and discover the tiny organisms that call it home. Use microscopes and identification guides to uncover what you’ve found—and what it says about water health. What surprises are hiding beneath the surface? Join us to investigate!

  • Exploration Station: Catapults

    What makes something fly farther? Build a catapult and experiment with force, angles, and motion to find out. Test your design, make adjustments, and try again. Each launch teaches you something new. Bring your curiosity and see how far your ideas can go!

  • Members-only Hours: MCM After Dark

    Wind down your week with a little museum magic after hours. Step into a relaxed, members-only evening where your family can play, create, and explore at your own pace. Wander through your favorite exhibits, settle in for hands-on crafting, or follow your curiosity wherever it leads. Whether your kids want to build, imagine, splash, or […]