Summer Group Programs

Programs are available weekdays June 17 - September 1, 2013

Students (includes museum admission)

Chaperones (includes museum admission)

ONE Chaperone is admitted Free for every FIVE students.

Due to space limitations additional chaperones may not be able to attend programming. Minimum group visit size is 20 paid attendees. Member Discount does not apply to group visits.

Lunch spaces are not scheduled and will be available on a first come, first served basis.

To register, call 248 645.3210 or

Planetarium Programs: 9:30, 10:30 (30 minutes long)

One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure
Grades pre K-3
Big Bird, Elmo and Hu Hu Zhu take viewers on an exciting discovery of the Sun, Moon, and stars. They learn about the Big Dipper and the North Star, and take an imaginary trip to the Moon where they learn that it is a very different place than the Earth. They return to Earth to celebrate the idea that even though they live in two different countries, they still share the same sky.

Dinosaurs at Dusk - NEW
Grades 3-Adult
This program takes place in the planetarium. Take to the skies and discover the origins of flight in Mirage3D's latest fulldome production: Dinosaurs at Dusk. It's a learning adventure of a father and his teenage daughter Lucy, who share a fascination for all things that fly.

You'll travel back in time to meet the pterosaurs and the ancestors of modern-day birds: the feathered dinosaurs. Lucy and her father navigate from continent to continent, looking for clues about the origins of flight. When time runs out, they experience first-hand the cataclysmic "last day" of the dinosaurs.

Natural Selection
Grades 6-Adult
Join Charles Darwin during his voyage on the HMS Beagle to the Galapagos Islands where he was to study transmutation by natural selection. The thrill of a scientific discovery, the adventure of science, and the beauty of nature are central in this program.

Secret of the Cardboard Rocket
Grades K-4
What is the secret of the cardboard rocket? Two young adventurers turn an old cardboard box into a rocket and blast off on an awesome adventure to the most amazing places in the solar system! Join them as they visit the planets to learn what makes each one unique and what makes Earth such a special place to live.

Ultimate Universe (Please note this is not a live-narrated program)
Grades 3-Adult
From the edge of space and time, through vast fields of wondrous galaxies, to the majesty of our solar system, this show will take audiences on a grand tour of the universe and let them experience its most provocative secrets. The Ultimate Universe is a three dimensional journey from the edge of the universe through space and time to reach our home planet, witnessing the major components of the cosmos along the way.

SpacePark360: Lucid Dreaming Edition
Grades 3-Adult
The same great visuals as SpacePark360 but this time set to the infectious music of A Burning Century, an Atlanta-based alternative-rock-electronica band with a sound that combines soaring melodies with hard-hitting rhythms. Songs featured:

Aware, Lucid Dreaming, Watch Me Go, Summer Storm, So Long, For Now, Stand Up, Float Away, Made of Light, A Million Voices Deep, and Day By Day. Lucid Dreaming, the debut album from A Burning Century is available for purchase in the Science Shop.

All ages; recommended ages 5 and above

OBC Programs: 9:30, 10:30, 11:30, 1:30 or 3:30 (30 minutes long)

Bat Zone Tour
Grades pre K-Adult
Take a personal, behind the scenes tour with a bat expert at the Bat Zone and experience fruit bats in flight, sugar gliders, owls, a two-toed sloth and see the largest bats in the world! Come see our colony of Vampire bats and meet our newest resident: Sebastian the skunk! Explore various ecosystems and learn how you can make a difference through conservation and habitat preservation.

Basically Bats
Grades pre K-1st
This interactive program uses creative ways to intrigue and educate to provide young children with a positive first experience with bats. Children will learn what makes bats unique, observe the differences and similarities and learn what bats eat. This program features live bats from across the globe!

Bats of the World
Grades 1st-Adult
Learn the truth about bats and how they live in this exciting multi-media presentation. Learn about how bats use sound waves (echolocation) to navigate in the dark, the bat’s role in the food web and learn about conservation and ecosystems from Michigan and around the world. Meet bats from North America, South America and Africa--some with a 3-foot wingspan!

Animal Adaptations
Grades 1st-Adult
Discover the fascinating features and adaptations of Michigan’s native nocturnal animals. In this program we will talk about what adaptations are, how they are formed and why animals develop these amazing tools for survival. This program includes an owl, bats and a flying squirrel.

Biodiversity Live!
Grades 1st-Adult
Explore the amazing variety of wildlife on planet Earth. Discover the interconnectedness between plants and animals. Topics include the balance of natural ecosystems, how humans are impacting biodiversity (habitat destruction, invasive species, climate change), and simple actions that can be taken to protect wildlife from extinction. Live animals include a bearded dragon, sugar glider and a large fruit bat.

Creature Coverings
Grades pre K-1st
This live animal program will engage the children’s senses through hands-on participation. Children will learn how animals are classified by their body-coverings and learn basic differences between mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. Meet a large fruit bat, bearded dragon and an owl.