See all of the hands-on exhibits in the Great Explorations Museum (greatexplorations.org). The whole family can learn about nutrition and exercise in "Fit4AllKidsville" and learn how oranges are picked, packed and shipped in the "Orange Grove" exhibit. Children can create a moving robot in "Robot Lab" and have your kids serve you pizza that they make in "St. Pizza." The museum also hosts special events and camps. The Great Explorations Museum is open daily except for New Year's Day, Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter. Children younger than 2 years old are admitted for free.
Attend a special event or see the exhibits in the Science Center of Pinellas County (sciencecenterofpinellas.org). Purchase ice cream, pizza and drinks and watch the planetarium show, "Journey to the Stars," or observe the moon in the 2011 "Sci-Fi and Sky Night Event." Look through telescopes every fourth Friday of the month in the Carol Samuels Observatory and see different species of marine life in the Marine Room, which has a 600-gallon tank. Interactive, hands-on classes are also offered throughout the year. The Science Center of Pinellas County is open Monday through Friday; an admission fee applies.
Take your family to watch a free planetarium show every Friday evening in the Planetarium at St. Petersburg College (spcollege.edu). The shows in the planetarium, located in the school's Natural Science building, are free of charge. A show is scheduled twice in one evening so you can choose between two time slots. After the show, look at the stars through a telescope in the rooftop observatory. Children younger than the age of 5 are not allowed in the planetarium.
See a live musical or dance performance with your family by national and international artists in the Mahaffey Theater (mahaffeytheater.com). Performances are scheduled throughout the year, such as the "The Nutcracker" during the holidays. Other family shows in Mahaffey Theater have included "Disney Live! presents Mickey's Magic Show," "Rickey Smiley and Friends," "The Wiggles Wiggly Circus" and Irish dance entertainment, "Rhythm of the Dance." Tickets are available in person, by phone or online.
Take the family to the 2,000-square-foot Pier Aquarium (pieraquarium.org) to learn about marine plants and animals. This aquarium and marine education center features interactive exhibits. Learn about the importance of sport and commercial fish in the 352-gallon sport fish aquarium, "Counting on Fish," and take a lesson in determining a fish's age, what kind of bait to use to catch fish and how to measure a fish in "Discovery Cube." Hear the sounds that fishes and humans make in the hydrophone exhibit, "A Sea of Sound" and learn about all creatures that live in Tampa Bay in "Tampa Bay: Species of Concern." Special programs are also held throughout the year including a daily "Touch Tank Experience and Fish Feeding." The Pier Aquarium is open daily except for Christmas Day.
