The Las Cruces Museum of Nature & Science, 411 N. Main St., will offer free programs for children and families this February.
Admission to the museum and programs are free.
“Nature & Science Discovery PreK”
10 a.m. Thursdays
Nurture your little one’s love of science! Investigate dinosaurs through hands-on explorations, stories, and crafts every Thursday in February. No registration required. Recommended for ages 2 to 5 with an adult caregiver.
“Saturday Science – Candy Engineering”
10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 4
Solve engineering problems with candy! No registration required. Recommended for ages 6 and up, adult caregiver participation is required.
NEW! “Teen Takeover: V-Day Candle Making”
6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8
The museum hits different when it’s open only to teens. Play with the exhibits, make, and experiment with S.T.E.A.M. activities, eat snacks, and play games during these extended hours just for teens. Ease into the new semester with DIY bath bombs and aromatherapy. No registration required. This program is for teens ages 12 to 17.
“FOSSILS!”
9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 18
Explore the 3.5-billion-year odyssey of life with a geologist and real fossil specimens. Learn about the smallest, single cell organisms found in the fossil record.
“STEAMpunk – Sabrina Gonzalez Pasterski, physicist”
10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 18
Discover the stories behind science heroes who break barriers and explore the application of their research through hands-on experiments and activities. Sabrina Gonzalez Pasterski, a Cuban-American theoretical physicist and pilot. She is the youngest person to ever have built an airplane. Inspired by her achievements, learn about the physics of flight and test fly your own paper airplane designs. No registration required. Recommended for ages 6 and older.
“Teen Science Café - Mini Med School”
5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28
Middle and high school students are invited to attend a “Mini Med School” presented by the Burrell chapter of the American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians during. Learn about what a typical day looks like for a doctor from current medical students through activities that will teach about the body and medicine. No registration required. Ages 12 to 17.
“Live Animal Feedings”
11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 4 and 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11
It’s brunch time! Watch and learn how different species of animals eat, and what they eat. Animal feedings take place in the gallery at the Museum of Nature & Science. No registration required, all ages.
“Animal Encounters”
11 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 25
Get up close and personal with the amphibians of the Nature Center at the Las Cruces Museum of Nature & Science. Learn about the Chihuahuan Desert’s biodiversity and meet some of the museum’s resident animals. No registration required, all ages.
The Museum of Nature & Science is accessible from RoadRUNNER Transit Route 1, Stop 1. Visit the Museum System website at: www.lascruces.gov/museums or follow the Las Cruces Museums on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @LCMuseums.
For information, contact Stephanie Hawkins, Education Curator, at 575/532-3372 or by email at shawkins@lascruces.gov.