Keep the learning (and fun) going during Fall Break!

During School Release days for Education Minnesota (October 17-21), we've got a full lineup of activities for kids and families!

Extended Hours

Enjoy Tornado Alley Omnitheater film and the new Lost Egypt exhibition with extra hours for the weekend! We'll be open from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. On Friday night, students with ID get special discounted admission after 5 p.m.

Remember, Science Museum members get free admission to both the Omnitheater and exhibit halls. We strongly recommend purchasing advance tickets to minimize your wait and guarantee your visit times.

Education Minnesota Break Classes

Designed to fit your schedule, some of our most popular classes are available for one day (Wednesday, October 17) or in two-day version (Thursday-Friday, October 18 and 19). Make the most of your break!

Jump to Thursday-Friday 2-day classes

Wednesday, October 17

Amelia Earhart Flight School
9 a.m. - 12 p.m., ages 9-12
Learn how to fly a virtual aircraft. Draw a winged contraption, then program it to move through the air, over land, through the clouds, and back on the landing strip. You're the pilot in this design-your-own-computer-game class. Register Online

Paper Airplane Workshop
9 a.m. - 12 p.m., ages 6-8
Build and test paper airplanes and other things that fly. Explore the physics and magic of flight. Register Online

Dry Ice!
9 a.m. - 12 p.m., ages 6-8
Experiment with frozen carbon dioxide. Use it to power a rocket, make pop, and make a crystal ball. Register Online

Tsunamis, Tornadoes, Earthquakes and Volcanoes
9 a.m. - 12 p.m., ages 9-12
This class is all about natural disasters. Put your hand in a tornado. Make a model of an earthquake. Watch a volcano erupt. Register Online

LEGO Animation
1-4 p.m., ages 9-12
Learn how to film short stop-action animations using LEGO bricks, beams and people. Film your LEGO mini-figure and post it online. Register Online

LEGO Structures
1-4 p.m., ages 6-8
Learn special LEGO building techniques to build bridges that can bear loads and towers that are taller than you are. Register Online

Disease Detectives
1-4 p.m., ages 9-12
Use a microscope and study different kinds of pathogens. Participate in a simulation of an epidemic where you will be on a team of scientists fighting a disease outbreak. Register Online

Scratch Animation
1-4 p.m., ages 6-8
Use Scratch computer software from the MIT Media Lab to design and animate Scratcher the cat or your own creations. Register Online

Thursday and Friday, October 18-19 (Two-Day Classes)

Minifigure Movie Stars
9 a.m.-12 p.m., ages 6-8
Make a LEGO minifigure into the star of your animated film adventure. Learn new animation tricks as you add scenes to your movie. Watch your film online. Register Online

Electric Pirate Maze
9 a.m.-12 p.m., ages 6-8
Design a path to lead the pirates to the treasure by building a maze game using circuitry and conductive materials. Register Online

Design a Computer Game: Create Your Own Adventure Game
9 a.m. - 12 p.m., ages 9-12
Build your own interactive game or story using programming software from the MIT Media Lab called Scratch. Learn how to draw characters and program game action and scoring. Register Online

Chain Reaction Contraptions
9 a.m. - 12 p.m., ages 9-12
Create a ridiculously long series of mechanical and electrical actions that end in a grand finale! Learn about basic circuitry, then incorporate electric motors in your chain reaction to knock down, push, or make objects fly! Register Online

LEGO Amusement Park
9 a.m. - 12 p.m., ages 6-8
Using LEGO Technic pieces, build amusement park rides and attractions such as a tilt-a-whirl or a merry-go-round. Register Online

Wizard School
9 a.m. - 12 p.m., ages 6-8
For fans of Harry P: Take a potions class, learn the history of dragons, and make some flying things. Register Online

Calling All Marine Biologists
9 a.m. - 12 p.m., ages 6-8
Through hands-on activities, look at the adaptations of ocean animals, from dolphins to fish to the octopus. Dissect a squid and make a coral reef creature. Register Online

Kinetic Robots
9 a.m. - 12 p.m., ages 9-12
Design and build a model robot with moving parts. Dissect a machine to add pieces to your creation. Explore electricity, circuits and motors. Register Online

Carpentry for Kids: Gumball Tower
9 a.m. - 12 p.m., ages 9-12
Test your creative problem solving and carpentry skills by designing a free-form gumball machine that features chutes, ramps, and tunnels. Register Online

Gastrobots: Robots with an Appetite
1-4 p.m., ages 6-8
A robotic creature controlled by what it eats! Using miniature computers with sensors and motors, build your own gastrobot. Learn about robotics, sensors and the power of food. Register Online

LEGO Zombie Animation
1-4 p.m., ages 9-12
A Halloween zombie costume party for LEGO mini-figs! Get one blank mini-fig, paint it up to look like the living dead, then animate your zombie in action. Post and watch your movies online. Register Online

Wizard School
1-4 p.m., ages 9-12
For fans of Harry P: Take a potions class, learn the history of dragons, and make some flying things. Register Online

Calling All Marine Biologists
1-4 p.m., ages 9-12
Through hands-on activities, look at the adaptations of ocean animals, from dolphins to fish to the octopus. Dissect a squid and make a coral reef creature. Register Online

Carpentry for Kids: Gumball Tower
1-4 p.m., ages 6-8
Use carpentry skills to design and build a free-form gumball machine that features chutes, ramps, and tunnels. Register Online

Secret Hiding Places
1-4 p.m., ages 6-8
Construct ways to hide your secret treasures. Make hidden trap doors, camouflage, and tricks to fool the eye. Register Online

Glow in the Dark
1-4 p.m., ages 6-8
Explore bioluminescence and phosphorescence. Play with some glowing potions and examine the lives of animals that glow, from scorpions to lantern fish to fireflies. Register Online

Get Set to Be a Vet
1-4 p.m., ages 6-8
Explore the careers of veterinarians, discover how to take better care of your pets and make dog treats. Learn safe behavior around dogs, examine real animal X-rays and perform a mock surgery. Register Online

Design a Computer Game: Create Your Own Adventure Game
1-4 p.m., ages 9-12
Build your own interactive game or story using programming software from the MIT Media Lab called Scratch. Learn how to draw characters and program game action and scoring. Register Online