Family Programs

The Center is the perfect place for people of all ages to spend quality time learning about the wonders of nature and science.

Lake Erie Nature & Science Center gives children and families a living, breathing connection to the natural world through informal science education. The Center’s unique combination of resources including a live animal collection, public access planetarium, nearby trails and park setting along the shores of Lake Erie allows for high-quality time spent with family and friends.

Featured Programs

Bird Migration and the Night Sky

Birders and astronomers have common goals. Explore the implications of light pollution on bird migration and astronomical observations. After the planetarium program, weather permitting, we will head outdoors to observe the night sky and experience fall bird migration.

Saturday, September 30, 2023
6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

For adults and children ages 12 and up
Fee: $15/person.

Bird Migration Program Starry Night Sky stock photo 1

Halloween Night Hike

Join us for a family-friendly, “spooky” evening filled with stories and stars in the planetarium, resident animal encounters, a simple craft, and a staff-led hike around the Center and into the woods. Don’t forget to wear your costume!

Friday, October 27, 2023
6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

For all ages
Fee: $15/person. Children 6 months and younger are free.

a little girl dressed as a monarch butterfly looking at an owl
Refund Policy: Notification is required one week prior to the start of a program to be eligible for a refund. A service fee of 5% will be applied to all refunds.

Upcoming Programs

september 2023

sat30sep10:00 AMsat11:00 AMOwl EncounterFor ages 8 and up with one adult10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

sat30sep10:30 AMsat10:50 AMTwinkle TotsFor ages 0-310:30 AM - 10:50 AM

sat30sep11:00 AMsat11:30 AMStellar StarsFor ages 3-711:00 AM - 11:30 AM

sat30sep11:30 AMsat12:00 PMMini MissionsFor ages 7 and up11:30 AM - 12:00 PM

sat30sep12:00 PMsat12:30 PMWonders of WildlifeFor all ages12:00 PM - 12:30 PM

sat30sep1:00 PMsat1:30 PMSky TonightFor adults and children ages 6 and up1:00 PM - 1:30 PM

sat30sep2:00 PMsat2:30 PMIBEX: Search for the Edge of the Solar SystemAges 10 and up2:00 PM - 2:30 PM

sat30sep6:30 PMsat9:00 PMBird Migration and the Night SkyFor all ages6:30 PM - 9:00 PM

october 2023

mon02oct11:30 AMmon11:50 AMTwinkle TotsFor ages 0-311:30 AM - 11:50 AM

mon02oct12:00 PMmon12:30 PMStellar StarsFor ages 3-712:00 PM - 12:30 PM

tue03oct12:00 PMtue12:30 PMChildren's Full Dome Show: The Little Star That CouldAges 4 and up12:00 PM - 12:30 PM

wed04oct10:30 AMwed10:50 AMLittle Wonders of WildlifeFor ages 0-310:30 AM - 10:50 AM

wed04oct11:30 AMwed11:50 AMTwinkle TotsFor ages 0-311:30 AM - 11:50 AM

wed04oct12:00 PMwed12:30 PMStellar StarsFor ages 3-712:00 PM - 12:30 PM

thu05oct11:00 AMthu11:30 AMWonders of WildlifeFor all ages11:00 AM - 11:30 AM

thu05oct12:00 PMthu12:30 PMChildren's Full Dome Show: The Little Star That CouldAges 4 and up12:00 PM - 12:30 PM

fri06oct10:30 AMfri11:00 AMWonders of WildlifeFor all ages10:30 AM - 11:00 AM

fri06oct11:30 AMfri11:50 AMTwinkle TotsFor ages 0-311:30 AM - 11:50 AM

fri06oct12:00 PMfri12:30 PMStellar StarsFor ages 3-712:00 PM - 12:30 PM

fri06oct3:00 PMfri4:00 PMSnake EncounterFor ages 8 and up with one adult3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

sat07oct10:00 AMsat10:45 AMHawk WalkFor all ages10:00 AM - 10:45 AM

sat07oct10:30 AMsat10:50 AMTwinkle TotsFor ages 0-310:30 AM - 10:50 AM

sat07oct11:00 AMsat11:30 AMStellar StarsFor ages 3-711:00 AM - 11:30 AM

sat07oct11:30 AMsat12:00 PMMini MissionsFor ages 7 and up11:30 AM - 12:00 PM

sat07oct12:00 PMsat12:30 PMWonders of WildlifeFor all ages12:00 PM - 12:30 PM

sat07oct1:00 PMsat1:30 PMSky TonightFor adults and children ages 6 and up1:00 PM - 1:30 PM

sat07oct2:00 PMsat2:30 PMFull Dome Show: TotalityAges 7 and up2:00 PM - 2:30 PM

mon09oct11:30 AMmon11:50 AMTwinkle TotsFor ages 0-311:30 AM - 11:50 AM

mon09oct12:00 PMmon12:30 PMStellar StarsFor ages 3-712:00 PM - 12:30 PM

tue10oct12:00 PMtue12:30 PMChildren's Full Dome Show: The Little Star That CouldAges 4 and up12:00 PM - 12:30 PM

wed11oct10:30 AMwed10:50 AMLittle Wonders of WildlifeFor ages 0-310:30 AM - 10:50 AM

wed11oct11:30 AMwed11:50 AMTwinkle TotsFor ages 0-311:30 AM - 11:50 AM

wed11oct12:00 PMwed12:30 PMStellar StarsFor ages 3-712:00 PM - 12:30 PM

wed11oct3:00 PMwed4:00 PMSnake EncounterFor ages 8 and up with one adult3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

thu12oct11:00 AMthu11:30 AMWonders of WildlifeFor all ages11:00 AM - 11:30 AM

thu12oct12:00 PMthu12:30 PMChildren's Full Dome Show: The Little Star That CouldAges 4 and up12:00 PM - 12:30 PM

fri13oct10:30 AMfri11:00 AMWonders of WildlifeFor all ages10:30 AM - 11:00 AM

fri13oct11:30 AMfri11:50 AMTwinkle TotsFor ages 0-311:30 AM - 11:50 AM

fri13oct12:00 PMfri12:30 PMStellar StarsFor ages 3-712:00 PM - 12:30 PM

sat14oct10:30 AMsat10:50 AMTwinkle TotsFor ages 0-310:30 AM - 10:50 AM

sat14oct11:00 AMsat11:30 AMStellar StarsFor ages 3-711:00 AM - 11:30 AM

sat14oct11:30 AMsat12:00 PMMini MissionsFor ages 7 and up11:30 AM - 12:00 PM

sat14oct12:00 PMsat12:30 PMWonders of WildlifeFor all ages12:00 PM - 12:30 PM

sat14oct1:00 PMsat1:30 PMSky TonightFor adults and children ages 6 and up1:00 PM - 1:30 PM

sat14oct1:30 PMsat2:30 PMOwl EncounterFor ages 8 and up with one adult1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

sat14oct2:00 PMsat2:30 PMFull Dome Show: Forward! To the MoonAges 10 and up2:00 PM - 2:30 PM

mon16oct11:30 AMmon11:50 AMTwinkle TotsFor ages 0-311:30 AM - 11:50 AM

mon16oct12:00 PMmon12:30 PMStellar StarsFor ages 3-712:00 PM - 12:30 PM

tue17oct12:00 PMtue12:30 PMChildren's Full Dome Show: The Little Star That CouldAges 4 and up12:00 PM - 12:30 PM

wed18oct10:30 AMwed10:50 AMLittle Wonders of WildlifeFor ages 0-310:30 AM - 10:50 AM

wed18oct11:30 AMwed11:50 AMTwinkle TotsFor ages 0-311:30 AM - 11:50 AM

wed18oct12:00 PMwed12:30 PMStellar StarsFor ages 3-712:00 PM - 12:30 PM

wed18oct6:30 PMwed8:00 PMAstronomy ClubFor adults and children ages 12 and up6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

thu19oct11:00 AMthu11:30 AMWonders of WildlifeFor all ages11:00 AM - 11:30 AM

thu19oct12:00 PMthu12:30 PMChildren's Full Dome Show: The Little Star That CouldAges 4 and up12:00 PM - 12:30 PM

fri20oct10:30 AMfri11:00 AMWonders of WildlifeFor all ages10:30 AM - 11:00 AM

fri20oct11:30 AMfri11:50 AMTwinkle TotsFor ages 0-311:30 AM - 11:50 AM

fri20oct12:00 PMfri12:30 PMStellar StarsFor ages 3-712:00 PM - 12:30 PM

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november 2023

tue07nov9:00 AMtue11:30 AMJunior KeeperFor ages 8 - 16 with one adult9:00 AM - 11:30 AM

sat11nov9:00 AMsat11:30 AMJunior KeeperFor ages 8 - 16 with one adult9:00 AM - 11:30 AM

wed15nov6:30 PMwed8:00 PMAstronomy ClubFor adults and children ages 12 and up6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

wed22nov1:00 PMwed2:00 PMOwl EncounterFor ages 8 and up with one adult1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

december 2023

sat09dec9:00 AMsat11:30 AMJunior KeeperFor ages 8 - 16 with one adult9:00 AM - 11:30 AM

fri15dec6:00 PMfri8:30 PMWinter Solstice CelebrationFor all ages6:00 PM - 8:30 PM

sat16dec1:30 PMsat2:30 PMOwl EncounterFor ages 8 and up with one adult1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

wed20dec1:00 PMwed2:00 PMOwl EncounterFor ages 8 and up with one adult1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

wed20dec6:30 PMwed8:00 PMAstronomy ClubFor adults and children ages 12 and up6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

thu28dec9:00 AMthu11:30 AMJunior KeeperFor ages 8 - 16 with one adult9:00 AM - 11:30 AM

fri29dec9:00 AMfri11:30 AMJunior KeeperFor ages 8 - 16 with one adult9:00 AM - 11:30 AM

january 2024

tue02jan9:00 AMtue11:30 AMJunior KeeperFor ages 8 - 16 with one adult9:00 AM - 11:30 AM

sat13jan1:30 PMsat2:30 PMSnake EncounterFor ages 8 and up with one adult1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

mon15jan9:00 AMmon11:30 AMJunior KeeperFor ages 8 - 16 with one adult9:00 AM - 11:30 AM

sat20jan9:00 AMsat11:30 AMJunior KeeperFor ages 8 - 16 with one adult9:00 AM - 11:30 AM

february 2024

sat10feb1:30 PMsat2:30 PMOwl EncounterFor ages 8 and up with one adult1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

fri16feb9:00 AMfri11:30 AMJunior KeeperFor ages 8 - 16 with one adult9:00 AM - 11:30 AM

sat17feb9:00 AMsat11:30 AMJunior KeeperFor ages 8 - 16 with one adult9:00 AM - 11:30 AM

fri23feb6:00 PMfri8:30 PMOwl ProwlFor all ages6:00 PM - 8:30 PM

march 2024

fri22mar6:00 PMfri8:30 PMEclipse NightFor all ages6:00 PM - 8:30 PM