Tray with magnify glass and rocks.

Rockin’ Science

October 16 - November 3, 2024

Join us for special activities digging into the rockin’ science of geology! Visitors of all ages can learn more about Earth’s history, development, and make up – and how we know! 

Visit the temporary exhibitions In Search of Earth’s Secrets and Coring the Continents to explore how scientists learn about the past by sampling rocks and soils from deep within the Earth, in the oceans and even Minnesota lakes! Then find out how scientists use similar techniques to sample space rocks in our planetarium show Comets, Moons, and Asteroids Revealed. 

Activities

  • Rocks! Gallery Cart

    Stop by our Rocks! gallery cart to learn how to identify rocks from Minnesota’s ancient past using a few simple tests.

  • Scavenger Hunt

    Grab a scavenger hunt and explore the history of the state found just below the surface of our dioramas and exhibits.

  • Self-guided Tour
    Learning Landscape

    On our outdoor Learning Landscape, explore rock formations with a self-guided tour.

  • Collections Cove

    In Collections Cove, you can act like a scientist when you take tiny soil core samples from a miniature prairie and forest, and craft a display for your soil samples.

  • Touch and See Lab

    Investigate geodes in the Touch and See Lab. At 1 pm each day, staff will crack open a geode! See what’s hidden inside, and compare geodes from different parts of the world.

  • Find showtimes

    Comets, Moons, and Asteroids Revealed

    Join your planetarium guide on this interactive odyssey, with your choices steering the journey through the cosmos.