Hunt for eggs among the Dinosaurs in Carpenter Hall and throughout CSC exhibit areas. Treats inside and a grand prize for finding the golden egg. Early check-in starts at 9:30 a.m. in North Lobby.

FREE for members

and included in general admission

Walk among the Dinosaurs in an immersive prehistoric setting and learn about habitats dating back to the late Permian, late Jurassic and late Cretaceous eras, now through Sept. 2.

Go beyond the bones and see how these prehistoric creatures may have looked and sounded when they roamed the Earth millions of years ago. Visit the exhibit's paleo-research camp, see "living fossils," unearth prehistoric relics and participate in Weekly Dino Demos: Wednesdays & Fridays at 4 p.m.; Saturdays & Sundays at 2 p.m.

Dinosaurs is sponsored by George Foundation, Beaver Family Foundation, Catawba Valley Medical Center, Corning and Frye Regional Medical Center. Media sponsors are WFAE 90.3 fm,

WBTV-3, WNC Magazine and Kicks 103.3.

Weekly Dino demos, exhibit-related programs & trips

Learn what it takes to make your garden grow and study the life cycle of a sunflower. Participants will plant their own mini-garden to take home.

Open to preschoolers ages 3 to 5. 

Registration info. 

Celebrate Earth Day with hands-on activities tied to paleontology, geology and envrionmental science Saturday, April 21 and Sunday, April 22.

On April 21, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., Appalachian State University paleontology and geology students will share in hands-on science with CSC visitors. Get an up-close look at fossils using microscopes and find out if you could have outrun a dinosaur. Walk the Arts & Science Center lawn and explore organization booths with representatives from CSC, Hickory Museum of Art, NC Bluebird Society, Catawba Valley Astronomy Club, Keep Catawba Beautiful and more.

Ongoing activities on Sunday, April 22, from 1 to 4 p.m., include hands-on demos on green energy, environmental cleanup and recycling.

Registration is now open for CSC's Summer Fun Science Camp for youth in grades pre-K through rising ninth.

This summer's science camp - June 11 - August 24 - offers 11 weeks of exciting and fun-filled science classes designed for specific age groups. Many classes will be tied to CSC's Dinosaurs exhibit, which will be on display throughout the summer.

New classes include: Diggin' Dinosaurs (pre-K & K), Cretaceous Creatures (1st & 2nd), Solar Science (1st & 2nd), Invertebrate Shuffle (3rd & 4th), On the Brink (3rd & 4th), Discovering Paleontololgy (5th & 6th), From Mountains to the Sea (5th & 6th), Aqua Marine (7th & 9th) and Jr. Naturalist for a Week (7th & 9th).

CSC members receive significant discounts. Early arrival and extended afternoon options are available for busy schedules.

Summer Fun classes, fees & registration forms 

Catawba Science Center offers a variety of engaging and educational birthday party packages for children ages 3 to 12. 

Science themes include Seashore Celebration, Meet the Animals, Science Magic, Dino-Mite and

Earth & Sky Spectacular.

Birthday Party Packages

Intro. to Beer

April 5 - 7 p.m.

CSC Planetarium Building

Join beer enthusiast, home brewer and Hops & Grapes owner Bobby Bush for a tutored beer tasting. Learn about different styles - lagers, pilsners and ales - while sampling various craft brews.

Cost is $10 members, $15 nonmembers. Pre-registration required.

Evening includes light hors d'oeuvres. Call (828) 322-8169 to reserve space today. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Come early to explore aquarium exhibits and socialize.

Retro Rocks with Friday night laser shows on the dome in Millholland Planetarium

April 6, 13, 20 & 27.

Laser Vinyl, 7 p.m.

Laser Retro, 8:15 p.m.

Tickets are just $5 for CSC members and $8 for nonmembers.

Seating is limited. Call (828) 322-8169 to purchase tickets in advance.

Science After Dark laser shows are sponsored by 95.7 The Ride, Focus Newspaper and The Best of Beers, LLC.

Learn more about Science After Dark 

An evening of games, dinner and dancing

to benefit Catawba Science Center

April 28 - 5:30 p.m.

Lake Hickory Country Club

Daytrip to Gray Fossil Site

June 16 - 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Take a behind-the-scenes tour of an active paleontological dig site and fossil museum in Gray, TN. Discoveries at this site include early mammals, such as tapirs, red pandas, short-nosed bears, shovel tusked elephants and a newly discovered badger, as well as fossilized remains of alligators, snakes, turtles and lizards. Observe paleontologists and their assistants at work excavating fossils.

CSC van departs from Arts & Science Center Parking Lot at 8 a.m., and will return at 6 p.m. that same day. Participants should bring a lunch, drink and raincoat or poncho.

Cost is $35 members/$50 nonmembers.

Includes van transportation from CSC and special tour.

Call (828) 322-8169 to learn more, reserve space and register today.

Dinosaur Dig in Colorado & Utah

June 24 - 30

A few spaces remain for this trip-of-a-lifetime...

Be a paleontologist for a week, while exploring sites of the great American West. Dig for early horses and mammals in Colorado, then travel to Utah to study dinosaur tracks, work at a dinosaur dig site and view Native American rock art. Week ends with a rafting trip on the Colorado River and work in a paleontology lab.

Call Bruce Beerbower for details  at (828) 322-8169, ext. 308, or visit

http://www.catawbascience.org/public_prog.html.