CHANGING LIVES AND INSPIRING LEARNING THROUGH SCIENCE AND WONDER.

50th Anniversary

Cheers to 50 Years Block Party!

CSC is hosting a block party in celebration of 50 years dedicated to science, fun, and discovery! Enjoy a day of exhibit exploration and fun activities for all! Visit the orientation tent outside of the Aquarium building to learn about the events for the day and how to enter to 50-year membership raffle. See the schedule of events below...

Saturday, September 27th, 10 am – 4 pm

*Exact activities for each time slot may change as we continue to solidify staffing commitments.

Inside the Science Center

  • Take a photo at the photobooth and pick up exclusive 50th anniversary merch in the North Lobby!
  • Experience what it's like to dig for fossils in the Western Piedmont Symphony rehearsal room!
  • Compete against fellow visitors in a scavenger hunt, icon search, and staff BINGO!
  • Stop by the LAB for a session led by CSC staff featuring their passions, experiences, and skills.
  • Hickory Museum of Art in the South lobby to customize your very own Birthday Party hat!
  • Make-and-take your own galaxy slime in the Hall of Astronomy and lava lamps in Energy Avenue!
  • Meet a CSC veteran and learn about our 50 year history!
  • Join us in celebrating our birthday with cake at 11:00 am in the Special Events Room! (while supplies lasts)
  • Get a tour of the facility with our Executive Director, Tracy Hall!

Outside on the North Lawn

  • Bring your own chair or blanket to hang out with us on the lawn!
  • Visit the large activity tent on the North lawn to participate in free guided activities for all ages!
  • Hands-on Harvest and seed activity with Hickory Greenway Harvest!
  • Make-and-take Dino fossils with NC Science Trail!
  • Watch performances on the Patrick Beaver Memorial Library stage!
  • Visit the Library Children's Room from 1 – 3 pm to make a Splashy necklace!
  • Grab a beer from City Walk Brewing; play BINGO, Trivia, or meet an animal!
  • Investigate gravity with the Hickory Fire Department by designing, then testing your own planes and parachutes!
  • Bounce house provided by the Hickory Crawdads Baseball Club.
  • Don't miss the West Wing Educational building for more science fun!
  • Grab a beverage and head outside for a toast to 50 years & beyond of science, fun, and discovery at 3:45 pm!

Sponsored by

Wessels Consulting Services, LLC

50th block party map

1 – Patrick Beaver Memorial Library Stage
2 – City Walk Beer Tent
3 – Gravity's Great with Hickory Fire Department
4 – Staff lead activities in the LAB
5 – Special Events Room Activities & Planetarium Shows
6 – West Wing Activities

Outdoor Activities

All outdoor activities are FREE!

Hub 1 – Patrick Beaver Memorial Library Outdoor Stage (10 AM – 4 PM)

BYOC/B Bring your own chair/blanket to watch live science demos, mascot dance off, and meet popular CSC animals! When scheduled events are not taking place, a DJ will be playing family-friendly music. The DJ will also announce when demos are about to start.

Time Activity
10:15 am Fired up for Science! (Chemistry)
10:45 am Happy Birthday Song!
11:30 am Fun with Physics!
12:30 pm Splashy the Stingray Dance Party!
1:00 pm Naturalist Time with Bruce Beerbower! (Okefenokee Swamp)
1:45 pm Animal Encounter!
2:30 pm Science is Cool! (Liquid nitrogen & dry ice)
3:00 pm Fun with Physics!
3:30 pm Fired up for Science! (Chemistry)

Hub 2 – City Walk Brewing Beer Tent (11 AM – 4 PM)

Visitors 21+ can enjoy a beer in this designated space and play a few games! Winners will receive 3 raffle tickets for the 50-year membership grand prize. Beer CANNOT be taken outside of this area. Security provided by Griffiths.

Time Activity
11:30 am Naturalist Time with Bruce Beerbower! (Backyard Science)
12:15 pm Animal Encounter!
12:30 pm Science Trivia! (Space)
1:00 pm BINGO!
1:30 pm Science Trivia! (Dinosaurs)
2:00 pm BINGO!
2:30 pm Beer Science with Emily Reeves!
3:00 pm Science Trivia! (NC edition)
3:30 pm BINGO!

Hub 3 – Gravity’s Great with the Hickory Fire Dept. (1 PM – 4 PM)

Participate in design challenges throughout the day to build protection for a water balloon, design a parachute to fall the slowest, and fold a plane to fly the furthest. A random selection of each design will be launched from the truck, aligned with the schedule below. Successful designs for the water balloon tests earn 1 raffle ticket for the 50-year membership grand prize! When scheduled events are not taking place, HFD will provide fire safety education.

Time Activity
1:30 pm Erin Graves Drops Things! (investigation of mass, shape, composition)
2:30 pm Water Balloon Drop! (participant-designed cases)
3:30 pm Soar vs. Float! (Airplanes & parachutes)

More Outdoor Activities (10 AM – 4 PM)

All outdoor activities are FREE!

Activity Location
Information Tent! Find schedules, receive raffle tickets, and get info on contests at this tent outside the Aquarium/Planetarium building.
Hickory Greenway Harvest! Learn about Botany with a planting activity, plus "hands-on harvest" opportunities for green beans, okra, and tomatoes.
NC Science Trail! Make and take fun Dino “fossils” with air-dry clay for the younger kids and cyanotypes for the older kids/adults (weather permitting).
Sidewalk Chalk Trail! Follow this path from the orientation tent down to the West Wing Educational building, and add your own design to the mix.
Oobleck Run! Experiment with this non-Newtonian fluid outside of West under the awning. Will you make it to the other side or sink trying?
Microscope Exploration! Inside West Classroom #3.
A Toast to 50 Years! Grab a beverage and head outside for a toast to 50 years & beyond of science, fun, and discovery at 3:45 pm!

Indoor Activities

All indoor activities are free with the purchase of admission or a Membership! Not a Member? Click HERE to join today!

Hub 4 – Foothills Collaboratory (10 AM – 4 PM)

Stop by the LAB to learn about fun topics from the employees of CSC. Explore the passions, experiences, and skills of our staff!

Time Activity
10:15 am Dinosaurs with Bruce Beerbower & Emily Davis!
11:00 am Story Book Time with Karen Williams!
11:45 am Combat Robots with the Schoellners!
12:30 pm Butterfly Pinning with Courtney Levesque!
1:15 pm 3D Printing with Jon Lovelace!
2:00 pm Frog Fun with Cassandra Williams! (Dissected Specimen)
2:45 pm Bio Art with Kaley Farley!

Hub 5 – Special Events Room: SER (10 AM – 4 PM)

Do you have the desire to play bar games without the beer? Then visit the Special Events Room. Winners receive 5 raffle tickets for the 50-year membership grand prize! Splashy the mascot will also make an appearance and blow out the candles for our 50th anniversary at 11 am.

Time Activity
10:15 am Science Trivia! (NC edition)
11:00 am Birthday Cupcakes! (while supplies last)
12:00 pm BINGO!
1:00 pm Science Trivia! (Space)
2:00 pm BINGO!
3:00 pm Science Trivia! (Dinosaurs)

Tours with Tracy Hall, CSC's Executive Director! (10 AM – 3 PM)

Meet in the North Lobby 5-10 mins before your desired tour time. Take a look at the Science Center like never before with Tracy Hall, Executive Director.

Time Activity
10:30 am Tours with Tracy Morning Session!
2:00 pm Tours with Tracy Afternoon Session!

More Indoor Activities (10 AM – 4 PM)

Free activities with the purchase of admission or a membership!

Activity Location
Photo Booth! Visit the North Lobby to take a classic pic with the Big Blue Chair, or use our fun props to take your own.
50th Merchandise! Visit the Main gift shop or Aquarium for some exclusive 50th merch.
Dino Digging! Become a paleontologist in the Western Piedmont Symphony rehearsal room. THE ONLY FREE INDOOR ACTIVITY.
Scavenger Hunt! Find each location on the list to receive 5 raffle tickets for the 50-year membership grand prize.
Find the CSC Icon! Finish and receive 8 raffle tickets for the 50-year membership grand prize.
CSC Staff BINGO! Find the staff/volunteer that fits your square. Get 4 in in a row = 1 raffle ticket; complete the board = 8 raffle tickets for the 50-year membership grand prize.
Galaxy Slime! Make & take activity in the Hall of Astronomy.
Lava Lamps! Make & take activity in Energy Avenue.
Meet a CSC Veteran! Visit the landing between Treehouse Adventures & Gross Labs to take a look into the past 50 years of Catawba Science Center.
Hickory Museum of Art! Make you own Birthday Party hat in the South Lobby throughout the day.
Patrick Beaver Memorial Library! Make a Splashy necklace in the Library Children's room from 1 – 3 pm.

Interested in being a sponsor/partner for this event? Call us today! (828) 322-8169 or email THall@catawbascience.org

Food Trucks

Fat Cat Coffee, Order Up, and Craving Cave are located in the bus lot & Pelican's Snoballs is located outside of the North Lobby entrance.

Playing on September 27!

Join us for the Cheers to 50 Years Block Party in celebration of 50 years dedicated to science, fun, and discovery!
*Planetarium shows are included with admission based on seat availability

Experience the Aurora

26 minutes

See the Aurora Borealis as its never been seen before. Join scientists and photographers on a 7 month journey to capture the perfect shot. For the first time the aurora has been captured as it was meant to be experienced, as a display that covers the entire sky. This immersive show shares the science behind the aurora and tells the story of our quest to find the perfect photograph! 

Show Begins at 10:15 AM

One World One Sky: Big Bird's Adventure

25  minutes

Big Bird and his friends Elmo and Hu Hu Zhu explore how the Earth, moon, and night sky are similar for all people no matter where they live. This show examines the similarities and differences between the earth and the moon.

Show Begins at 11:15 AM

Laser Taylor Swift

50  minutes

Enjoy songs from the Taylor Swift. Laser shows are loud, have flashing lights, and may not be suitable for children under 10 (Taylor Swift may be the exception).

Show Begins at 12:15 PM

Astronaut

23 minutes

The exploration of space is the greatest endeavor that humankind has ever undertaken. What does it take to be part of this incredible journey? What does it take to become an astronaut? Astronaut, takes you from Earth into space...and beyond. 

Show Begins at 1:15 PM

Magic Tree House: Mission to Space

30  minutes

Travel with Jack and Annie, stars of the Magic Tree House best-selling children's book series, as they visit an observatory and beyond into space with the help of an astronomer and astronaut.

Show Begins at 2:15 PM

Laser Dark Side of the Moon

40  minutes

Songs from the Dark Side of the Moon album by Pink Floyd. Laser shows are loud, have flashing lights and may not be suitable for children under 10.

Show Begins at 3:15 PM

Maps & Directions

Click below for directions from Hwy 321, Interstate 40, and Glen Hilton Park

Directions

 

Catawba Science Center
On the SALT Block
243 Third Avenue NE
Hickory, NC 28601

Phone: (828) 322-8169
Fax: (828) 322-1585
info@catawbascience.org

Meredith C.

What a wonderful place to visit! Great environment to learn and the staff is very helpful! Hickory is lucky to have great family education and entertainment.

– Meredith C.

Larry W.

Took the kiddos and they loved it. Employees were nice and helpful. If your looking for something to do with the kids give this place a shot.

-Larry W.

Sam H.

This place was great. We have kids from 8 to 1 and they all had a great time. What I really liked is most of the exhibits are hands on and that really kept them occupied.

– Sam H.

Tiffany F.

We love the Science Center! I take my 2 and 4 year old boys weekly to play and enjoy the exhibits. The staff are wonderful and the classes offered are excellent! We are so blessed to have such an amazing resource in our area.

– Tiffany F.

Denise G.

Fabulous and I don’t often give praise. We took our grandson and were there for hours. He loved it and so did we.

– Denise G.

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