Fossil-rific Family Fun came to the Rocky Mount Children's Museum & Science Center, Saturday, November 7, 2009. Presented by the North Carolina Fossil Club the Imperial Centre for Arts and Sciences was brimming with folks from all walks of life passionate about fossils. Experts from the Smithsonian Institution were on hand site for free fossil identification, along with Museum Specialists and displays from The Aurora Fossil Museum, the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, and the Schiele Museum of Natural History. The Fossil Fair was the perfect great opportunity to speak with experts and collectors, see hundreds of real fossils from around the world, and learn about this fun, educational hobby. We look forward to everyone's return - maybe next year. KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED! This year's fair hosted a variety of fossil vendors, enthusiasts, and collectors. Everyone was excited to learn about & talk fossils. It was a GREAT DAY!

NASA Brings the Moon to Rocky Mount
Have you ever wondered what it's like to visit the moon or the planet Mars? The Rocky Mount Children's Museum & Science Center partnered with National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) to bring the NASA Exploration Experience to the Imperial Centre for Arts & Sciences for a special limited engagement, May 7 - 9, 2009.

Rocky Mount Leaders take a trip to the moon in NASA's Exploration Experience 5-7-09
Left to right Robbin Boddie-Hagans, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services/Federal Programs, Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools; Jean Bailey, Rocky Mount City Clerk; Charles Penny, Rocky Mount Assistant City Manager; Dr. Connie Luper, Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services, Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools; Steve Raper, Rocky Mount City Manager; Rocky Mount City Councilman Tom Rogers; Rocky Mount City Councilwoman Chris Miller; Catherine Combs, Chairwoman, Braswell Memorial Library Board of Trustees; Rocky Mount Mayor David Combs; and Kirk Pierce, Outreach Coordinator, NASA Exploration Systems.

Not pictured - Bob Jenkins, Nash-Rocky Mount School Board Member, Dale Smith, Department Head City of Rocky Mount Parks and Recreation, Megan Hanks, City of Rocky Mount Public Affairs Manager and Steve Warren, Parks Superintendent - City of Rocky Mount.

A young astronaut gets his picture made before venturing to the moon.

Several of the 1,500 visitors to the museum's NASA Exploration Experience learn about robots.

The Bat Man Comes to Rocky Mount: LIVE BAT ENCOUNTER WITH ROB MIES

Rob Mies, a conservation biologist, bat expert and author presented three amazing shows to CMSC audiences on Saturday and Sunday (5-16 & 17-09).

Camilla, a Gigantic Flying Fox (the largest bat in the world) likes showing off for CMSC visitors.

"Inside Africa"
Journey into the heart of Africa and experience its people and rich cultural history with the world-renowned "Inside Africa" exhibit at the Rocky Mount Children's Museum & Science Center, opening January 31st and on display through 2009.

Produced in collaboration with the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, this 6,000-square-foot exhibit takes museum-goers on a journey to selected sites across the world's second-largest continent and offers a deeper understanding of the vitality, richness and significance of its people from historical and contemporary perspectives. Through hands-on activities, three-dimensional settings, multimedia presentations and an exceptional collection of African artifacts, the exhibit demonstrates the enormous diversity of African geography, societies and political systems, and also helps visitors understand more fully the impact of slavery and freedom movements in Africa and the Americas.

The NEW Children's Museum
Beginning January 31, 2009, the youngest visitors to the Rocky Mount Children's Museum & Science Center will have their own exciting new experience! The NEW Children's Museum is designed to be the ideal place to expose children to an educationally exciting resource that strengthens their motor skills, vocabulary, memory, and creative thinking. The NEW Children's Museum includes 35 interactive learning stations designed to engage "budding scientists" ages 6 months to 6 years. From exciting activities like experimenting with music and sounds, opening doors to reveal hidden surprises, matching characters to their shadows and exploring their stimulating and colorful surroundings, the NEW Children's Museum is a child's - and parent's - dream come true!

Sunday Fun Day at the Children's Museum & Science Center
In these tough economic times, stretching a paycheck is challenging for all of us, but we know that education and quality family time are still very important. That's why, beginning February 1st, our "Wonderful Wednesdays" are moving to "Sunday Fun Days!" Join us at the Children's Museum and Science Center - where every Sunday Fun Day starts with FREE Museum admission for absolutely everyone! This is no tame day out though: there are opportunities to go "Inside Africa," get up-close-and-personal with some of the Museum's live animals, see how a Tuareg family lives in the Sahara, take a spin on a Segway, and much, much more!

"Stars of the Pharaohs"
Ancient Egyptian skies come alive at the Rocky Mount Children's Museum & Science Center's Cummins Planetarium in Stars of the Pharaohs. Take a virtual journey to Egypt to experience the majesty and grandeur of the ancient Egyptian empire, its temples and pyramids, and the people who discovered how astronomy could be used to tell time, make a workable calendar, and align huge buildings. Narrated by John Rhys-Davies from Lord of the Rings and Indiana Jones fame, this incredible full-dome video show reveals the astronomical secrets from long ago. Showing daily, January 31 - December 31, 2009. Call (252) 972-1167 for show times and more information.

The Rocky Mount Children's Museum and Science Center; Department of Parks and Recreation is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 p.m., and Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free on Sunday Fun Days from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The museum is closed on Mondays.