Nebraska Science Festival

Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea
2023-04-08 09:00 - 17:00, 2023-04-09 09:00 - 17:00, 2023-04-10 09:00 - 17:00, 2023-04-11 09:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft Street, Omaha, NE, 68108
Giant sculptures of sea life, made from marine debris collected on Oregon’s beaches, graphically illustrate the tragedy of plastic pollution in our ocean and waterways. The epic exhibit, Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea, at Lauritzen Gardens includes a titanic triggerfish, a pair of grand penguins, and an 11-foot-long shark named Chompers! More than a set of eye-catching sculptures, these thought-provoking pieces are designed to inspire conversations about conservation and generate positive changes and behaviors towards the environment.

StoryWalk®: "Living Things Need Water"
2023-04-08 09:00 - 17:00, 2023-04-09 09:00 - 17:00, 2023-04-10 09:00 - 17:00, 2023-04-11 09:00 - 17:00 | Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft Street, Omaha, NE, 68108
Take a stroll through the arboretum at Lauritzen Gardens and learn how water is important to living things- animals, people, and plants. Following along with the story “Living Things Need Water” by Karen Aleo, your family can take part in some fun activities. StoryWalk® combines the love of reading with healthy, fun activities that fit the theme of the story to exercise your brain and body. Included with paid admission or membership.

Science Saturday Storytime
2023-04-08 10:00 - 11:00 | A.V. Sorensen Branch, 4808 Cass St., Omaha, NE, 68132, United States
Join Omaha Public Library for Science Saturdays at A.V. Sorensen all April long! In celebration of NE Science Fest and City Nature Challenge, Science Saturdays will offer a science-themed storytime at 10am followed by a family-friendly hands-on activity from 10:30-11am.
Storytime children of all ages are welcome, as storytimes will be tailored for the age of the children present. We explore the early literacy skills of singing, playing, reading, talking and writing in each storytime.
Childcare groups and other groups larger than 10, please call in advance.

Space Science Series for High School Students
2023-04-08 10:00 - 12:30 | NE
Are you fascinated by space? Are you curious about the origins of the Universe or the evolution of galaxies? The CMB-S4 collaboration, a worldwide scientific organization of professional astronomers and astrophysics invites you to join the Saturday Space Science Series! This virtual lecture series for high school students will explore the Big Bang, dark matter, dark energy, the expansion of the Universe, and more. You’ll learn about current astronomy research and careers in astrophysics and cosmology. Students who attend all four Saturdays will receive a certificate of participation.

Dates: April 8,15,22, and 29, 2023
Time: 10:00 am – 12:30 pm (central time zone)
Register at: https://forms.gle/pywY4aNwvnFfaazF6
Contact Person: Juliet Crowell at crowellj@uchicago.edu

INVESTIGATE
2023-04-08 10:00 - 13:00 | University of Nebraska State Museum – Morrill Hall, 645 North 14th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68588
Join Morrill Hall on Saturday, April 8 for their Investigate program. The April 8 Investigate event will feature hands-on activities exploring the many green energy options we use!

Hall of Heroes
2023-04-08 10:00 - 16:00, 2023-04-09 12:00 - 16:00, 2023-04-11 10:00 - 16:00 | The Durham Museum, 801 S 10th Street, Omaha, NE, 68108
Stop by The Durham Museum now until April 16 to see the Hall of Heroes exhibit.
This popular traveling exhibition celebrates and explores both the history and science behind America’s fascination with superheroes and how they impacted our popular culture throughout the 20th century and beyond. Visitors of all ages are encouraged to explore, learn and test their heroic abilities at engaging and challenging interactive stations.
Ever wonder how your favorite super-powered characters were created? Hall of Heroes provides an immersive experience for visitors to understand the world of heroes, crime-fighters and gadgets. Their journey takes them through several themed environments with surprises around every corner. Visitors will explore the histories of heroes and the circumstances that created them, while discovering the ideals that make them the heroes that we know and love.
Regular museum admission.

Pop In Storytime
2023-04-08 10:30 - 11:00 | University of Nebraska State Museum – Morrill Hall, 645 North 14th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68588
Join Lincoln City Libraries and Morrill Hall to learn more about green energy through stories, songs, and movement at the April 8 Pop In Storytime event.

Mueller Planetarium
2023-04-08 11:00 - 12:00, 2023-04-08 13:00 - 14:00, 2023-04-08 15:00 - 16:00, 2023-04-09 13:00 - 14:00, 2023-04-09 15:00 - 16:00 | University of Nebraska State Museum – Morrill Hall, 645 North 14th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68588
Mueller Planetarium is located inside Morrill Hall. Shows are available to the public on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Tickets may be purchased on site at Morrill Hall.
The following are the currently available shows:
The Little Star That Could: Saturdays at 11am
A Starry Tale: Fridays at 1pm, Saturday and Sundays at 1pm
Dream to Fly: Fridays at 4pm, Saturday and Sundays at 3pm

Science Saturday
2023-04-08 14:00 - 16:00 | Omaha RiverFront, 1001 Douglas Street, Omaha, NE, 68102, United States
Join the Nebraska Science Festival for Science Saturday as part of The RiverFront’s Eggcellent Adventure from 2-4pm on April 8. Stop by the NE SciFest booth by the back side of the amphitheater for this free family friendly time that will feature a STEAM scavenger hunt. Turn your completed scavenger hunt in by 4pm to win a prize (while supplies last).

ESports - Minecraft Bedrock Tournament
2023-04-08 18:00 - 19:30 | NE
This is a Minecraft build challenge tournament. This competition is exclusively for the Minecraft Bedrock edition – can only be competed on a Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation, Mobile device, or Windows 10 Edition – Java Edition will NOT work.
This is a free tournament open to students in Nebraska. You will pick your team. Both students on your team do not have to be from the same school.
The teenage division will be Friday, April 7th at 6pm CST – click here to register.
The 12 and under division will be Saturday, April 8th at 6pm CST – click here to register.
More details:
*Shoutcasters’ Choice
*Director’s Choice
*Most Creative Build
*Most Realistic Build
*Coolest Build
​The tournament begins at 6pm

Creative game mode
No cheats
We are in a flat world, always day
Build theme: Will be announced shortly before the tournament
90 minutes Build time
This will be streamed and shoutcasted on our Twitch – ++Twitch.tv/prairiestemesports++

For more information, contact Kim Beck at kim.beck@prairiestem.org

Above and Beyond
2023-04-09 09:00 - 17:00, 2023-04-10 09:00 - 17:00, 2023-04-11 09:00 - 17:00 | Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum, 28210 W Park Hwy, Ashland, NE, 68003, United States
Stop by the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum to view their latest exhibit, Above and Beyond.
Above and Beyond celebrates the power of innovation. Packed with interactive challenges; vehicle concept models and prototypes; immersive media presentations; and inspiring innovator stories, this exhibition invites you to experience what it takes to make impossible dreams take flight.
Regular museum admission.

Valentine Fish Hatchery Tours
2023-04-10 08:00 - 17:00, 2023-04-11 08:00 - 17:00 | Valentine Fish Hatchery, 90164 Hatchery Road, Valentine, NE, 69201, United States
Located in a pine-covered valley one mile east and one mile north of Valentine, the Valentine Fish Hatchery is one of five hatcheries in Nebraska. Spread over 700 acres, the hatchery handles millions of fish eggs annually (60 million walleye eggs, for example). Last year, lakes in Cherry County alone were stocked with some 675,000 fish. Visitors are welcome during normal working hours. The hatchery also houses largemouth bass and bluegill year round. These species are allowed to spawn naturally in the hatchery ponds, and fingerlings are collected for distribution in the fall.
Contact the hatchery in advance – 402-376-2244 – to schedule a tour of the facilities. The hatchery is open to the public during normal working hours.
Government Canyon, located on the north end of the property, offers a variety of opportunities for hikers, bikers, bird watchers and wildlife photographers.

Hall of History Hands-On Weekly Activities
2023-04-10 15:00 - 16:30 | Boys Town Hall of History, 14057 Flanagan Blvd., Boys Town, NE, 68010, United States
This April, visit the Boys Town Hall of History and learn about various science topics with weekly activities. Each week the Hall of History will host staff-led science activities from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Plus, our hearing display including a hearing simulator will be featured throughout the month to teach visitors young and old about the science of hearing, what causes hearing loss and what hearing loss sounds like to a person with no hearing concerns.
Monthly feature: Hearing Display, available during Hall of History open hours
Weekly features:
Marble Run (physics, gravity) M-F April 3-7, 3:00pm – 4:30pm
Printer Press (ink pressing) M-F April 10-14, 3:00pm – 4:30pm
Molding Process (molds, statues) M-F April 17-21, 3:00pm – 4:30pm

Seniors Understanding Nature 2023
2023-04-11 10:00 - 11:00 | Fontenelle Forest, 1111 Bellevue Blvd. N., Bellevue, NE, 68005, United States
Join Fontenelle Forest for their Seniors Understanding Nature (SUN) lecture series at the Nature Center on April 11. The April 11 lecture will cover Butterfly Observation Over the Years.
Joanne Langabee and Holly Hofreiter have been doing research for Lauritzen Gardens and Fontenelle Forest for several years. They will talk about their experiences, common butterflies of our area and how to ID them by behavior and markings. They’ll also share research data which shows the fluctuation of butterfly populations, and they will discuss what can contribute to these changes. You’ll also learn how you can help to increase butterfly numbers in your yard.
Snacks and coffee are available before the presentation. This program is for adults ages 55 and up who enjoy learning about the natural world.
This event is free for members or with daily admission.

Shutterfly Study Hall
2023-04-11 13:30 - 14:30 | City of Kearney Public Library, 2020 1st Avenue, Kearney, NE, 68847, United States
Set aside some time to visit the Kearney Library and work on your Shutterfly photo book. This “study hall” will allow you time to work on your project with Connie Jelkin and library staff on hand to assist with your questions. You can work on a library computer in the Makerspace OR bring your own device.
