Telfair Museums announces the opening of four new exhibits especially designed for preschool children and families.

You are invited! Telfair Museums opening celebration will take place on Saturday, May 19 beginning at 11 am, with activities in the ArtZeum and museum studios continuing through 2 pm.

Admission is free to families during this event, thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Telfair Academy Guild.

The ArtZeum is in the Telfair Museum’s Jepson Center, 207 W York St, Savannah GA 31401 More info here.  Telfair Museums are a SouthernMamas.com advertiser.

Starting Sat. May 5, the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston will have a special exhibit about Madagascar, the world’s most biodiverse island. Guests can see lemurs, chameleons and colorful fish.

The exhibit, Madagascar Journey, opens for a three-year run on Saturday. It features creatures from Madagascar including ring-tailed lemurs, a Nile crocodile, giant geckos, boa constrictors stingrays and parrots. The island of Madagascar is home to 250,000 species, but today less than 15 percent of the original native forest remains due to burning and cattle grazing.

The aquarium has just completed a 15-year master plan that includes, among other things, moving its sea turtle hospital from behind the scenes to the public galleries.

South Carolina Aquarium, Charleston, 100 Aquarium Wharf, Charleston, SC 29401, (843) 720-1990 Hours
March-August Open Daily 9 AM-5PM (building closes at 6 PM); September-February Open Daily 9 AM-4 PM (building closes at 5 PM) Closed Thanksgiving, Dec. 25 and half day Dec. 24)

Massie Heritage Center, Savannah’s museum for history and architecture located on Calhoun Square, will open its doors to the public after $1 million restoration project. The Grand Re-Opening Celebration activities and FREE ADMISSION are planned over 4 days, Thursday, April 26-Sunday, April 29 2012.

Discover new interactive exhibits including a laser show of the rebuilt three-dimensional model of James E. Oglethorpe’s famous city plan in Savannah: An Intelligent Grid. You’ll also see life-size classical structures from around the world which demonstrate the impact on Savannah’s own architecture in the Classically Inspired exhibit.

Schedule of Events:
Thursday, April 26 10 am: Ribbon Cutting & Dedication Ceremony
Friday, April 27 10 am-5 pm: Open FREE to public
Saturday, April 28 10 am-4 pm:  Open FREE to public
Sunday, April 29 1-5 pm: Open FREE to public

For more information call Sandee Lipsitz at (912) 395-5070. Massie Heritage Center, 207 E. Gordon Street, Savannah, GA 31401. www.massieschool.com

Statesboro’s Georgia Southern Planetarium, which recently underwent renovations to a Digistar 4 full dome digital planetarium system, will host a free public, new full dome digital show, WONDERS OF THE UNIVERSE, 4-5 PM April 14, 2012.  

This will be the first new full dome digital show in the redone planetarium! You’re invited to attend this FREE educational and exciting event that’s for all ages.

Telescopic viewing following /during the event weather permitting.

The planetarium is located in the Math/Physics Bldg (#203) on the campus of Georgia Southern University Campus map at: http://www.georgiasouthern.edu/map/

Parking directions for planetarium public events: Turn on to Herty Drive from Fair Road (GA Hwy 67) and follow all the way to the end. Turn left through the open parking gate then right into the large faculty/staff parking lot. Walk back down toward the gates and the planetarium is across on the other side in the Math/Physics Building between the small Eidson Building – Honors (old Alumni House) and the Biology Building.

WONDERS OF THE UNIVERSE (New full dome digital show!)
4-5 PM Sat. April 14, 2012

Peer deep into space through the eyes of the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope and travel back billions of years in time to witness the birth of the universe. On this breathtaking excursion you’ll witness the formation of galaxies and explore some of the most wondrous nebulae and astronomical structures yet discovered. As your travels continue, you’ll fly deep into our own Milky Way galaxy and return home to Earth on a spectacular tour through the solar system. From Evans and Sutherland Digital Theater Productions.

Running time: 20 minutes

Trailer: http://www.es.com/Products/Shows/Wonders/WondersOfTheUniverse.html

A live star show of the current night sky will also be included with each presentation. Free sky maps, telescopic observing, activities, and more! Free event for all ages to enjoy sponsored by the Department of Physics of the College of Science and Technology at Georgia Southern University. The planetarium will be collecting canned and non-perishable foods to donate to our local food bank for those in need in our community.
For more information, visit GSU planetarium here. Questions? E-mail planetarium@georgiasouthern.edu, or call the Department of Physics at 912-478-5292.

 The Sandbox Interactive Children’s Museum is offering a new program, “Parents 411”: Interactive Informational Workshops for new parents. “Parents 411” will be held every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. at The Sandbox beginning March 27, 2012.

“Parents 411” is a series of 10 workshops designed to meet the needs of parents of young children, child care providers and grandparents. The program includes local experts who will lead interactive sessions designed to provide information, answer questions and address concerns of new parents.

Please call Caroline Rinehart at 843-842-7645 to sign up for the workshop/s.

The Sandbox, An Interactive Children’s Museum, 18A Pope Ave. (located behind St. Andrew’s By the Sea Methodist Church), Hilton Head Island, SC 29928, Tel: 843-842-7645 Email: crinehart@thesandbox.org

Check out this fun class being offered starting later this week at Telfair’s Jepson Center for the Arts!
LEARN TO DRAW WITH ROBOTS & LIGHTS
March 8-April 5, 2012/Five consecutive Thursdays
4:30-6 pm / Ages 6-10
Members $125 member fee, Non-members $150/
Go beyond pencils and crayons and learn to draw with robots and light. Materials included.

Register online @ www.telfair.org or contact Kip Bradley at 790-8823 or bradleyk@telfair.org.

Other activities at the Jepson Saturday include: “What Can We Make?” at the Jepson Center for the Arts, Savannah
Held Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays
Drop-in visits, all-ages, free-form art activities from 10 AM-2 PM
Free to members and to visitors with paid admission.
Details here.

For more kids’ programs at the Jepson, click here.

Jepson Center, 207 W York St, Savannah GA 31401 Telfair Museums are a SouthernMamas.com advertiser.

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This week, Monday Feb. 27-Sunday March 4 is free admission at Jepson Center, 207 W York St., Savannah, 31401!

The art museum is offering free admission everyday, all day to the public Feb. 27 through March 4.

Enjoy the downtown Savannah museum at no cost & explore the Jepson’s ArtZeum, a two-level children’s museum.

For more information call 912.790.8800 or click here

With a three-day Presidents Day holiday weekend approaching, we are sharing some of our favorite daytrips to kid-friendly places you can visit in a daytrip or over the weekend. Here are our 10 favorite picks for nearby spots outside of Savannah that are well worth the trip:

1. Georgia Sea Turtle Center, Jekyll Is., Ga (closed Mondays including Presidents Day Feb. 20). Hours, admission rates, directions and more details here.

2. South Carolina Aquarium, Charleston Harbor , S.C. Open on Presidents Day Feb. 20. Hours, daily events, admission rates & specials here.

3. Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry, Charleston, S.C. Open on Presidents Day Feb. 20. Hours, exhibits, admission rates & more details here.

4. Museum of Science & History (MOSH) & The Bryan-Gooding Planetarium, Jacksonville, Fla. Open on Presidents Day Feb. 20. Hours, daily Planetarium shows, upcoming special events, admission specials & more details here. .

5. Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, Jacksonville, Fla. Open on Presidents Day Feb. 20. Hours, Black History Month Discount, admission rates & more details here.

6. The Center for Wildlife Education & the Lamar Q. Ball Raptor Center at Georgia Southern University Campus, Statesboro, GA. A reptile program is held on each Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Lecture Hall & a flighted raptor program is held at 3 p.m. in the Amphitheater. Admission rates, show details, directions here.  OPEN ON Presidents Day Feb. 20.

7. The Sandbox Interactive Children’s Museum, Hilton Head Is., S.C. Open on Presidents Day Feb. 20 Day. Hours, admission rates & more details here.

8. Lawton Stables, Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head. Is. S.C. OPEN on Presidents Day Feb. 20 (open everyday except Christmas) Lawton’s free animal farm includes goats, sheep, pot-bellied pigs, ponies, rabbits, a deer named Callie and a Clydesdale named Harley (who loves visitors bearing carrots and apples). Pony rides and horseback riding available for a fee. Details here.

9. Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, Columbia, S.C.. Check out the new bald eagle exhibit & safari ropes challenge course. Details here.

10. EdVenture Children’s Museum, Columbia, S.C. OPEN on Presidents Day Feb. 20. Eight exhibits including EDDIE® the World’s Largest Child, plus a library, learning laboratories, resource centers & more. Two additional outdoor gallery spaces are located just outside the museum’s front doors. Within the total 92,000 square feet that is EdVenture Children’s Museum, there are more than 350 individual hands-on exhibits. Details here.

We love Super Museum Sunday when museums & other organizations are FREE. This year, Super Museum Sunday is 12-4 PM Sunday Feb 5. The new SCAD Museum of Art will be among those local museums offering free admission this Sunday! 

From Statesboro to Darien, over 40 cultural institutions throughout coastal Georgia participate in this popular annual family event. Free and open to the public.

Click here for a list of some participating local museums, so you can plan your day and take advantage of free admissions.

Next time you head to Riverbanks Zoo & Gardens in Columbia, S.C. check out EdVenture Children’s Museum, the South’s largest children’s museum.

We haven’t gone yet but a savvy Savannah mom recommended it.

EdVenture’s mission is to create new generations of lifelong learners. Eight exhibits including EDDIE® the World’s Largest Child, plus a library, learning laboratories, resource centers & more. Two additional outdoor gallery spaces are located just outside the museum’s front doors. Within the total 92,000 square feet that is EdVenture Children’s Museum, there are more than 350 individual hands-on exhibits.

Kids can climb inside EDDIE® (Forty-feet tall sitting down) inside his brain, heart, stomach and other body structures. EDDIE® allows children to use their gross motor skills to discover what’s inside their bodies.

EdVenture Children’s Museum, 211 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC 29201, (803) 779-3100, http://www.edventure.org, Hours, Tue – Sat: 9 AM – 5 PM, Sun Noon-5 PM, info@edventure.org On Facebook here.

SouthernMamas.com checked out Tellus Science Museum for the first time over the long Martin Luther King Jr. weekend & we highly recommend visiting this northwest Georgia science museum the next time you are in Atlanta.

Tellus is a 120,000-square foot museum in Cartersville just off I-75 at exit 293. (about a 45 minute drive north of Atlanta) Tellus features four main galleries: The Weinman Mineral Gallery, The Fossil Gallery, Science in Motion and The Collins Family My Big Backyard. There’s also a 120-seat digital planetarium and an observatory.

My 5-year old son particularly liked the 80 foot-long Apatosaurus; 9-foot wide jaw of a Megaladon – a shark found in the oceans that was larger than a school bus; the T-rex; and the always alluring dinosaur poop. Kids can also see a replica Wright flyer, conduct hands-on experiments with light, sound, magnets; pan for gems and minerals; dig for fossils; and more.

The museum is open seven days a week, Monday-Sunday 10 AM – 5 PM. Call 770-606-5700 or click here for more information.

Admission (Includes Fossil Dig & Gem Panning)

Members – Free
Adults – $12
Children (3 – 17) – $8
Student with ID – $8
Active Military with ID – Free
Seniors (65+) – $10

Planetarium
Must include paid admission to museum
$3 – Must include paid admission, free member admission, or complimentary admission pass
$2 – second planetarium show for an individual during one visit
Basic Members – $2 planetarium show (free museum admission)
Leadership Members – no charge

Tellus Science Museum is on Facebook here.

Telfair’s Jepson Center for the Arts at 207 W.York Street in Historic Savannah is a great place to visit when you’re looking for creative indoor kids’ activities. Check these out:

What Can We Make? Every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 10-2pm

wcwm? focuses on developing problem-solving and critical thinking skills through imagination. Explore your creative side with inspiring activities utilizing up-cycled materials, found objects, and traditional art supplies. In addition to the wcwm? project kits, the studios provide water color and collage opportunities. Call 790.8823.

New to the program is monthly thematic Family Make: participants are assigned a theme and encouraged to make art from the most unexpected materials. January’s Make: Camera Obscura In conjunction with “Fresh Focus: Contemporary Photography from the Permanent Collection”

Camera obscura, a camera without film, a precursor to the invention of photography, in use since the Victorian era. Easy to build and fun to personalize, it can function in most any form. The camera obscura will demystify the functions of a camera, while providing a fun artistic investigation of composition and light in the world around us.

Always free to members and to visitors with paid admission. Open to adults and children accompanied by an adult caregiver

Winter 2012 Toddler Thursday

Designed especially for pre-schoolers and their adult companions, Toddler 3rd Thursday allows toddlers to explore artwork from Telfair exhibits and complete a tour-related art project.

▪ 10—11:30am
▪ Ages 3-5 & parent or guardian
▪ $5 per child /
Adults free with child admission

2012 Themes for Toddler Thursday
January 19 Take’n Pictures
February 16 Moving Dots Flip Book
March 15 Painting Savannah
April 19 Paper Dolls

FOR CHILDREN & ADULT ART CLASSES OFFERED AT TELFAIR MUSEUMS, CLICK HERE.

Looking for something to do with the kids this holiday break?

Check out the SCAD Museum of Art, from its glowing outdoor chairs to the interactive one-of-a-kind touch table, the museum is sure to inspire.

Free admission for children under 14.

For more information visit, www.scadmoa.org  or call 912.525.7191. SCAD MOA is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser.

SCAD Museum of Art, 601 Turner Blvd. Savannah, 31401

We often get questions about the status of building a Savannah Children’s Museum. Work is under way on such a museum near the Georgia State Railroad Museum in downtown Savannah and organized by the Coastal Heritage Society. Here’s a snippet from the Coastal Heritage Society Web site:

CHILDREN’S MUSEUM

The Coastal Heritage Society is working towards creating Savannah’s first, and only children’s museum! This project is specifically targeted to educate children ages 0-10 in a non-school environment, to address the need for young children to learn about their community, and to support families and educators in developing fundamental skills.

What Will the Savannah Children’s Museum Be?

Building Size
SCM will have 38,000 sq. feet of interior space and a 15,000 square foot courtyard with 20,000 sq. feet of exhibits, located on a National Historic Landmark site.
Learning Standards
SCM is dedicated to the education of young children, covering 9 educational goals that incorporate a variety of learning strategies and Georgia Learning Standards.
Audience
SCM will serve 84,379 children, ages 0-10 locally within an hour’s drive and an undetermined tourism audience. We anticipate 50,000 – 75,000 visitors per year.
Use
SCM will be a resource serving parents, children, teachers, childcare centers, elementary schools and tourists seven days a week.
Perfect Location
SCM is located in a tourism based, educational, and recreational complex of 25 acres, which will contain 5 public venues and provide a locomotive-powered rail shuttle. All of these attractions can occupy a family for many, many hours of enjoyment.

How you can help

For further information on the Savannah Children’s Museum, or for volunteer opportunities with this project, contact Samantha Pogorelsky, Campaign Director at 912.651.2438 or spogorelsky@chsgeorgia.org .

Weekend Train Rides Are Back On Track!

Take the Savannah Central No. 119 Diesel Locomotive for a quick nostalgic trip down the Museum track. Come every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for scheduled train rides and a walk around Georgia State Railroad Museum. Did you know it’s the largest pre-Civil War era railroad complex in the world? Then walk across the street for a tasty bite to eat at the WhistleStop Cafe!
Train Ride Times:
Friday & Saturday
11 AM, 1 & 2 PM
Sunday
1 & 2 PM

The Interpretive Center ( i.e. Nature Center) at Skidaway Island State Park  in Savannah is a kid-friendly educational spot that’s often overlooked.

It’s surrounded by easy hiking trails including the 1-mile Avian Loop Trail, 1-mile Sandpiper Trail Loop, and the 3-mile Big Ferry Trail Loop. The Big Ferry Loop is also open to bicycles for those kids who don’t mind bumping over tree roots.

Cool off after your hike in the air-conditioned Interpretive Center which includes a display of the Giant Ground Sloth replica (pictured here); wildlife exhibits; live reptiles including a terrapin turtle; and birding station where right now you have a good chance of seeing Painted Buntings, which are currently nesting there.

Free kid-friendly structured activities are regularly held at the park. We’ve heard great things about the evening hikes and really want to check those out.  For a complete listing of August 2011 Free Skidaway Island State Park Kid-Friendly Events, visit our new Skidaway State Park children’s activities page by clicking here.  

Interpretive Center hours: Wednesday-Sunday 10 AM-5 PM at Skidaway Island State Park. Cost: $5 for parking.
52 Diamond Causeway, Savannah, 31411, 912-598-2300, http://www.gastateparks.org/SkidawayIsland

Join Coastal Heritage Society for a night of excitement as Savannah History Museum exhibits come to life! Have a private showing of Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian then stay the night with your family after touring the history museum after dark!

Savannah Night at the Museum II
Saturday, July 23 6pm – Sunday, July 24 8:30am
For ages 4 and up. Parents must accompany children. Bring sleeping gear.

Event Price Per Person (kids & adults)
CHS members: $22
non-members: $25
Price includes dinner, movie, museum tour, activities, and breakfast.

Advanced ticket purchase required by Wednesday, July 20 at 5pm.

For more info or to make your reservation, call 912.651.6823 x3 or email info@chsgeorgia.org .

Join Coastal Heritage Society for a night of excitement as Savannah History Museum exhibits come to life! Have a private showing of Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian then stay the night with your family after touring the history museum after dark!

Savannah Night at the Museum II
Saturday, July 23 6pm – Sunday, July 24 8:30am
For ages 4 and up. Parents must accompany children. Bring sleeping gear.

Event Price Per Person (kids & adults)
CHS members: $22
non-members: $25
Price includes dinner, movie, museum tour, activities, and breakfast.

Advanced ticket purchase required by Wednesday, July 20 at 5pm.

For more info or to make your reservation, call 912.651.6823 x3 or email info@chsgeorgia.org .

Deerskins, Rice, and Cotton: Life in Early Savannah History Camp for Rising 1st-5th Graders @ Georgia State Railroad Museum
July 25-29, 9am-1pm
$150 per child for the week
lunch can be purchased for $20

Based at Georgia State Railroad Museum, but with mini-trips to Savannah History Museum, Battlefield Park, and Old Fort Jackson- this camp is a step back in time to the days of old Savannah.

Made just for 1st-5th graders, historic games will be played, children will get a chance to wear clothing and uniforms of the period and will explore on-site buildings that were constructed during the 1800s. On Friday, July 29, a special field trip will be taken to Old Fort Jackson to learn about life as a soldier!

Campers will learn what it’s like to be an Indian trader and will create their own Native American stories. They will learn about Colonial jobs and will pretend to be merchants, making goods, and purchasing from a “marketplace.” Each day will be fun-filled and hands-on as campers step back into the history of Savannah!

For more info, call 912.651.6823 x3 or email info@chsgeorgia.org . Registration form can be found by clicking here:

Spend the night at the museum and sleep amongst the creatures of Savage Ancient Seas: Dinosaurs of the Deep, MOSH’s summer exhibit in Jacksonville, Fla. More info here.

Includes:
Sea Monsters Planetarium Show
Pizza Snack
Museum Exhibit Time
Science Show
Rooftop Telescopic Stargazing (weather permitting)
Morning Donuts

REGISTER NOW The last day to register is August 1, 2011; the last day to cancel and receive a refund is July 25, 2011.Cost is $30 per child (must be 4 years or older to attend) and $20 for required parent or adult chaperone. Members receive a $5 discount per person.

Questions? Call 904.396.6674 ext. 226.

We here at SouthernMamas.com have long contended that Hilton Head Is. is one of the most kid-friendly vacation spots around.

The island is teeming with children’s activities such as those being offered this summer at The Sandbox, An Interactive Children’s Museum. The Sandbox celebrates summer with a Summer Fun Series of special programs and activities held each day at the Sandbox. The program calendar is as follows: Mondays, Pottery Program at 9:30 a.m. and Cupcake Decorating at 1:30 p.m.; Terrific Tuesdays: special art activity at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Wednesdays: Morning Music Program at 10:30 a.m.; Thursdays: Imagination Hour at 10:30 a.m.; and Fridays: Coastal Critters hosted by the Coastal Discovery Museum 10:30 a.m.

For Terrific Tuesdays, this Tuesday, June 28th is Yosti’s Puppet Show, and the Coastal Critters Program on Friday July 1st is All About Sea Turtles.

The Sandbox is an interactive children’s museum with region related exhibits, activities, and programs for children’s ages toddler through 8 years. Museum hours are Monday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Sandbox, 18-A Pope Avenue, next to St. Andrew’s by the Sea United Methodist Church, 843.842.7645 or afinn@thesandbox.org, www.thesandbox.org

Join Georgia State Railroad Museum (Roundhouse Railroad Museum) for Summer Toddler Art!

Is your child 3 years old or younger and enjoys being creative? What toddler doesn’t? Enjoy this eight-week-long adventure for your young artist! Led by Miss Rebecca, Coastal Heritage Society’s Director of Young Children’s Programming, toddler art class at the Georgia State Railroad Museum is a fun time for socialization between parents and their little ones. It’s incredible to see the creative juices flowing as toddlers work on early writing skills.

The next toddler art 8-week session begins July 15, and is held in the Georgia State Railroad Museum kids’ car on Friday mornings at 10am (with the exception of July 29, which will be held at 2pm).

Join Georgia State Railroad with your wee one in this creative discovery time.
Call or email to register now for summer classes—space is limited!
$100 for all eight classes or $12.50 per class.

Advanced registration required:
Call 912-651-6823 x3 or email info@chsgeorgia.org

Free admission for up to two children when accompanied by one paying adult. (912) 232-1511 www.shipsofthesea.org .

ArtZeum at Telfair Museum’s Jepson Center for the Arts –  the two-level, hands-on children’s section – has some new and interesting additions to the small collection of children’s books on art in the back corner of the second level.

The books are certain to spark children’s excitement about creating their own artwork as well as learning about the styles of the great masters. Here are a few that we checked out from our local library and liked. Thanks, Jepson, for the suggestions!

“A Child’s Book of Play in Art” by Lucy Micklethwait – This book encourages children to look at paintings, explore them and find in them familiar and unfamiliar things. The collection of pictures aims to inspire a range of activities.

“Children’s Book of Art: An introduction to the world’s most amazing paintings and sculptures”

“Discovering Great Artists” by MaryAnn F. Kohl and Kim Solga – This book offers fun hands-on art projects to teach children about the styles of the great masters. Example: to teach kids how Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel, a lie-down painting project involves taping paper to the underside of a table and having your child lie on their back and paint the “ceiling.”

“I Spy Shapes in Art,” by Lucy Micklethwait
“I Spy A Lion, Animals in Art,” by Lucy Micklethwait
“I Spy Colors in Art,” by Lucy Micklethwait

“Me and Uncle Romie” by Claire Hartfield (inspired by the art of Romare Bearden)
“Emily’s Art” by Peter Catalanotto
“Lily Brown’s Paintings” by Angela Johnson
“Willow” by Denise Brennan-Nelson and Rosemarie Brennan

Other art books (that aren’t in the ArtZeum collection that we know of) which teach even toddlers to recognize the masterpieces are those in the Touch the Art series by Julie Appel and Amy Guglielmo including:
Brush Mona Lisa’s Hair
Make Van Gogh’s Bed
Feed Matisse’s Fish
Catch Picasso’s Rooster
Pop Warhol’s Top
Tickle Tut’s Toes
Count Monet’s Lilies

ArtZeum at Telfair Museum’s Jepson Center for the Arts, 207 W. York St. Savannah, 912.790.8800, www.telfair.org