12 Fun Things to do at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science This Holiday Season
Original story published for the Denver Museum of Nature & Science by Julio Poletti: https://www.dmns.org/about/blog-posts/holiday-blog/
It's the most wonderful time of the year! Go ahead, play your favorite tune from the playlist above before you jump into this magical list.
Get ready to wrap-up 2022 with a variety of amazing, exciting and educational "Things to Do" at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. There's something for everyone – From musical laser shows to out-of-this-world exhibitions, a playground for kids, 360-degree panoramic rooftop views of the city, animal displays, dioramas and much more.
If you're looking for fun things to do this Holiday season, or simply looking for indoor activities to escape the cold, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science is ready to blow your mind with our permanent and brand-new exhibitions. Whatever your interests are, you'll find it here at the Museum.
Here are 12 fun holiday things to do at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science:
Unseen Oceans
Submerge yourself in the mysterious and spectacular aquatic world in “Unseen Oceans.” This captivating exhibition will make you feel as if you’re on another planet! You’ll discover the ocean’s best-kept secrets, including alien-like creatures, glow-in-the-dark fish and other spectacular ocean life through movies, videos and exhibits. A video game allows you to drive a submarine just like real ocean scientists and explore the different species living in the ocean. Create your own mountains, bays, rivers and beaches with the interactive sandbox projector. Push buttons and reveal the way some fish glow in the dark and learn all about the ways in which humans impact the oceans.
Get your tickets, here.
Anschutz Family Sky Terrace
A stunning view of Denver and City Park on a snowy day from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science Anschutz Family Sky Terrace (DMNS Photo/Rick Wicker)
Hands down: The best panoramic view of Denver and City Park. Where do you think they take all those Denver pictures printed on postcards? Yup. It's here at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.
Whether you're a sucker for great views, looking for a place to pop THE question, or simply looking to stare at the mystical Rocky Mountains, this 5,000 square foot terrace on the 4th floor of the Museum is a spectacular place to visit.
As long as there aren't any private events in place, you can access the Anschutz Family Sky Terrace for free during business hours by walking to the West Atrium on the first floor, past Space Odyssey, and taking the elevator up to the terrace. As soon as you see it, you'll wonder why you had never visited or hosted your parties here.
FYI, the Anschutz Family Sky Terrace is available to rent for special events. Click here to reserve your special date.
Laser Shows!
For a limited time laser shows, presented by Laser Fantasy, have returned to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. This cosmic concert series is an immersive experience for all of your senses. From a magical holiday concert to Beyoncé, the Beatles, Bruno Mars, and many more, guests can rock out to their favorite artists as they take in a stunning and unique visual light show.
What is a Laser Show? Great question. We've answered, here.
The Museum will host laser shows from August-Winter 2022 inside the Planetarium. It opens to members Thursday, August 4 and to the public Friday, August 5. Shows will be at 4:15 p.m. daily and most Friday nights at 5:30 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Get your tickets, here.
Apollo: When We Went to the Moon
Take in more than 100 artifacts from the U.S. Space and Rocket Center’s archives, make footprints on a virtual moon and climb aboard a lunar rover model in this multi-sensory exhibition. “Apollo: When We Went to the Moon” launches you back to the space race in 1969.
Related: Out-of-this-World Facts About Space from Our Space Curator
Over 400,000 individuals contributed to the success of the American space program. The best and brightest scientists, mathematicians, artists, engineers, writers, coders, doctors and hundreds of other experts worked for over a decade to send humans to the moon and bring them safely home again.
This exhibition is on display through Jan. 22, 2023, and a special ticket is required.
Get your tickets, here.
Prehistory Journey
Denver Museum of Nature & Science in Denver, Colo., on Thursday, October 22, 2009. (Chris Schneider/Chris Schneider Photography)
Are you a dinosaur lover? Say no more! They don't call us "The Dinosaur Museum" colloquially for no reason. If you're looking to bring those Jurassic Park fantasies to life, head over to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. This is as real as it gets. We have real dinosaur specimens on-site, real paleontologists and educators to help answer all those Jurassic questions.
Related: One for the books! An astonishing discovery by Denver Museum of Nature & Science Scientist
In "Prehistoric Journey," you'll travel through time, starting 3.5 billion years ago. Your journey begins beneath ancient seas. Life diversifies as you move through the millennia, surrounded by fearsome fish and waving sea lilies. Soon you're out of the water and the air is filled with huge dragonflies. Foot-long centipedes crawl around you. Then the dinosaurs appear!
Get your tickets, here.
Expedition Health
Kids exploring the potential of the human body in Expedition Health at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Summer of 2022. (DMNS Photo/ Julio Poletti)
Always a visitor-favorite! Expedition Health® is about YOUR human body and how it is constantly changing and adapting in ways you can see, measure, and optimize through the choices you make.
In the exhibition gallery, you will experience highly personalized activities, become immersed in a theater experience that engages all of your senses, look at microscopic cells from your own body in a laboratory, participate in live demonstrations and programs, and meet "buddies" who will help you learn about your health.
This exhibition is included with your general admission ticket. Get your tickets, here.
Space Odyssey
DMNS Free Day on Saturday, December 11, 2021 in Denver. (Chris Schneider)
Want more Space? We got you. "Space Odyssey" is an interactive exhibition focusing on answering the "how" of things, catapulting you into a place where you can touch, see, hear, and yes, even smell what it’s like to be “out there.” You determine how to engage with the world beyond us in a wildly creative environment that encourages free-range space science and no-boundaries adventure.
DMNS Free Day on Saturday, December 11, 2021 in Denver. (Chris Schneider)
Future astronauts and inquisitive humans now have a place to discover answers to out-of-this-world questions like, “How do we know how many stars are in our galaxy when we can’t see them all?” “How do you put the brakes on in space?” And, “How do we know what the far side of the Moon looks like if it never faces Earth?”
This exhibition is included with your general admission ticket. Get your tickets, here.
Friday Evening Hours
Can't make it to the Museum during the day? Come for an evening visit during Friday Evening Hours! This is a favorite among those looking for a quieter Museum experience, which is perfect for dates, solo dates or group gatherings. And, of course, we have a bar cart open for adults 21+. We look forward to kicking off the weekend with you. Cheers!
The Museum is open until 9 p.m. on most Fridays and admission prices remain the same. Admission is free for our members.
The Museum will close at 5 p.m. and not host Friday Evening Hours on December 2, 9, 16, and 23. Friday Evening Hours will continue on Dec. 30.
After the Asteroid: Earth's Comeback Story
Denver Museum of Nature and Science Associate Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology Dr. Tyler Lyson holding concretion. (Denver Museum of Nature & Science ©)
A newly discovered trove of remarkably preserved fossils, found at Corral Bluffs near Colorado Springs, has brought into sharp focus how Earth recovered after the devastating asteroid impact 66 million years ago that wiped out the dinosaurs. This discovery is a watershed scientific moment, and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science has created a brand-new bilingual exhibit to bring the discovery to life.
See photos of scientists, students, and volunteers in action at the Corral Bluffs site.
Talk with scientists, facilitators, and performers to hear anecdotes and dig deeper into the story.
And much more!
Related: Learn more about the rise of mammals!
This exhibition is included with your general admission ticket. Get your tickets, here.
Discovery Zone
A group of kids playing at Discovery Zone during Día del Niño 2022 at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. (DMNS Photo/ Julio Poletti)
Need to let the kids loose to burn some energy? This is it.
The "Discovery Zone" is a bustling playground with activities that help build a strong foundation of science skills in young children as they look, ask, discover, make and share. Kids will get their hands dirty, wet and dusty with the array of different learning activities at Discovery Zone—from fossil digging to seeing how water wheels operate and more.
““The best place to go if you have kids under 2nd grade. The shows are fabulous, the activities at the are fun, the volunteers are super kind. If your kid wants to play in the water they need a smock.””
Free Day at the Museum!
Satisfy your science curiosity during our SCFD Free Days and Free Nights. See enormous dinosaur fossils that roamed the Earth millions of years ago or learn about the human body’s capabilities in “Expedition Health.” The entire Museum is open for free, except for the temporary exhibitions and planetarium which require an additional charge.
Monday, Dec. 5, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Register, here.
Gems and Minerals
Couldn't get tickets to Taylor Swift's upcoming tour? Me either. Though we're not bringing Miss Taylor to the Museum, we do have a way to make your day bejeweled!
The Denver Museum of Nature & Science has the most beautiful collection of gems, minerals, diamonds, gold, rock formations and one-of-a-kind treasures.
Aquamarine geology rocks at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science (Photo/Scott Dressel-Mar)
You'll also be dazzled by the largest known pocket of aquamarine ever discovered, from Colorado's own Mount Antero, and a giant Brazilian topaz once owned by artist Salvador Dali. The hall is packed with hundreds of specimens from around the world. Hands-on activities and videos help young explorers learn about mineral characteristics and how minerals form.
This exhibition is included with the general admission ticket. Get tickets, here.
* You can still make the whole place shimmer! *
