Featured Events

Saturday, October 19 | 7pm | 21+

Decomposition, Fermentation, Death, and Beer, dig into  the science of life and death at WonderLab AfterHours: Brews & Boos. Learn about how humans deal with death. People all over the world have to confront death, and every culture has their own way of dealing with it. During this time, you will respectfully engage with various traditions surrounding death.

Enjoy light snacks, meet new people, and continue your learning about this spooky, scary subject. Death is inevitable, let’s learn about it!

Grab a beer from Upland Brewing Company and chat with their bartenders about the science behind your favorite brews. Not looking for alcohol, no problem. Enjoy tasting local kombuchas while learning about the process of fermentation. You’ll leave with the knowledge to make your own kombucha at home. 

Let WonderLab’s animal experts guide you on a tour of our animal ambassadors. Discover how they protect themselves in the wild and their potential to turn deadly. Explore a death garden and test your skills identifying deadly plants and their dangers. Take home a vintage-inspired ID card for your favorite deadly plant. Bring history to the present, make your own piece of jewelry inspired by European poison rings. Then challenge yourself to correctly identify various animal skulls from WonderLab’s collection.

Capture your newfound knowledge and experience in a self-made zine, and then add to WonderLab’s ofrenda to remember a loved one who has passed. Dance to Malagasy music that is typically played during “Famadihana.” Expound upon your death-ucation by participating in a talk surrounding the culture of death and passing on.

A Night of Spooky Activities:

• Dive into the science of making beer
• Identify Animal Remains
• Explore a death garden of dangerous plants
• Hands-on learning about death and mourning in various cultures
• Take a tour of animal defenses, featuring WonderLab’s animal ambassadors.

Recommended Ages: 21+ Adults, Photo ID required

Dates and Times: Saturday, October 19, 7:00-10 PM

Ticket Prices for the Individual Event

• Member: $20
• Non-Member $30
• Access Pass: $10
• Member: $30
• Non-Member: $45
• Access Pass: $15

Sunday, November 3 | 1–4 pm 

Enjoy a FREE afternoon of play at WonderLab! 

• Free admission for all from 1pm – 5pm. 
• Giveaways & Prizes!
• Community Resources!
• Energy Education!

Cohosted by the South Central Community Action Program (SCCAP) and WonderLab with support from Duke Energy Foundation and the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA). 

Date: Sunday, November 3, 2024

Time: 1 – 4pm

Cost: Free

Ages: All ages

Friday, November 29 and Saturday, November 30 | 4 Shows Each Day

Dinosaurs at WonderLab!!! Join us as we welcome back Feller Express and their herd of large scale, interactive dinosaur puppets. This year, ticket holders will have a chance to meet one of three dinos: Dilophosaurus, Parasaurolophus (NEW) or Carnotaurus (NEW). One large and two smaller dinos will be present at each program . Please note: We cannot guarantee which dinosaur will be at each specific program.

Pick your expertise level. During ticket purchase, choose between Beginner or Advanced program sessions. Just starting out in the world of Paleontology? Curious about the differences between theropods and sauropods? Want to know more about the distinctions between carnivore and herbivore? The New Explorer program is for you!

Want to know more about where certain dinosaurs lived? Wonder about dinosaur environments? Curious about how dinosaurs looked and sounded? Select the Expert Paleontologist program.

Both program types include interactions with the Feller dinosaur puppets, activities with IU Paleontologists, and fossil exploration.

On the day of the event. Enjoy dinosaur activities throughout the museum. Make dinosaur prints in playdough. Search for miniature plaster dinosaur fossils in our dino dig and take home one plaster fossil from your exploration. Make your own block print inspired by paleontology using recycled styrofoam. Browse a unique dinosaur themed  selection of books and toys available for purchase from our local event sponsor, Morgenstern’s Books.

RECOMMENDED AGES: Age 5 years and up.

Please note: Content for the sessions is designated as New Explorer (beginner) or Dino Expert (advanced). Select the appropriate session level during check-out.

DATES and TIMES: 

Friday, Nov 29th

• 11:00-11:30 AM – New Explorer
• 11:45-12:15 PM – Dino Expert
• 1:15-1:45 PM – New Explorer
• 2:00-2:30 PM – Dino Expert

Saturday, Nov 30th

• 11:00-11:30 AM – New Explorer
• 11:45-12:15 PM – Dino Expert
• 1:15-1:45 PM – New Explorer
• 2:00-2:30 PM – Dino Expert

TICKET PRICES

• $22.50 – Non-memers
• $8.00 – Members
• $6.00 – Access Pass

How to Purchase Tickets

• Ticket price includes museum admission.
• Online tickets can be purchased at: https://64603.blackbaudhosting.com/64603/Dinosaurs-at-WonderLab-29Nov2024-4

NOTE: this purchase link can be found on wonderlab.org

• Tickets can be purchased in-person at WonderLab.
• Tickets can be purchased at any location while supplies last.
• Tickets are limited.
• We do expect this event to sell out.

This event is made possible by generous funding from Morgenstern Books

Tuesday, December 31

Skip the late bedtime and celebrate New Year’s Eve at WonderLab! Staying up until midnight isn’t always ideal for young ones, but at WonderLab, they can enjoy all the fun early and with an educational twist. Our early evening party includes learning about science, all things Glitter!, and rocking in the New Year with an early evening dance party and countdown.

This New Year’s Eve, ring in 2025 and ensure that your children have a memorable celebration, get plenty of physical activity, and are ready to head home and rest well before the adult festivities begin.

Activities include: 

• Sling a shooting star
• Everything Sparkles in the Glitter Room!
• The Glitter Room closes at 5pm before the band starts at 5:15. 
• Make a Kazoo
• Glitter masks
• Fireworks in a jar
• Shiny Slime
• Baby Ball Pit – 6 months – 2 years only
  • Ages 6 months – 2 years
  • Location: Baby Wonders, Science Sprouts Place
• Visualize 365 
  • Jewel Hunt – Find 365 jewels buried jewels then sort by 10s!
  • How many to make 365? A visual display of “how many” makes a year.
  • Location: Sprouts Lab
• STUFFEE and the Human Body Science Demonstration
  • We’re all different on the outside, but we’re all the same inside. Discover the body’s organs, especially the digestive and cardiovascular systems, as we open up STUFFEE, a huge “stuffed” doll, and see what’s inside.
  • 2 pm
  • 4 pm
  • Location: Main floor
• Live Animal Demonstrations – Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches
  • The Madagascar hissing cockroach, also known as the hissing cockroach or simply hisser, is one of the largest species of cockroach, reaching 5 to 7.5 centimeters at maturity. Meet these interesting creatures up close.
  • 1pm
  • 3pm
  • Location: Second floor. 
• Music, Dancing and Countdown
  • Music begins at 5:15pm
  • NYE Countdown begins at 5:55pm.
  • Location: First floor

Recommended Ages:

Families with young children, ages 0-10

Dates and Times: 

• Tuesday, December 31
• 1–6 pm

Ticket Prices: Free with Museum Admission