The Museum of Coastal Carolina will celebrate the Halloween season beach-style with the Creepy Coastal Gallery Crawl with some not-so-scary, fun and educational activities and events for all ages.
Octopus, jellyfish and other creatures of the deep along with owls, bats and spiders take center stage in the Museum’s programs while visitors can enjoy other creepy activities in the Museum’s galleries, all decked out for Halloween.
During all museum hours Oct. 2-31, visitors can enjoy daily haunting hands-on activities in museum galleries that spotlight a creepy critter from a specific habitat and inspire curiosity. Explore the sea creature discovery bin, make a bat hat and learn more about them. Discover the Venus fly trap, touch the inside of a turtle esophagus, and have fun with worms, snakes, spiders and other bugs.
Sea Tales
October programs include our popular Sea Tales on Thursdays at 11 a.m. that feature creepy critter books and activities. Each week we will read a story representing one of the animals or exhibits at the museum and complete an interactive craft or science activity based on the story.
Oct. 2 – Little Owl’s Night by Divya Srinivasan – It’s evening in the forest and Little Owl wakes up from his day-long sleep to watch his friends enjoying the night. Hear all about little owl’s night and make a little owl craft to take home.
Oct. 9 – The Bat by Elise Gravel – Silly and off-the-wall, The Bat contains factual information that will both amuse and teach at the same time. Learn all about these incredible creatures and make a fun bat craft.
Oct. 16 – The Spider by Elise Gravel – Silly and off-the-wall, The Spider contains factual information that will both amuse and teach at the same time. After reading the web of spider facts, we will make a creepy spider craft!
Oct. 23 – The Worm by Elise Gravel – The Worm is a look at the earthworm. It covers such topics as the worm’s habitats (sometimes they live inside other animals), its anatomy (its muscle tube is slimy and gross), and its illustrious history (worms have been on Earth for 120 million years). We will read all about these creepy crawlies and make a crawly worm craft.
Oct. 30 – Trick or Treat Pout Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen – Happy Halloween! Mr. Fish is wearing his costume, but what is he dressed as? A goblin? An astronaut in space? A pirate at the helm of a spooky submarine? Follow Pout Pout Fish as he trick or treats then make your own Halloween fish!
October Habitat Hop: The Deep Sea
On Saturdays at 11 a.m. in October, explore the lower levels of the ocean, where animals have to adapt to low light conditions and colder temperatures, developing unique ways to attract prey and avoid predators. Throughout the month of October, explore creatures of the deep and the conditions of the abyss and trenches.
Oct. 4 – Sharks – There are more than 500 species of sharks, several of which reside in the deep sea. Investigate the unique sharks that live in the darkest and often coldest parts of the ocean and the adaptations that they have developed to survive in these parts.
Oct. 11 – Octopus – Some species of deep-sea octopi utilize hydrothermal vents, others lack ink sacs, while others still are bioluminescent. Explore the unique adaptations of these incredible creatures through a series of activities.
Oct. 25 – Jellyfish – Are jellyfish really fish? What are jellies like in the deep sea? Explore whether these creatures are fish or not a fish and the characteristics that allow them to survive in the deep sea.
The Museum of Coastal Carolina is located at 21 East Second Street in Ocean Isle Beach, NC.
Admission is free for members. Non-member all-day admission effective March 31, 2022 is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors (62+), $8 for children (3-12), and free for age 2 and under.
For more information, call 910-579-1016, visit www.museumplanetarium.org, or like us on Facebook.com /MuseumCoastalCarolina
Ocean Isle Museum Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates the Museum of Coastal Carolina and Ingram Planetarium, and its mission is to inspire curiosity about our unique coastal environment, history and broader natural universe through interactive, fun, and science-based experiences. The Museum of Coastal Carolina, located at 21 East Second Street in Ocean Isle Beach, features a live touch tank, saltwater aquariums, interactive exhibits, lectures and family programs. The Ingram Planetarium, located at 7625 High Market Street in Sunset Beach, includes an 84-seat theater with a 40-foot domed screen where guests enjoy educational films on a variety of topics, traditional star shows, and entertaining music laser shows. For more information, call 910-579-1016 or visit www.museumplanetarium.org.
