Messplorations: Mess Making Made Fun
June 17th, 2023 | 9:30am – 2pm
Join us for a day of messy fun at Great Explorations’ Messplorations! This special event will feature a variety of activities for kids ages 0-10!
For the little ones, we’ll have shaving cream throws where little tots can let loose and have some fun with a giant tub of shaving cream. Get creative with our special UV face paint that glows under black light. Launch paint-filled balls at a canvas to create your own masterpiece with Catapult painting. Create giant bubbles, play in a bubble pit, and more!
Members get in early for a special 1-hour sneak peek (9:30 am to 10:30 am) with some extra fizzy science experiments conducted by the Great Ex team and Morris the Explorasaurus! Morris is a friendly dinosaur who loves to play and learn. and he’s always happy to take pictures with kids.
Overall, Messplorations promises to be a fun and educational event for children to learn about science and explore their creativity all while making a giant mess! And the best part is, we’ll take care of the cleanup!
Member-Only Hour 9:30–10:30 am | General Admission 10:30–2 pm
Members $12 | Non-Members $18
Tampa Bay: Best of the Best
Voting open for the month of June
Great Explorations was nominated in Tampa Bay Times Best of the Best! Make sure to vote for us in the categories: Best place to have a birthday party, Best local tourist attraction, and Best museum!
You can vote one time per day.
Vote here!
Important Updates
Great Explorations offers 4 paid events a year! Purchasing a ticket will be required to attend these events. Paid events coming up this year: Messplorations (6/17), Eeks-plorations (10/28), and New Years at Noon (12/31). Members $12 | Non-Members $18
Terrific Tots is out for the summer! Tots programming will return in the Fall.
Save money with your membership! Check out our Membership Discounts.
Starting this Saturday, we will celebrate our members with Member Mornings. Every Saturday we will open at 9:30am for members only to enjoy the museum!
Monthly Reciprocal
Month of June
We have a member only benefit this month! For the entire month of June, Great Explorations members will receive free admission to The James Museum! For more info check out our membership benefits on our website!
NOTE: The James Museum Parking is available on Levels 3 & 4 of the automated South Core Parking Garage located above the museum. Enter at 101 1st Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
The garage rate is $1/hour during regular operation. Please note: special event rates vary and may apply. You can reach the parking garage at 727-242-1225 with any questions.
Great Explorations Members in the Great level of membership receive access to the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM) Reciprocal Network and the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) Travel Passport Program. All Great Explorations Children’s Museum Great membership cardholders must present valid membership documentation along with a photo ID for admission into participating reciprocal locations. Some restrictions may apply. Offers exclude special engagements and are not valid with other discounts. Reciprocal participants and dates are subject to change without notice, please review the appropriate website to check for updates.
Please note that Glazer Children’s Museum is 50% off general admission for GREAT membership cardholders. Free admission to Glazer Children’s Museum is only available in the month of September.
If you are still unsure if a museum you would like to visit is a participant in either program, please contact that museum directly.
Monthly Giving Program
Make a difference monthly
Donations, big or small, make a lasting impact on the lives of children in our community! Join the Explorers’ Circle today by pledging an ongoing monthly donation to Great Explorations Children’s Museum!
The Explorers’ Circle recognizes our wonderful ongoing supporters and is a fantastic opportunity to provide consistent support to our museum, allowing us to continue to provide innovative exhibits, programs, and educational experiences for children and families. Your monthly gift helps ensure that every child has access to the wonder and joy of learning through play.
Upcoming Gallery Floor Programs
Weekday Afternoons
New and exciting programs are starting at the museum! Join us in the afternoons for loads of educational fun.
Rainbow Bingo: Learn about the colors of the rainbow by playing a game of bingo and winning prizes!
Nano Days: Learn about magnets! We will explore the way energy moves and flows through everything around us.
Exploding Fridays: Surprise! You never know what will go up? on Fridays.
*Program days and times are subject to change*
Great Connections – A Free Program for Families with Special Needs
June 11th | 10:00am – 12:00pm
This month, Bloom Achievement Center and the Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County will be joining us for an early celebration of our Dino-Dads!
**Although this is a sensory friendly event, we still encourage guests to bring additional sensory support (ie. noise cancelling headphones, a favorite stuffed animal)**
Great Connections is now a free program all thanks to Guardian Trust.
Morris Workshop – Best of the Best
June 13th | 1pm-2pm
Join us for an afternoon of fun! This Morris Workshop will offer a variety of activities for kids to enjoy! Learn how to be a fossil hunter, discover coding with Oh-No-Ozobots, get buggy with clay, and unravel the mysteries of our fingerprints!
This Morris Workshop is a free event made possible by Suncoast Credit Union.
Morris Workshops are monthly events at Great Explorations that welcomes upper elementary school students and their families to be part of a more in-depth learning experience.
Theme Day – Dino Discovery
June 23rd | 10:30am – 4:00pm
This month, guests will create dinosaur crafts, do miniature fossil excavations, and a dinosaur scavenger hunt.
Dino Discovery Day will be a fun and engaging event for children to learn about dinosaurs and paleontology through hands-on activities and educational exhibits.
Throughout the event, there will be educational displays with interesting facts about different species of dinosaurs. Children can learn about the different sizes, shapes, and behaviors of dinosaurs, as well as what life was like during the prehistoric era.
All activities are free with the cost of admission!
Donor Spotlight
St Petersburg Endodontics partners with Great Explorations for many of our events! St Pete Endo raises the bar on quality care and endodontic treatment in the community and beyond, with education, guidance and support. If you’re searching for the most qualified specialist to perform your root canal procedure, turn to the endodontists at St. Petersburg Endodontics!
Welcoming Wednesdays
Every First Wednesday of the Month
Every first Wednesday of the month from 5:30pm–7:30pm, adults (15 years old+) with neurodiversities and memory loss can come and play at the museum free of charge. We will modify lights and sounds, and will provide a “cool down” room for families who need to take a break. Connect with your family, with other families and with resources in the community!
**Although this is a sensory friendly event, we still encourage guests to bring additional sensory support (ie. noise cancelling headphones, a favorite stuffed animal)**
10 Tuesdays
10 Tuesdays is an initiative that provides free admission to Great Explorations every Tuesday for families with an EBT SNAP or WIC card.
10 Tuesdays is proudly sponsored by 10 Tampa Bay and TEGNA Foundation.
Join us on Tuesdays and explore!
