Great Eeks-plorations
October 24th
📣 Hear ye, hear ye! Great Eeks-plorations returns with a Renaissance twist! 🎃
Don your finest royal robes, knightly armor, fairy wings, or medieval garb and join us for a day of merriment, mischief, and Halloween fun throughout the kingdom of Great Explorations! ⚔️👑
Test your skills at giant chess, try your hand at axe throwing, race to victory in stick horse races, and discover even more Renaissance-inspired activities fit for knights, princesses, jesters, and little adventurers alike!
Costumes are highly encouraged, so gather your royal court and prepare for a Halloween celebration of legendary proportions. ✨
📅 October 24 | 10:30 AM–4:00 PM
👑 Members: FREE
🎟️ Non-Members: $12–$15
No special discounts will apply during this event.
This month, Great Ex
Ford’s Garage X Great Explorations Fundraiser
October 21st
Take a lunch break, grab dinner, or stop by for a drink and support Great Explorations! Join us at Ford’s Garage on Wednesday, October 21, from 11 AM–10 PM for a fundraiser benefiting the museum.
Mention that you’re there to support Great Ex, and Ford’s Garage will donate 15% of your total back to the museum. Dine-in, takeout, and bar purchases all count!
Our recommendation? Try the Angeline Burger! 🍔😉
📍 Ford’s Garage | 200 1st Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL
🚗 Parking validation is available at Ford’s Garage.
October Monthly Reciprocals
Sunken Gardens & The Sarasota Children’s Garden*
🍂 More fall fun with your Great Ex membership!
This October, your Great Explorations membership unlocks even more places to explore! Great Ex members can enjoy FREE admission to Sunken Gardens and 50% off admission to The Sarasota Children’s Garden all month long.
From tropical gardens to imaginative outdoor play, there’s even more to discover beyond Great Ex! Not a member yet? Join today and enjoy exciting perks like monthly reciprocal admission all year long. 🌿✨
Learn more about Great Ex membership here!
Planetarium Monday
October 5th
🪐 Attention space explorers! 💫
Planetarium Monday is launching on October 5th!
With fresh topics every month and multiple stellar shows scheduled throughout the day, there’s no limit to what we can explore.
Come journey through the cosmos with us! 🚀
This special event is free for Museums for All (SNAP, WIC, EBT) participants thanks to the generous support of the Chapman Foundation. 💜
🎟️ Included with standard museum admission for all other guests.
Parents Night Out
October 9th
Calling all parents: your night off is coming! 🎃
October’s Parents Night Out is Monsters Night Out! Drop off the kids for a spooktacular evening of games, pizza, crafts, dancing, and a movie while you enjoy a night to yourselves.
When: October 9th (Register by October 7th)
Who: Ages 4-9 (Must be in VPK–5th Grade)
Where: Great Explorations, 1925 4th St N, St. Pete
Cost: $40 per child
🌟 To secure your spot please use this link to register.
Monsters, mayhem, and movie night await!
Great Connections: A Free Program for Families with Children on the Autism Spectrum or with Sensory Processing Differences
October 11th
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Great Explorations Children’s Museum
✨ Join us for October Great Connections! ✨
Enjoy the museum with fewer crowds, dimmed overhead lighting, and soft, calming music throughout the space 🎶
Need a break? Our cool-down room will be available for anyone who needs a quiet moment 🧸
We can’t wait to welcome you for a relaxed, inclusive, and joyful museum experience 🌟
A heartfelt thank you to Guardian Trust for their generous support in making this special gathering possible. 💜
National Fossil Day
October 15th
Get ready to dig into the past at Great Explorations Children’s Museum! Join us for National Fossil Day, a day filled with prehistoric fun, hands-on discovery, and plenty of opportunities to learn about the amazing fossils that help tell the story of life long ago.
Young paleontologists can dig for fossils, explore fossil-themed activities, and discover what clues from the past can teach us about prehistoric plants and animals.
Grab your explorer hat and get ready to dig, discover, and have a dino-mite time!
This special event is free for Museums for All (SNAP, WIC, EBT) participants thanks to the generous support of the Chapman Foundation. 💜
🎟️ Included with standard museum admission for all other guests.
Reptile Awareness Day
October 21st
Get ready for a reptile adventure at Great Ex! 🦎
Join us on October 21, for Reptile Awareness Day as we discover what makes reptiles remarkable and why protecting them matters. Search for hidden creatures in a camouflage scavenger hunt, enjoy reptile encounters throughout the day, and explore the world of these scaly animals through play!
This special event is free for Museums for All (SNAP, WIC, EBT) participants thanks to the generous support of the Chapman Foundation. 💜
🎟️ Included with standard museum admission for all other guests.
Community Survey
We’re dreaming about what’s next for our community—and we want you to be part of the conversation! 💫
We’re exploring the possibility of a new Discovery Center, and your ideas can help shape what that future looks like. Take our community survey and share what you’d love to see in a space designed for discovery, creativity, and learning. Every voice matters!
Early Explorations Preschool
✨ Big things are happening at Great Explorations Preschool! ✨
Due to growing demand, we’re opening a brand-new classroom for 3-year-olds!
Give your child the opportunity to learn through creativity, play, and hands-on discovery in a fun, engaging environment designed to spark curiosity every day.
Space is limited, and enrollment is now open!
📧 Contact Emily Barnes at ebarnes@greatex.org or more information and to reserve your spot.
In the Spotlight
Beach Baby Pediatric Therapy
Welcome, Beach Baby Pediatric Therapy!
Great Explorations is thrilled to welcome Beach Baby Pediatric Therapy, LLC as one of our newest Corporate Sponsors!
Led by Ashley Taliaferro, a Physical Therapist with more than 15 years of experience, Beach Baby Pediatric Therapy has spent the past 12 years providing quality, accessible care and meaningful experiences for children and families throughout our community.
Beach Baby has been a wonderful friend to Great Explorations for years, from providing hands-on workshops during our Great Connections sensory-friendly program to supporting our annual Brewseum fundraiser. We are excited to build upon that partnership through their new commitment as a Corporate Sponsor.
Thank you, Ashley and the entire Beach Baby team, for your dedication to local families and for investing in Great Explorations and the children we serve!
Explorers’ Circle
Giving Program
Join the Explorers’ Circle today by pledging an ongoing monthly donation to Great Explorations Children’s Museum!
Donations like these help give students and families access to a world of creativity and knowledge.
