Saturday, October 27, 2012

Sponsored by The Kenneth A. Scott Charitable Trust, a KeyBank Trust

October brings cooler weather, beautiful fall colors and...BatFest! Did you know that there are 13 bat species recorded in Ohio? The big brown bat is the second most common bat in Ohio. The only mammals that can fly, their fossil records date back 50 million years! Bats are responsible for pollinating numerous fruits consumed by humans, as well as keeping the insect population in check. BatFest continues to be a family favorite among Museum Center visitors. Join us and learn the importance of bats in our ecosystem from experts. You'll discover that they're not so scary after all!

BatFest Market

Usborne Books and More
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Rotunda Activities

Clever Crazes for Kids
Test your science knowledge with CleverCrazes.com, a STEM integrated  website for families, after-school programs, and schools.
10 a.m to 2 p.m.

Greater Cincinnati Grotto
Watch local grotto members demonstrate skillful rope techniques to scale the Rotunda! Learn about cave ecology from the experts!
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Division
Pick up the latest publications to see what’s happening in the world of local wildlife found in your backyard.
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Costume Making
Forgot your costume? Don’t worry! Stop by and create a one of a kind costume to showcase in the Costume Parade.
1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

Costume Parade
Meet in front of Store to Explore to show off your spooky threads and parade through Museum Center.
2:30 p.m.

Duke Energy Children’s Museum Activities

Budding Scientists: Bats Are Handy
How is a bat wing similar to your hand? Visit us and find out!
1 p.m.

Duke Energy Children’s Museum Lobby

Bat Storytime and Art Project
Meet Christina Wald, local illustrator and industrial designer. Ms. Wald will read from her books The Little Red Bat and A Warm Winter Tale and lead an art craft for young BatFest visitors. A book signing follows the reading and craft demonstration. The Little Red Bat and A Warm Winter Tale are available for purchase in our Store to Explore.
11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Museum of Natural History & Science Activities

Bat Flight
Ask our bat specialists questions as you watch our Big Brown Bats take flight in this 30-minute program (beginning of every hour next to the entrance of The Cave).
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

ECHO Bats, Inc.
See live bats up close and enjoy bat activities to learn the important role of bats in our ecosystem, and information about White Nose Syndrome.
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Cave
Explore 500 feet of dark passages in one of the world’s largest artificial limestone caves!
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Cincinnati Museum Center’s Programs-on-Wheels
Try on a pair of bat ears, create a bat bookmark and become a “bat expert”  after learning fun facts from hands-on bat-related activities.
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

LITE Lab
Test your bat knowledge and skills to solve hands-on challenges and bat activities in the LITE Lab!
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Scavenger Hunt
Flap into fun with our BatFest Scavenger Hunt earning Nature’s Trading Post points.
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Fruit Tasting
Did you know bats pollinate foods that we eat every day? Sample a variety of fruits from around the world pollinated by bats!
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Artistic Bat Boomerangs by Greg Courtney
Experience one of the largest hand-crafted, "true returning" bat boomerang collections in the world! Join Mr. Courtney for bat boomerang demonstrations in North Gallery.
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Get your Ph.D. in Bats with Dr. Mays
Meet with Dr. Herman Mays, Curator of Zoology, Cincinnati Museum Center, to examine preserved bats from around the world!
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Aventuras in el Museo!
Grab a puppet and join in the fun to tell the story of Stellaluna as it’s read in Spanish.
2 to 2:45 p.m.    

Batty Brain
Test your bat I.Q. in our new L.I.T.E. Lab with a twist on the classic  game of Jeopardy.
2 to 4 p.m.