Animal Encounters at Mount Rainier
2025-11-22 11:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York)
Get up close with our resident critters in this hands-on animal experience! Join us at Mount Rainier Nature Center to meet our resident animal ambassadors and discover what makes each species unique.

The registration button will take you to Parks Direct. If a listed date is not yet available for registration, then check Parks Direct at a later time.

Upcoming Dates:

November 22: Fall Mammal Behavior

Saturday STEAM Hour
2025-11-22 10:30 - 11:30
Join our educators at this hands-on activity table where creativity takes flight! Perfect for budding engineers and aviation enthusiasts, this interactive program allows visitors to design and build their own creations. Whether you’re constructing airplanes, airports, or inventing something entirely new, Saturday STEAM Hour encourages you to dream big and bring your ideas to life. Drop in anytime during the hour for an opportunity to explore the wonders of aviation through play. This program is ideal for learners ages 6-12 and is FREE with museum admission. No registration required.

Regional Textile Showcase & Artists’ Boutique
2025-11-22 10:00 - 16:00, 2025-11-21 10:00 - 16:00, 2025-11-20 10:00 - 16:00, 2025-11-17 10:00 - 16:00, 2025-11-16 10:00 - 16:00, 2025-11-15 10:00 - 16:00, 2025-11-14 10:00 - 16:00, 2025-11-13 10:00 - 16:00 and 5 more dates
Enjoy viewing a variety of fiber mediums by textile artists, contemporary and traditional – quilts, rug hooking, felting, embroidery, needlepoint, crocheting, beading, and more. You can vote for your favorite piece! Are you a fiber artist? Participate and enter your creation! The artists’ boutique is back by popular for interesting gifts! Support local artisans/crafters.

Ages 5+. Free, donations welcomed. Reservations recommended but not required. Drop-ins welcomed!

Insect Investigations!
2025-11-22 10:00 - 11:00
Does your child love bugs, critters, and the great outdoors? This hands-on program dives into the fascinating world of insects and their role in our environment. Kids will explore insect life cycles, body parts, communication, and incredible adaptations—plus get up close with live and preserved specimens using microscopes, magnifying glasses, and other cool science tools.

Includes a short nature hike to search for insects in their natural habitat

Hands-on science activities & exploration

Choose your bug team and race to the finish in our exciting bug races!

Basic Birding 101
2025-11-22 09:00 - 10:30
Grab your binoculars or borrow a pair from us and join our park naturalist for a birdwatching adventure! Learn how to identify them by their field marks and see why birdwatching is a beloved hobby worldwide. Come and enjoy the beauty of nature with us!

Mad Scientist Mayhem
2025-11-21 16:30 - 18:30
Get ready for a wild ride through the world of science! In this hands-on, mad scientist-themed program, participants will rotate through exciting experiment stations by mixing potions, making things fizz, and exploring the wonders of chemistry, physics, and more.

Artist Reception: Caroline MacKinnon: Eye on the Sky
2025-11-20 18:00 - 20:00
* This exhibition runs Nov. 10, 2025–Jan. 4, 2026, with a public reception on Thu., Nov. 20. *

Artist Caroline Mackinnon explores our place in the cosmos using various materials, including ceramic sculpture and embroidery, gouache, acrylic paint, and ink. Crystal raindrops glimmer and plunge. Vibrant fogs lift, revealing undulating chasms and teeming oceans. Celestial bodies hang in a tense atmosphere. The moment is past, present, and future. The place is everywhere.

This exhibit will be on display at the Publick Playhouse from November 10, 2025-January 4, 2026 and can be viewed during regular facility hours (M-F, 9 am-5 pm). Please note that exhibits cannot be viewed when a performance or event is in progress. Before viewing an exhibit, please call the Box Office at 301-277-1710 to check the performance schedule.

Dine, Learn & Move: Understanding Diabetes
2025-11-19 18:00 - 19:30
Did you know that Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed with lifestyle changes? Join us this month to learn about type 2 diabetes and how to prevent it. This virtual event will start off with an interactive workout that will get you moving. Then, we will have a guest speaker from UM Capital Region’s Diabetes Center introduce lifestyle changes to prevent type 2 diabetes. The session will close out with a live cooking demonstration using recipes that will support your overall health. Registration required. All ages welcome; FREE

Jazz and All That Blues
2025-11-19 14:00 - 16:00
This performance is part of an elegant afternoon of live music and cultural enrichment, showcasing the Blues elements that have made jazz truly great. You’ll be treated to the soulful rhythms and heartfelt melodies that define the genre. Lovejoy eloquently concludes that “you can’t groove if it ain’t got that blues,” reminding us of the essential role the Blues plays in the rich tapestry of Jazz. Join us for an unforgettable experience celebrating this timeless music’s depth and beauty.

David Brosch: My Maryland
2025-11-11 10:00 - 2025-12-14 17:00
* This exhibition runs Nov. 11–Dec. 14, with a public reception on Sun., Dec. 14. *

Painter and printmaker David Brosch has lived in Maryland for decades and raised his family in Prince George’s County. He takes inspiration from his surroundings for the works in this latest exhibition, featuring oil paintings, prints, and drawings. The landscapes in this show include representations of both natural and urban areas.
