The Springfield Museums’ “Summer Spectacular” series of activities and family-friendly performances continues during the week of July 29. The six-week series includes live performances, animal demonstrations, and educational activities designed to appeal to a wide range of ages. All programs and performances are free with admission unless otherwise noted. The 2013 premier sponsor is MassMutual.
The centerpiece of the series is the array of top-tier family performers from around the northeast appearing every Wednesday through Friday in the Davis Auditorium at 1 PM. This week’s performances include Squirrel Stole my Underpants presented by Bonnie Duncan (Wednesday July 31), the musical tale of Shiprock & Anchordog (Thursday August 1), and folklore from The Yankee Peddler: Stories and Songs from Old New England (Friday August 2).
Week four of the Spectacular also includes “Music in the Museums,” a new program that allows children ages 5 and under the chance to dance, sing, and try out instruments every Tuesday and Thursday from 11:00 – 11:45 AM. Hands-on Activity Carts, which are mobile learning stations staffed by museum educators, will be available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11:30 am-1:30 pm. Topics include Celtic Culture (Tuesdays) and Historical Artifacts (Thursdays), both at the Wood Museum of Springfield History, and the Art Cart (Wednesdays) at the D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts.
The six-week Spectacular also includes live animal demonstrations with reptiles and other creatures from the Science Museum’s Solutia Live Animal Center every Wednesday and Friday (Friday presentations are bilingual). There will also be daily planetarium shows (additional fee required) and science demonstrations by the Roving Scientist at the Museum’s Family Science Adventures Mondays through Fridays from 11 AM – 2 PM. Rounding out the Summer Spectacular line-up are activities in the Hasbro Games Art Discovery Center daily from noon until 3:45 PM, where kids can construct their own butterfly-inspired creations.