September 17, 2004

Museum offers Learning Adventure series

by Paula M. Davenport

CARBONDALE, Ill. - - Gather up the kids and explore the secrets of the great outdoors through the fall Learning Adventure series offered on four Saturdays by the University Museum at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

The sessions offer low stress, pleasant ways to learn about plants and fossils from some of the area's most dedicated and interesting scientists and curators.

The first three sessions are $20 for children ages 6-14 accompanied by an adult and $8 for each additional child. Adults who wish to register as individuals pay $12. A fourth session is $5 per pupil. Group rates are available.

Call Robert D. DeHoet, museum education coordinator, at 618/453-5388 weekdays to reserve a spot.

The fall semester offerings are:

  • Oct. 2: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., "Botany Walk" - - led by Karen Frailey, a plant biologist at SIUC.
  • Oct. 9: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., "Fossil Hunt" - - Learn about fossils in a morning lab session at the museum and search for plant fossils in Carterville in the afternoon.
  • Oct. 16: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., "Fossil Hunt" - - Morning fossil identification session at the museum and afternoon fossil hunt in Vienna.
  • Oct. 30: 10 a.m. - noon, "Making a Fossil Collection" - - Participants bring their own fossils or work with those available at the museum. Learn to preserve, organize and display fossils. Cost is $5 for participants and free for anyone who attended any of the first three outings.
Reaching out is among the goals of Southern at 150: Building Excellence Through Commitment, the blueprint for the development of the University by the time it celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2019.