Waukesha County

Saturday, November 4 • 11 am - 2 pm

Retzer Nature Center

S14 W28167 Madison St
Waukesha, WI 53188 (directions)

General Information: 262-896-8007

The Friends of Retzer Nature Center's annual Science Fest - Powered by Generac - is an annual celebration that connects people with science, technology, engineering, and math in fun and exciting ways!

Attendees of all ages are encouraged to explore 'Inside & Out' and engage in a variety of interactive activities and discover how science mixes into our everyday lives and shapes our future. Check out the schedule!

Schedule of Activities: Science Fest 2023

Celebrate Science with Hands-On Activities: 11 am - 2 pm
11 am - 2 pm	Learn about natural resources, water conservation, recycling, wildlife, sustainability, and more with fun and educational booths.	Community Room
11 am - 2 pm	See up close the work vehicles and equipment used to care for the community: Highways Snow Plow, a Recycling Truck, and more!	Right outside the Maintenance Building (map)

Session One: 11 am
Time	Activity		Description	Location
11-11:30 am	Hike	Retzer’s Glacial Drumlin Discovery	Hike to the top of Retzer’s glacial drumlin to see what the glacier left behind. Learn how the massive ice sheets of the past shaped and changed our landscape while you enjoy the beautiful view.	Meet on the back patio (map) Hike on woodchipped and mowed grass; some sloped terrain.
11-11:30 am	Discovery Program	What's In The Water	Every time rain falls, pollutants wash into our waterways. Let's explore the watershed model and discover simple actions you can take to prevent pollutants from getting into our rivers and streams.	Meet in the Fen Room (in the Retzer Environmental Learning Center)
11 am - noon	Planetarium Show Ages 13+: $5 donation Ages 12 and under: Free	Totality: Explore the Wonders of Eclipses	What do we know about eclipses -- from lunar to total solar. You'll see how an eclipse occurs and what happens next. Look back to the proof of general relativity and look forward to upcoming eclipses and where to witness them. A very special part of the show relates in a very human way to what happens when you are caught in the shadow of the Moon and the Sun is plunged into a total solar eclipse.	Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium
Session Two: 11:45 am
Time	Activity		Description	Location
11:45 am - 12:15 pm	Hike	Winter Survival Strategies	Hike to different habitats and see which species migrate, which hibernate, and which are adapted to surviving the winter awake. Learn the different strategies plants use to survive winter in Wisconsin as well before you head back inside where humans hang out in the winter.	Meet on the back patio (map) Hike on woodchipped and mowed grass; some sloped terrain.
11:45 am - 12:15 pm	Discovery Program	Animal Adaptations: Can You See Them?	Meet some of our animal ambassadors who use camouflage to survive. See if you can spot their special adaptations that help them be successful in the wild.	Meet in the Fen Room (in the Retzer Environmental Learning Center)
12 -1 pm	Planetarium Show Ages 13+: $5 donation Ages 12 and under: Free	Totality: Explore the Wonders of Eclipses	What do we know about eclipses -- from lunar to total solar. You'll see how an eclipse occurs and what happens next. Look back to the proof of general relativity and look forward to upcoming eclipses and where to witness them. A very special part of the show relates in a very human way to what happens when you are caught in the shadow of the Moon and the Sun is plunged into a total solar eclipse.	Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium
Session Three: 12:30 pm
Time	Activity		Description	Location
12:30 - 1 pm	Hike	Retzer’s Glacial Drumlin Discovery	Hike to the top of Retzer’s glacial drumlin to see what the glacier left behind. Learn how the massive ice sheets of the past shaped and changed our landscape while you enjoy the beautiful view.	Meet on the back patio (map) Hike on woodchipped and mowed grass; some sloped terrain.
12:30 - 1 pm	Discovery Program	What's In The Water	Every time rain falls, pollutants wash into our waterways. Let's explore the watershed model and discover simple actions you can take to prevent pollutants from getting into our rivers and streams.	Meet in the Fen Room (in the Retzer Environmental Learning Center)
1 - 2 pm	Planetarium Show Ages 13+: $5 donation Ages 12 and under: Free	Totality: Explore the Wonders of Eclipses	What do we know about eclipses -- from lunar to total solar. You'll see how an eclipse occurs and what happens next. Look back to the proof of general relativity and look forward to upcoming eclipses and where to witness them. A very special part of the show relates in a very human way to what happens when you are caught in the shadow of the Moon and the Sun is plunged into a total solar eclipse.	Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium
Session Four: 1:15 pm
Time	Activity		Description	Location
1:15 - 1:45 pm	Hike	Winter Survival Strategies	Hike to different habitats and see which species migrate, which hibernate, and which are adapted to surviving the winter awake. Learn the different strategies plants use to survive winter in Wisconsin as well before you head back inside where humans hang out in the winter.	Meet on the back patio (map) Hike on woodchipped and mowed grass; some sloped terrain
1:15 - 1:45 pm	Discovery Program	Animal Adaptations: Can You See Them?	Meet some of our animal ambassadors who use camouflage to survive. See if you can spot their special adaptations that help them be successful in the wild.	Meet at the front doors of the Retzer Environmental Learning Center Hike mainly on the paved Discovery Trail

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Park Hours Sunrise to 10 pm • 365 days a year

Waukesha County Park System
515 W. Moreland Blvd • AC 230
Waukesha WI 53188 (map)

Hours M-F • 8 am - 4:30 pm* (closed holidays)
Visit us in person in room AC 260
*Rentals: in-person support 8 am - 4 pm
Contact us 262-548-7801 | [email protected]

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