Join park staff and learn about the animals that call Jones Lake home. We will have a variety of animal pelts, mounts and skulls for visitors to see.

Lake Norman is proud to host the first annual community day and in honor of America’s 250th birthday the theme will be Conservation Stations! Come out to the park for games, crafts, Ranger-led hikes, and more! Come say hi to: Sandwich Express, Black Diamond Coffee Roasters, DEQ Education Team, Visit Mooresville and Mooresville Parks and Rec, DCNR A250 Team and Education Team, Lake Norman Conservationist, Iredell County Animal Services and Control, and more!

DINOSAURS! has made their way back to CSC!  Get ready to come face-to-face with jaw-dropping fossils, thrilling prehistoric discoveries, and hands-on Jurassic fun for explorers of all ages.   The ROAR of prehistoric fun is here—don’t miss it!

Step back 66 million years and journey through the final chapter of the age of dinosaurs in Dinosaur Evolution—a thrilling immersive experience that brings the Cretaceous world to life. Witness feathered raptors on the hunt, armored giants defending their turf, and the mighty T. rex at the top of the food chain. But even these perfectly evolved creatures couldn’t escape Earth’s most devastating extinction event. Stunning visuals and cutting-edge science reveal how evolution shaped the dinosaurs—and how birds, their modern-day descendants, continue their legacy. It’s a prehistoric adventure that will inspire the next generation of paleontologists and conservationists alike. This unique experience is a bonus feature to our exhibit which is not included in admission to CSC. Members: $5 | Non-Members: $7

Enjoy some fun at Lake Norman State Park as Santa makes his way back to the North Pole. Bring your camera for a perfect family photo on the beach with Santa.  Games and fun will be had by all as we continue into the holiday season. Light refreshments will be available for sale from our Friends Group. Furry friends are welcome!!  All proceeds from this event will help FLANO pay for a feasibility study at the park to put in a greenway. This greenway will help to give visitors a safe way to get from one end of the park to the other! 

Ready for some spooky fun just in time for Halloween?  Join us for a Slightly Haunted Hike at the boat launch. We will learn about the not so spooky nocturnal animals that call Lake Norman home and listen for what they sound like. Halloween costumes are encouraged! After the hike, kiddo’s will have a chance to get some candy from park staff.  Sturdy shoes are recommended for the hike. The hike will be less than a mile long. 

Mark your calendars for a frightfully fun evening at Sturgeon City’s Spooktacular! Join us on Friday, October 16th, 2026, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm for an unforgettable night of spooky science and family fun.

Spooky Science is coming to Discovery Place Kids-Rockingham! Grab your lab coat (or costume) and join us for a morning of frightfully fun food science. This Halloween-themed program (designed for children ages 8–12) proves that cooking is science. Guests will rotate through spooky food-science stations – think edible worms, Jack Skellington cookie pops, edible petri dishes, pumpkin hand pies and ghostly pumpkin bites – and see firsthand how heat, cold, mixing and molding changes ingredients into something new. It’s the same kind of transformation scientists study in real laboratories, just tastier!

Join us the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month at 2 PM for our brand-new Facebook Live series, Tune in Tuesday. This interactive experience brings you closer to the science center with exclusive behind-the-scenes access, fun facts you won’t hear anywhere else, and special features on the people, animals, and exhibits that make our center so unique. Best of all, you’re part of the show! Ask questions in real time, connect with our team, and dive deeper into the science that sparks your curiosity.