Our Mission

To ignite the natural curiosity of all learners to explore and shape their world.

Afternoon Explorations is open every Thursday and Friday from 1:30PM-5:00PM (last entry at 4:00PM) During each visit you’ll have the opportunity to explore some of your favorite parts of Roper Mountain including Environmental Science Building, Harrison Hall, the Living History Farm, Pirate Playground, and so much more!


For the Love of STEM

Join us on Friday February 13th from 1:30 to 5 p.m. for our February special Afternoon Explorations event: For the Love of STEM!

Our amazing Community Partners, GE Vernova, SEW Euro Drive, ReWa and Piedmont Natural Gas will be on the mountain with special activities to make you fall in love with Science!

It promises to be a great afternoon of fun and learning for all!


 Upcoming Special Events at Afternoon Explorations: 

• Earth Day Celebration: April 17

Pi Day Party 

Join us for an evening of adult fun, hands-on STEM demonstrations, drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and pie (of course!) at our annual Pi Day Party! The event will be held at the Environmental Science Building and is formulated by Roper Mountain Science Center Association (RMSCA) in support of the region’s foremost Science Center focusing on STEM education for our children.

FRIDAY STARRY NIGHTS

Fueled by Fluor

Legends of the 
Night Sky: Orion

February 6, 13, 20, 27
4:30 p.m.

Details and Tickets  

Experience 
the Aurora

February 6, 13, 20, 27
6:00 p.m.

Details and Tickets  

Deep Space

Discoveries

February 6, 13, 20, 27
7:30 p.m.

Details and Tickets  

Members: If you are unable to attend your scheduled showtime, please contact us at 864-355-0805 by 2:00pm Friday so your reserved seats can be made available to other patrons.

New Outreach For Roper Mountain! 


Step inside and lift off on a journey beyond Earth with our brand-new digital portable planetarium! This immersive experience instantly surrounds students with a breathtaking 360° dome of sky and stars, bringing the cosmos vividly to

life. Through Science on Wheels, we deliver the wonders of the day and night sky directly to your school, making space science engaging, interactive, and accessible for all learners. Inside the portable planetarium dome, students explore how the sky changes over time. By observing repeating patterns, they make predictions about the motion of the Sun, Moon, and stars. Our advanced digital system enables us to adjust the time, date, and location, allowing students to observe changes over hours, days, months, and seasons. They can investigate how daylight changes throughout the year, track the Sun’s path across the sky, and discover other patterns in our sky and solar system. We can even blast off and travel to space to observe the Earth and other objects from space. Want to book the Portable Planetarium for your school or community event? Visit Roper Mountain Science On Wheels or Contact Jasmin Poor at jpoor@greenville.k12.sc.us to learn more!

Ringling Brothers Circus


Roper Mountain is partnering with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, which is coming to the Bon Secours Wellness Arena from February 5-8. Friends of Roper Mountain can receive a $10 per ticket discount on all seats!

The all-new Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® is packed with jaw-dropping acts, laugh-out-loud fun, and memory-making moments you’ll never forget. From wide-eyed kids to “seen-it-all” grown-ups, we’ve got the WOW that will amaze them all. It’s not just a show--it’s a one-of-a-kind shared experience.

To take advantage of this offer, simply visit the event webpage and use the code ROPER when selecting seats: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey presents The Greatest Show On Earth Tickets | Event Dates & Schedule | Ticketmaster

The 2026 Camp Guide is now available. 
Click here to download your copy.

Members only online registration begins Tuesday, March 10th at 7:00am.

Public registration begins Thursday, March 12th at 8:00am.



Upgrade your membership to CREATOR or ORIGINATOR level for access to our special Concierge ONSITE registration days on Tuesday 3/3 and Wednesday 3/4. Creator members may register for up to 6 total camps per family on Concierge registration days. Originator members may register for unlimited camps during the Concierge period. Creator and Originator memberships are good for one year of Concierge camp registration. Upgrade your membership on our website here: 

https://www.ropermountain.org/pages.asp?titleid=membership.

In 1994, the program evolved again, becoming the Science P.L.U.S. Institute—an acronym for Participatory Learning, Understanding, and Sharing. The new name reflected an expanded curriculum that now included physical science, chemistry, astronomy, weather, and human biology. Under the leadership of its first coordinator, Linda Pendergrass, Science PLUS established the structure and philosophy that continue to define the program: immersive, collaborative learning grounded in real classroom practice.

Today, Science PLUS remains a cornerstone of Roper Mountain Science Center’s commitment to educator support. The program offers immersive professional learning aligned with South Carolina’s College- and Career-Ready Science Standards, emphasizing inquiry, experimentation, and real-world application. Teachers learn in laboratories, outdoor environments, and specialized instructional spaces, modeling the kinds of experiences they are encouraged to create for their students.

Now operating as both a summer institute and a year-round professional learning community through fall and spring Mini-PLUS sessions, Science PLUS continues to reflect the belief that launched it more than three decades ago. From its beginnings as the Dow Institute, through the critical support of EIA funding, to its role today, Science PLUS stands as a lasting example of how investing in teachers shapes generations of learners across South Carolina.

NATURE EXCHANGE

The Nature Exchange trading post, stationed just inside the entrance to the Environmental Sciences Building, has been very busy this year!

The Nature Exchange program was designed to foster a love for nature in children of all ages. The idea is simple: bring in interesting items you find in nature. Expert naturalists will help you identify what you found and award points in exchange for up to five items per day (photos are also accepted if the item cannot be brought in). Points can then be used to purchase other items at the trading post—from seashells to cool rocks, or even skulls! (There are a few limitations—the trading post cannot accept any living creatures or anything related to birds, including feathers, eggshells, or nests.) You can earn extra points by identifying the daily mystery item or by wearing apparel inspired by nature!

The Nature Exchange is open every Thursday and Friday during Afternoon Explorations. Participation is included with your admission.

This month's Volunteer Spotlight is about a volunteer that turned into an intern- Miles Stoia! Miles started as a volunteer this past summer, eager to get experience before starting his internship.

When asked what made Miles want to start volunteering at Roper and then apply for an internship, he said "I remember Ashley (the Volunteer Coordinator) coming to my school for career day. She showed the class previews of Roper Mountain and I was immediately hooked. She took around the corn snake and let us pet it. And after the class she explained that there was an internship that was available for capstone at my school and I knew that I would be applying for that. I started as a volunteer over the summer before my internship because I couldn't wait to be around all the amazing animals at Roper Mountain." 

When we asked Miles what his favorite part of being an intern is, he said "My favorite part about being an intern at Roper Mountain is being able to hold animals like the red tailed boa and baby alligator. Because watching guests walk into the classroom seeing such an incredible animal and excitement fill the air as they run to me is a feeling like no other." 

We also asked Miles what his future career goals are and he said "My future career goals are that I want to have good relationships with peers and to be excellent in the work I do. Roper Mountain has helped me learn how to communicate well not only with guests but with colleagues. I come to my internship excited to see all the friendly faces of those I work with. My animal care duties have aided in me becoming more capable at handling big tasks and completing with care and efficiency."  

We are so grateful for the hard work that Miles has put in and the smiles that he has put on so many guests' faces as he's showcased various animals and exhibits at Roper Mountain. If you have any questions about volunteering or interning at Roper Mountain, email Ashley Zalabak at azalabak@greenville.k12.sc.us.

This month, we recognize Milliken & Company and ReWa for their continued support.

The Renewable Water Resources Authority, aka ReWa, is one of the sponsors of the Our Water Story exhibit in the Environmental Science building. ReWa plays a large role in our public programming, most recently coordinating our special “A Day Without Water” Afternoon Explorations program. Thank you, ReWa, for your continued support and commitment to Roper Mountain.

Thanks to support from Milliken & Company, our Science on Wheels offerings have been expanded to include new programs for kindergarten and 2nd grade. Over 1,000 K5 students participated in the Let’s Move it, Move it! program in 2025, and the new Powerful Pollinators program for 2nd grade kicks off this month.

Thank you, ReWa and Milliken & Company, for helping us fulfill our mission to ignite the natural curiosity of all learners to explore and shape their world!

Members receive 10% off all t-shirt and hat purchases. Mention that you are a member to receive your discount.

PLUS earn an additional 25 points each time you wear your t-shirt to Nature Exchange!

Give Back to Roper Mountain

Help Roper Mountain continue to inspire learning and create unforgettable experiences with a donation! Visit our Donors Page to make your gift today.

Spread The Word About Roper Mountain 

Visit our Facebook page, TripAdvisor page, Google listing and/or Yelp page to leave a review and help us spread the word about our public and school programming.

We welcome your feedback. Email Roper Mountain to share your thoughts.