Your Monthly News & Updates | |
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Our Mission
To ignite the natural curiosity of all learners to explore and shape their world.
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SUMMER ADVENTURE HAPPENING NOW!
Summer Adventure is back! Now until July 27th you can visit Roper Mountain Tuesday-Saturday between 10AM-4PM with the last entry at 3:00pm. While you’re here you can encounter our traveling exhibit “Here Be Dragons”, feed the butterflies in our updated Butterfly Encounter, visit the outdoor dinosaur trails including the multiple play areas, discover the Living History Farm, pet a stingray in the Marine Lab, and so much more!
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STEM DAYS OF SUMMER!
Engage in hands-on STEM activities for all ages led by local scientists and engineers.
Activities vary by week on Fridays; June 21st - July 26th.
STEM activities are included as part of general admission.
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LASER DAYS OF SUMMER
Join us beginning July 12th until the 27th for Laser Days of Summer! We have everything from Taylor Swift to Queen to Stranger Things. More information about times and show offerings can be found on our website here:
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The indoor bee habitat display at Roper Mountain offers an intriguing glimpse into the complex world of bees, highlighting their crucial role in our ecosystem. This exhibit showcases a live colony of honeybees housed behind transparent panels, allowing visitors to observe their behaviors up close. Bees communicate through a sophisticated system known as the "waggle dance," where worker bees perform specific movements to relay information about the direction and distance of food sources. This method of communication is essential for the colony's efficiency in gathering nectar and pollen. Additionally, bees use pheromones to send various signals, from alarm to identification of the queen.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the display is the demonstration of honey production. Honeybees visit thousands of flowers to collect nectar, which they transform into honey through a process of regurgitation and evaporation. It takes approximately 2 million flower visits to produce just one pint of honey! In the hive, worker bees deposit the nectar into honeycomb cells and fan it with their wings to evaporate excess water, gradually turning it into thick, sweet honey. This honey not only serves as a vital food source for the bees, especially during winter, but also plays a significant role in human diets and culture. Next time you visit, feel free to press your ear and nose up to the vents along the side of the display. You’ll hear the sound of their wings working away, and smell the fragrance of millions of flower visits!
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The Marine Lab has a new lionfish display, titled "Invasives," which highlights the environmental threat posed by this striking yet dangerous species. Native to the Indo-Pacific, lionfish have become invasive in the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, where their presence has disrupted local ecosystems. With their distinctive red, white, and black striped bodies and venomous spines, lionfish are both beautiful and deadly. They have no natural predators in these new environments and can significantly reduce fish populations by preying on juvenile fish and competing for resources. The display educates visitors on the ecological impact of invasive species and the ongoing efforts to manage lionfish populations through human intervention, such as organized fishing derbies and culinary initiatives that promote lionfish as a sustainable seafood option. This exhibit underscores the delicate balance of marine ecosystems and the far-reaching consequences of human actions
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LIVE DEMO ON FOX CAROLINA
Tune in on July 9th between 10-11AM to see Dana Lackey and learn more about dying with Indigo!
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BMW CHARITY PROAM
Celebrities participating in the recent BMW Charity ProAm stopped by Roper Mountain Summer Adventure last month to visit with families and sign autographs.
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Visitors got to meet and greet Larry the Cable Guy, former NFL Quarterback Vince Young, Olympic Gold medalist Matt Hamilton, Actor/Director Justin Wheelon and BMW Driver Connor DePhillippi. We appreciate our continued partnership with the BMW Charity ProAm!
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Do you know the South Carolina state animal symbols? As early as 1939, General Assembly acts have designated certain animals as symbols of our state. Some of these were designated as a result of campaigns by elementary students.
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The Carolina Wren, our state bird, designated in 1948, repealed an earlier act designating the Mockingbird. This wren is present in all areas of S.C. Another state animal with Carolina in the name is our state insect, the native Carolina Mantid. The state game animal, the Whitetail Deer, is one of the greatest game animals in North America. The Wild Turkey is our state wild game bird and considered a table delicacy. The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, was designated the state official butterfly in 1994. The first known painting of one was done in 1587 by John White, a commander in Sir Walter Raleigh’s Expedition to the colonies. The Spotted Salamander, our state amphibian, is the only amphibian indigenous to the whole State. Our state spider, the Carolina wolf spider, is the largest of wolf spiders but are not aggressive and will not bite unless frightened or provoked.
We have other state animals, but many can all be found in the Ecology Lab in our Harrison Hall of Natural Science. Some are easy to find and others are included in the murals. Look for these state animals when you visit during Summer Adventure in July!
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A special thanks to Hillcrest High School Greenhouse Industries for donating dozens of plants left over from their annual plant sale to stock our new Butterfly Encounter greenhouse. Their contribution helped transform our greenhouse into a beautiful home for our new butterflies!
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RYOBI tools recently donated over $4,000 worth of tools to support maintenance on the Living History farm, animal care, and development of new exhibits for school lessons and public programs. Thank you RYOBI for your generous contribution and continued support!
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You might see these new signs around our Living History Farm. Thanks to a grant from the South Carolina Humanities Commission, we now have new signs on many of our historic structures. The signs include a QR code that provides additional information about how the building was used and its importance to life in South Carolina’s Upstate in the early 1800s.
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Summer Adventure is here! Have you prepared by downloading your digital membership card? Expedite your entry to RMSC by showing your digital card or pre-ordered tickets at the entrance for fast and easy admission.
If you have not accessed your digital membership card, you can do so through these simple instructions:
- Sign into your online account on your phone
- Go to the membership section in your Profile
- Click on Digital Membership and select the card to download
- Add the card to the wallet on your phone to load the membership number and barcode
- Show your membership card at the entrance for admission
Tickets can also be pre-ordered and accessed through your online account. If you have not set up an online account you can do so at https://rmsc.ticketapp.org/portal/register.
Please contact Audrey Pyle, Membership Coordinator, at Apyle@greenville.k12.sc.us or 864-355-8902 for further assistance.
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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!
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Spark Good
Walmart recently launched Walmart Spark Good Round Up where customers can round up their purchases to the nearest dollar and donate the change to their favorite charity. We would love for you to choose Roper Mountain Science Center as your charity to receive these donations every time you shop on Walmart.com. Just select us from the drop down menu when you checkout!
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Give Back to Roper Mountain
We appreciate your consideration in making a donation to support our mission to help lay the foundation for future successes for school and public programming.
Make a gift to Roper Mountain today.
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THANK YOU COMMUNITY PARTNERS | | |
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Visionary:
BOSCH Community Fund
The Daniel-Mickel Foundation
Dodge Industrial, Inc.
Fluor Foundation
Fluor Golf for Greenville
Greenville Water
Lockheed Martin Corporation
ReWa
South Carolina Farm Bureau
Explorer:
BMW Manufacturing
GE
SEW-EURODRIVE
Voyager:
Audacy Communications
Greenville Federal Credit Union
Rose Ball Committee
Milliken Foundation
Spartanburg County Foundation
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Adventurer:
AFL Global
Bank of Travelers Rest
Bannon Foundation
Brian Cauthen
Contec, Inc.
HDR
Koops, Inc.
RYOBI Power Tools
Minor and Hal Shaw
South Carolina Charities
TD Charitable Foundation
Innovator:
Greenville Master Gardeners
Kay and Les Knight
Carla and Brian Olson
Piedmont Natural Gas
Publix Super Market Charities
ScanSource Charitable Foundation
Kathryn and Jerry Smith
South Carolina Humanities
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We welcome your feedback. Email Roper Mountain to share your thoughts. | | | | |
