Family Outings

OMAHA

Gadgets bring natural science to life at Children’s Museum

When’s the last time you stopped to smell the gizmos?

This Saturday marks the opening of “A Garden of Gizmos,” a traveling exhibit at the Omaha Children’s Museum.

A Garden of Gizmos attempts to bring natural sciences to life, giving kids a chance to learn about plants and creatures by interacting with 19 hands-on gadgets, doodads and thingamajigs.

The exhibit will give kids a new perspective on the environment and the way things grow and change.

On opening day, Hy-Vee Supermarket florists will present a free workshop where kids can learn about the basic science of flowers, how they grow and how they are used in displays. Each child can make his or her own bouquet to take home.

For nonmembers, admission to the exhibit is $2 on top of regular museum admission ($7 ages 2-59, $6 ages 60+, free for members). A Garden of Gizmos will be on display through Jan. 3.

The Omaha Children’s Museum is at 500 S. 20th St. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday (closed Monday). For more information call 342-6164 or visit www.ocm.org.

BELLEVUE

Yo ho, matey! Join the pirates for fun at the pumpkin ranch

Avast, ye gourd shoppers.

The Second Annual Midlands Pirate Festival comes to the Bellevue Pumpkin Ranch this weekend, a two-day outdoor fest filled with fun and activities for kids and adults alike.

The celebration will feature pirate performers in costume, stage performers, games and more.

Other features include a full-scale pirate shipwreck on a sandy beach, a winding treasure cave, a large Peter Pan tree house, a Port Royale merchants town and history re-enactments.

Admission to the festival, open on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., is $10 for adults, $5 for kids 6-10 and free for younger children. The pumpkin ranch is situated on South 48th Street between Cornhusker Road and Nebraska Highway 370. For more information, visit midlandspiratefest.com or call 331-5500.

COUNCIL BLUFFS

Arts and crafts show includes tasty items

Don’t worry, they probably won’t have pipe cleaner art.

The Seventh Annual Arts and Crafts Show hits the Mid-America Center this Saturday and Sunday.

Over 200 exhibitors from six states will be represented at the show, making it one of Iowa’s largest. Every item offered at the show is made by the exhibitor. Products will include leather goods, jewelry, ceramics, paintings, oak furniture, pottery, candles and much more.

Food items, including homemade salsa, BBQ sauce, soups and jams, will also be on sale.

Exhibitors will be accepting special orders from customers, so bring along requests for specific items if you want.

The show will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $5 per person, with children 10 and under free. The Mid-America Center is situated at One Arena Way in Council Bluffs. For more information call 563-652-4529 or visit www.midamericacenter.com.

OMAHA

Pop-up art fits a museum

Sometimes a plain picture book just isn’t enough.

Starting Saturday and running through Jan. 3, the Joslyn Art Museum presents “Wizards of Pop: Sabuda and Reinhart,” an exhibition displaying the works of two of the most innovative artists of pop-up books.

Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart are responsible for such books as “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” (pop-up) and “Encyclopedia Prehistorica: Dinosaurs.”

The exhibition will include over 60 images from 13 picture and pop-up books.

At times throughout the exhibition, workshops on creating pop-up books, for kids and adults, will be available.

Joslyn Art Museum is at 2200 Dodge St. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday (closed Monday).

Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for senior citizens 62 and older and college students with ID, $5 for kids 5 to 17 and free for members and kids 4 and under. General admission is free on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon.

For more information call 342-3300 or visit www.joslyn.org.

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