Curator Club

Public Hours

Saturdays: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Admission Prices

Adults: $7.00
Children (4-18): $5.00
Seniors (65+): $5.00
Children 3 & under are admitted free

All major credit cards accepted.
School/Tour groups by appointment only

Curator Club

Grades 3, 4, 5 and 6

Curator Club provides educational science enrichment on a variety of topics in a fun learning environment. Curator Club members receive a membership card for free admission to The Oakes Museum of Natural History, a Curator Club t-shirt, and a certificate to bring a friend to a Curator Club.

Saturday mornings at Curator Club were always a highlight of my child's week.

Please note that we are in the process of transitioning to a new registration and payment software. Your patience is appreciated while we work through the growing pains to bring you a simplified enrollment process.

All attendees will need a Release Form on file. Please click the link below to fill out the form. Forms can either be emailed to oakesmuseum@messiah.edu or printed and brought to the program. Only one Release Form is required per attendee per academic year.

Oakes Museum Release Form

2026-2027 Programming: Saturdays, 9:15 - 11:30 AM

Price: $20/Child/Saturday

To register for all 6 sessions for Fall 2026 at a discounted price, please click the button below.

To register for each session individually, click on the button following each program description.

6-sessions Curator Club Pass

September 26th: What’s in the water? Explore the Yellow Breeches and Trout Run!

What's In the Water? Registration

October 10th: Become a scientist! Create, design and test your own hypothesis as you learn about the scientific method.

Become a Scientist! Registration

October 24th: Elephants! Learn more about the world of the largest land mammal!

Elephants! Registration

November 7th: Unearth the past! Discover the world of Geology and Fossils.

Unearth the Past! Registration

November 21st : Give me some space! Learn about overpopulation in animal groups.

Give me some Space! Registration

December 12th: Let it Snow! Explore the arctic and the animals who call it home!

Let it Snow! Registration

2027 Summer Camps

Summer camp info will be available Winter of 2027.

Registration is closed

Box Turtle being held and shown to small girl.

Children sitting in front of an Africa display.

Boys posing in museum in front of polar bears.

Pre-registration and pre-payment is required as space is limited.
We accept Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. Checks may be mailed to:

The Oakes Museum of Natural History
Messiah University
One University Avenue
Mechanicsburg, Pa 17055
Attn: Curator Club

The Oakes Museum of Natural History reserves the right to cancel any program or change any program, in order to comply with local, state, and federal guidelines and recommendations. All prepaid participants will receive a full refund. In case of inclement weather, please call 717-691-6082 for information regarding cancellations or delays.

Need-based scholarships are available. For more information contact us at curatorsclub@messiah.edu

What to Bring

Labeled Water bottle (if needed)
No crocs or flip-flops for water or hiking activities
Sunscreen (if needed)
Dress for the weather as we may be outside

Curator Club Mission Statement

Fulfilling part of the Oakes Museum mission, the Curator Club is a multifaceted science enrichment program for community children, grades 3 to 8. The program provides scientifically-based, hands-on learning experience for the participants, challenging them to explore and question their world.