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Lake Life
Explore life on Lake Erie with our shores, our ships, our fish, and more!
Lake Life Exhibit
ABOUT THE EXHIBIT
Water is all around us! Explore life on Lake Erie with our shores, our ships, our fish, and more!
Lake Life features a gallery of exhibits sharing the fun of being on Lake Erie. Explore all the unique activities we have at this expERIEnce Children’s Museum exhibit.
Exhibit Features
There’s a lot to see and do in this exhibit–check out some of these unique activities!
SCIENCE
TECHNOLOGY
ENGINEERING
ART
MATH
Ship Climber
Become a captain and assemble your crew!
AGES: Toddler | Pre-School | Elementary | Middle
Modeled after the Brig Niagara, climb the ship to the top of the slide, change the current with the amazing airwaves, and check out live fish native to Lake Erie.
Shoes must be removed and socks must be worn in climber.
- Sponsored by Captain Thomas B. Hagen
Water Table
Get ready to splash around!
AGES: Toddler| Pre-School | Elementary | Middle
Get your hands wet with a wide array of Erie-themed water interactives, with space for our youngest to oldest visitors. Be prepared to get a little wet!
- Sponsored by Value Momentum
Ice Table
Explore ice!
AGES: Pre-School | Toddler | Elementary | Middle
Fill your own ice molds, create ice sculptures, and dig into our “coolest” exhibit.
- Sponsored by Ainslee, Declan, Kelly, & Tom Reams
The Bubble
Discover all you can do with bubbles
AGES: Pre-School | Elementary | Middle
Step into the exhibit space to create a bubble surrounding your body.
- Sponsored by Accudyn Products
Lake Erie Fish Tank
Friends from the Last Chance Lagoon
Thanks to partnership with the Erie Zoo, we are lucky to house fish friends from the Last Chance Lagoon program!
Established in September 2023, the Last Chance Lagoon program offers a permanent sanctuary for unwanted goldfish or koi. Owners looking to surrender a fish must complete an intake form providing background information about the fish. Upon submission, a drop-off date and time are assigned for a mandatory 30-day quarantine. During this period, all fish undergo a thorough vet check, necessary treatment, and an exit exam to ensure their health before being introduced to the lagoon. The Last Chance Lagoon Program aims to prevent or diminish the influx of unwanted pet goldfish and koi into the Great Lakes Watershed. As of April 2024, the program has found homes for 52 goldfish.
What Can My Family Do?
Further expand learning and play in Lake Life.
Acitivities for all ages
- Climb aboard the Brig Niagara and share the story of your sailing adventure
- Jump into our virtual pond to create ripples and count how many fish you see
- Discuss your favorite part of the Water Table! Explore activities including fishing, splitting logs, creating a dam, testing locks, experimenting with objects in our whirlpool, building cars, and constructing a field of crops for irrigation – then share what you like most.
- Use various molds at the Ice Table to create your own sculpture
- Test who can hold their bubble the longest without popping
Explore More!
Experience new worlds and make new discoveries about science, the environment, culture, math, and the arts.
Bring the Museum Home with You
Keep the inspiration, invention, interaction and imagination going.
