Upcountry History Museum dives in with ‘Splash and Bubbles’

Explorers of all ages will be able to dive into the incredible world of ocean exploration when “Splash and Bubbles: Dive In, Lend a Fin” makes its only South Carolina stop at the Upcountry History Museum beginning Saturday, September 23, 2023, through February 4, 2024.

Based on the Jim Henson Company and Herschend Entertainment Studios PBS Kids TV series “Splash and Bubbles,” this early childhood STEM-based exhibit builds on children’s connections to the show’s characters and their habitats by immersing them in a larger-than-life marine environment.

“Splash and Bubbles: Dive In, Lend a Fin” features a variety of hands-on components inviting children to discover a whole new underwater world. Some of the activities include:

• Exploring a sunken ship to learn the similarities and differences between artificial reefs and real reefs.
• Navigating the Kelp Forest and helping keep it clean by collecting green algae from the ocean floor.
• Creating your own glow-in-the-dark jellyfish and gazing upon a life-size 12 foot-wide Japanese Spider Crab.
• Learning fun “Fin Facts” at Flo’s School of Fish as you balance and stack colorful rocks; discover a variety of sharks and create your own shark hat; or draw your own fish and add it to a collaborative collage.

By incorporating early childhood Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math elements, children are encouraged to build both scientific inquiry and social-emotional skills as they learn how to protect the ocean and its ecosystems. Ocean conservation is a key message as it helps visitors understand that they can create “a small ripple to help our big ocean.”

“Splash and Bubbles: Dive In, Lend a Fin” is on display from Sept. 23, 2023 through Feb. 4, 2024. It is made possible thanks to generous support from Tim and Elizabeth Swank and Graybar Foundation and was developed by The Magic House in collaboration with The Jim Henson Company and Herschend Studios.

The Upcountry History Museum is located at 540 Buncombe St., in Greenville, S.C. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Sunday from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. For more information, call 864-467-3100 or visit www.upcountryhistory.org.