Public Programs and Events
Are you curious to learn different ways to recreate on public lands? Do you want to deepen your knowledge of natural history or resource management? Or, slow down with a gentle self-guided mindfulness walk outdoors? Whatever your interest, the Campbell Creek Science Center has a program or experience for you!
The Campbell Creek Science Center offers both virtual and in-person programs. View the monthly schedule below.
Register for all fee-based in-person programs at Rec.gov.
The Campbell Creek Science Center is located at
5600 Science Center Drive
Anchorage, AK 99507
Call 907-267-1247 or email us with questions.
Public Programs and Events
- Junior Ranger
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Calling all junior rangers! Curious what salmon have to do with tree growth? Want to get to know Alaska’s trees better? Interested in investigating the signs animals leave behind? These programs are for you! Junior Rangers learn about public lands and how to explore and protect them. Join CCSC naturalists to complete fun outdoor investigations and earn your Junior Ranger badge. For kids ages 5-10.
- Fireside Chat
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Our monthly slide lecture series runs from October through April (typically the third Wednesday of the month) and features a different science, natural resources, or outdoor recreation topic each month. Programs begin at 7 p.m.
- Midsummer Night's Science Series
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Our summer series programs occur once a month on Wednesdays from May through August. Participants learn about science and natural resource management through a combination of lecture and experiential activities. Programs begin at 7 p.m.
- Time Outside Together (TOTS)
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A group of toddlers work with an instructor to examine their surroundings. TOTs, or Time Outside Together, is a free, hands-on nature program for children ages 0-5 and their caregivers. Check out the TOTs Nature Learning Resources for easy at-home activities you can do with your tots.
Monthly Events
- September
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Sept. 6, 1:30 - 3:00 PM | The Secret Lives of Trees
Take a walk in the woods with a CCSC naturalist to discover the secret lives of trees. Explore different tree species, meet other woody plants, and find out the many ways trees are connected to other living things.
This event is $5. Registration required.
Register for this in-person program on Rec.gov!
Sept. 14, 10:00 - 11:30 AM | Time Outside Together (TOTs) - Seasonal Change
TOTs, or Time Outside Together, is a hands-on nature program for children ages 0-5 and their caregivers. This month, spend time with your TOT in the natural world and look for signs of seasonal change.
This event is free and open to the public.
Pre-registration required.
Register for this program here!
Sept. 23, 8:30AM - 1:00 PM | Campbell Tract National Public Lands Day 2023
On Saturday, Sept. 23, spend the morning on volunteer projects at the BLM Campbell Tract, including trail maintenance on Salmon Run, a bird-window collision prevention project, and winterizing the native plant gardens. Dress for the weather. BLM will provide tools, work gloves, and all other needed equipment.
This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required for this event.
- October
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Oct. 11, 7:00 - 8:00 PM | Fascinating Fossils from under Alaska's Ancient Seas (Virtual)
Dig down in the right spot in Alaska and you can find a wealth of fossil clams, snails, brachiopods, and other marine invertebrates that lived hundreds of millions of years before the dinosaurs. A Russian engineer put together the first collection of some of these invertebrate fossils back in the mid-1800s—an interesting irony since the fossil animals themselves are originally from Russia! What were these creatures? How did “Russian” fossils become part of Alaska? Find out the answers to these and many other questions from paleontologist Robert Blodgett as we celebrate National Fossil Day.
This event is free and open to the public.
Register for this Zoom program here!
Oct. 12, 10:00 - 11:30 AM | Time Outside Together (TOTs) - Forest Animals
TOTs, or Time Outside Together, is a hands-on nature program for children ages 0-5 and their caregivers. This month, learn about animals living in the forest.
This event is free and open to the public.
Pre-registration required.
Register for this program here!
Oct. 18, 7:00 - 8:00 PM | Fireside Chat Series: The Voyage of the Alaska Union
Join us by the fire every third Wednesday of the month to gain a deeper understanding of Alaska’s unique cultural resources, ecology, recreational opportunities, and more. This month listen to boy historian, Mr. Whitekeys, tell a true tale of Alaska history on an expedition that survived an open-ocean crossing in a flat-bottomed river boat and many more (mis)adventures.
This event is free and open to the public.
Oct. 20, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Junior Ranger: Fossils
Calling all Junior Rangers! It’s time to explore what the world was like millions of years ago by studying fossils. Junior Ranger programs are for children ages 5-10 years old. Every child must be accompanied by an adult for the duration of the program.
This event is $5 per child. Registration is required.
Register for this in-person program on Rec.gov!
Oct. 21, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM | International Archaeology Day 2023
Learn to hunt using an atlatl and spear, meet Pingo Peat (a 14-ft tall Ice Age mammoth), find out what animal bones found at archaeological sites can tell us about the past, and much more! The event is open house-style, with ongoing activities throughout the day. Come for as long as you like! Please dress for the weather; outside activities will happen, rain (or snow!) or shine.
This event is free and open to the public.
Oct. 28, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Backcountry First Aid for Your Dog
Come learn basic first aid for your dog while out on the trails this winter! Staff from Anchorage Veterinary Clinic & Urgent Care will help you prepare for hazards and canine injuries that you may encounter, give you advice on what to carry with you, and share tips on triaging your dog to determine how urgently veterinary care is needed. Take home a small first aid kit for your dog.
Please leave your dog at home for this event. For people 18 years or older.
This event is $50 per person. Registration is required.
- November
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Nov. 9, 10:00 - 11:30 AM | Time Outside Together (TOTs) - Preparing for Winter
TOTs, or Time Outside Together, is a hands-on nature program for children ages 0-5 and their caregivers. This month, gather at CCSC and spend time with your TOT(s) exploring the woods and learning how animals and plants get ready for winter.
This event is free and open to the public.
Pre-registration required.
Register for this program here!
Nov. 15, 7:00 - 8:00 PM | Fireside Chat Series: Alaska's Critical Minerals
Join us by the fire every third Wednesday of the month to gain a deeper understanding of Alaska’s unique cultural resources, ecology, recreational opportunities, and more. This month, we’ll dig down and expand our knowledge on critical mineral resources and how they contribute to various aspects of our lives with U.S. Geological Survey geologist Jamey Jones.
This event is free and open to the public.
Nov. 16, 7:00 - 8:30 PM | Birch Tree Paintings
Enjoy a fun, cozy evening creating watercolors of birch trees and learning more about Alaska Paper Birch (Betula neoalaskana). This delightful tree is native to Alaska and northern Canada. The art technique is simple and produces beautiful results no matter your experience level.
This event is $5 per person. Registration is required.
Register for this in-person program on Rec.gov!
Nov. 17, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Junior Ranger: Sense-ational Scientists
Calling all Junior Rangers! Come see, listen, smell, and feel how scientists explore the world around them. Junior Ranger programs are for children ages 5-10 years old. Every child must be accompanied by an adult for the duration of the program.
This event is $5 per child. Registration is required.
Register for this in-person program on Rec.gov!
Nov. 21, 6:30 - 8:00 PM | Presence in Nature: Practices to Connect with Nature and Place (Virtual)
Connecting with the natural world can provide calm and perspective. This program, intended for adults and families, highlights techniques you can use to stop, listen, and simply be more present in the world around you.
This event is free and open to the public.
Register for this Zoom program here!
Nov. 6 - Nov. 24 | Anytime | Mindful Moments Walk (self-directed)
Slow down and tune into nature on your own time by following the Mindful Moments walk along Salmon Run Trail. Take the trail in either direction—walking upstream or downstream—and read and follow the prompts on the signs posted along the way.