eclipse week events at explore & more
Join us at Explore & More as we prepare for the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024! Check out some of the great events we have planned starting Monday, April 1.
Special Museum Hours
- April 1-7: 10am-4pm (Members Only from 9:30am-10am)
- April 8: 9:30am-1pm (Members Only from 9am-9:30am)
- Please note that Explore & More will be closed on Sunday, March 31
All Week: Guests can make eclipse-themed crafts in the Art Studio and create eclipse models in the Tinkering Tank, along with other great activities.
April 1-5: Enjoy space food taste testing in the Cooking Galley on the Fourth Floor.
Starting April 6: Grab your free Explore & More eclipse glasses exclusively at the museum while supplies last.
April 1: Experts from Penn Dixie Fossil Park & Nature Reserve will be onsite from 12pm-1pm to provide safety tips and other educational information.
April 2: Our friends from The Buffalo Zoo are coming from 11am-2pm to help answer the question, “What will the animals do during the eclipse?” Each hour, they will be joined by a different animal guest!
April 4: Meet and take a selfie with Zelda the Owl when the Buffalo Audubon Society visits Explore & More from 11am-2pm. We’ll find out how Zelda is preparing for the eclipse.
April 6: Our final Eclipse Readiness Day presented by LaBella will take place from 11am-3pm in the Tinkering Tank.
April 8: Explore & More will be open to the public from 9:30am-1pm with members-only time from 9am-9:30am.
Also on April 8: We will be hosting an exclusive family-friendly eclipse viewing party from 2pm-5pm. Separate admission is required and limited tickets for this special event are on sale now for $25 each. Update: This event is sold out. Thank you for your support!
Eclipse Viewing Safety Tips
When watching a partial or annular solar eclipse directly with your eyes, you must look through safe solar viewing glasses (“eclipse glasses”) or a safe handheld solar viewer at all times.
Eclipse glasses are NOT regular sunglasses; regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, are not safe for viewing the Sun. Safe solar viewers are thousands of times darker and ought to comply with the ISO 12312-2 international standard.
Always inspect your eclipse glasses or handheld viewer before use; if torn, scratched, or otherwise damaged, discard the device. Always supervise children using solar viewers.
Do NOT look at the Sun through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device while wearing eclipse glasses or using a handheld solar viewer – the concentrated solar rays will burn through the filter and cause serious eye injury.