Some exciting activities are planned for Shark Week 2026:

Shark Dissection: ages 10-17 (Additional Cost) Explore the different adaptations of dogfish sharks in this hands-on workshop designed for kids. Led by one of our Science Mill Education Specialists, participants will conduct a real shark dissection, examining both external features like scales and internal systems including stomachs and gills. Discover why these predators are perfectly adapted to their marine environment through step-by-step investigation, facts, and answers to curious questions. Science Mill members receive 10% off the cost of the lab! Offered Friday and Saturday, July 10-11 at 11am each day. This ticket includes museum admission for the participant. Buy dissection tickets here!

Shark-a-Salt! Discover a key attribute for the habitat of a shark - salinity! Sharks must have the proper amount of salt in the water in order to survive. Participants will discover how to test water for salinity. Then they will research several sharks to find the best salinity for each particular shark. They will then match the shark to the proper salinity level. 

Pin the Fin Da dum… Da dum… Da dum! The pulse-pounding rhythm of a predator on the move! Nothing sparks a rush of adrenaline quite like the sight of a powerful dorsal fin slicing through the surf. This isn't just a silhouette of danger; it is a masterpiece of evolutionary engineering. Perched atop the shark's back, this sleek, hydrodynamic stabilizer grants the beast near-perfect balance and the agility to execute breathtaking, lightning-fast turns at a moment's notice. So efficient is this design that early shipwrights looked to the shark to create more stable, sea-worthy vessels. To the trained eye, these fins are as unique as a fingerprint, serving as the biological calling card for the ocean's most formidable hunters.

Shark Guardians Forget what you think you know about sharks—they are the ocean's master architects, not just predators. As essential guardians, they maintain ecosystem balance, protect climate-resilient seagrass, and foster the biodiversity our seas depend on. Join us for this interactive experience to discover how these marine heroes keep our oceans thriving for generations to come.

Fold A Fin Ever wondered what happens when ancient paper-folding meets the ocean's apex predator? The fusion of sharks and origami is propelling a revolution in underwater technology! Researchers are diving into the world of dermal denticles—the tiny, tooth-like scales on a shark—using origami folding to model how they flex and lock together, slashing drag and boosting hydrodynamic efficiency for next-gen submersibles. And it doesn't stop there! Roboticists are using Kresling origami patterns—which collapse and twist in one fluid motion—to build soft, hyper-flexible robots that mimic a shark's powerful, undulating movement. During Shark Week, you'll get to experience this fusion firsthand by folding your own origami shark and exploring the same principles reshaping underwater innovation!

Shark Adapt! Discover characteristics and attributes of sharks! Participants will research five different sharks and how they use special characteristics (adaptations) to survive. They will list the species, the adaptation, and how the adaptation benefits the shark. Then the participants will create their own brand new shark species with their chosen characteristics by drawing their shark, listing internal and external adaptations, and describing how these adaptations help the shark survive.