YOUR GUIDE TO ROPER MOUNTAIN SCIENCE CENTER
What is RMSC?
In the
early 1980’s the Greenville County School District saw a need for a science
center that could provide hands-on science enrichment activities to the district’s
68,000 students. In cooperation with the community and with corporate support, the
Roper Mountain Science Center Association was born, opening its doors
in 1985. Since then its annual student attendance has grown from 4,600 to over
120,000, with 400-600 students visiting every day for learning labs to
supplement their classroom education.
However,
RMSC isn’t just for Greenville County School students. The facilities are open
to the general public during Second Saturday activities, Friday Starry Nights, and
Butterfly Adventure as part of admission. Also, during the school year and
during daylight hours, families can visit the nature trails, outdoor play area
and gardens at no charge.
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| Exploring the Ecology Lab in Harrison Hall of Natural Sciences |
What’s at RMSC?
The 62-acre
campus is accessible from Roper Mountain Road, just north of the I-385 exit. A one-way,
mile-long driving loop takes you to the various buildings, with three main
parking areas located throughout. The largest of those is located just to your
right as you enter, and is used for most large events with shuttle buses
providing transportation among the various areas.
Just
next to the parking lot is the amphitheater, familiar to many local families
from Roper Mountain Science Center Holiday Lights. While the holiday light
display celebrated its 26th and final season last year, visitors
will soon be making new memories on the site of the old amphitheater; construction will soon begin on a 24,000-square-foot facility that officials say will focus
on environmental science. The two-story facility is expected to open by 2022.
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| The RMSC Marine Lab is home to more than a few animals |
Next
on the loop is Harrison Hall of Natural Sciences, home to the Fred W. Symmes
Tropical Rainforest Conservatory, Nancy Hall Eskew Rainforest Lab, the Daniel
Keating Norris Discovery Room, the Palentology & Earth Science Labs, the
Computer Lab, an Ecology Lab and Marine Lab. The Harrison Hall is open to the
public only during special events, however there are plenty of opportunities to
explore the newly renovated building during Second Saturday events and the
upcoming month-long Butterfly Adventure (see events section below for more on these
fantastic opportunities).
Related articles: The Ecology Lab at RMSC
At the
very heart of RMSC is the Giant Dome Theater and Hooper Planetarium. The state-of-the-art
planetarium opened in 1989 and just underwent a $1 million renovation, featuring
a new 360° full immersion dome, 4K projection, state-of-the-art lighting,
dynamic 5.1 surround sound, interactive lobby exhibits and more. The facility
is open to the public during the Friday Starry Nights program (see more below
in events section) and on 2nd Saturdays.
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| Hooper Planetarium |
Adjacent
to the planetarium is the Symmes Hall of Science, also newly renovated, and
home to STEM, Physical Science, Weather and Forensics programs, as well as 300-seat
Hipp Auditorium. Symmes is open to the public during special events.
At the
east end of the campus is Daniel Observatory. Home to a 23″ refractor telescope
which is the 8th largest of its kind in the US, the Observatory is
open each Friday evening from 7-10pm for public observation. The facility is
also utilized for astronomy classes, special events, and organized activities
by the Roper Mountain Astronomers.
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| Looking through the telescope in Daniel Observatory |
The
adjacent David H. Wilkins Conference Center houses facilities for meetings,
events and classes for school and public programs. For more information on
facility rental please call RMSC - 864.355.8925.
Outdoors at RMSC
Adjacent
to the Harrison Hall is the Butterfly Garden, a joint project of the Roper
Mountain Science Center, the roper Mountain Science Center Association, and the
Greater Greenville Master Gardeners. The garden is open during daylight hours
when the center’s main gate is open, and a pavilion overlooking the wildlife
pond is a perfect spot for a picnic lunch.
Related article: The butterfly garden at Roper Mountain Science Center
From
the butterfly garden it is a short walk to both of the RMSC treehouses. The one
closest to the main loop road is ‘Anatomy of a TREE House’ and uses elements
that resemble the trees that inspired it including exposed concrete
"roots," a wraparound squirrel's nest with a real tree growing
through it, and a slide. Overlooking the pond is ‘Treetop Clinic’ which focuses
on environmental issues: the water cycle, the solar cycle & path of the sun,
and the plant life as seen from the treehouse.
Related article: Treehouses at RMSC
On the
opposite side of the pond from the butterfly garden is the Wildwood natural
play area. A relatively new addition, children can play with natural materials
such as stumps and sand, building, digging and creating to their heart’s
content while parents comfortably watch from one of the benches. A big part of
Wildwood is in the shade, and the little play house along with various slides,
bridges, seesaws and even a canoe will keep the kids busy learning and
exploring.
Related article: Big Changes at Roper Mountain
Beyond
Wildwood and Harrison Hall of Natural Science are the arboretum and the Living
History Farm & Schoolhouse. The farm is open to the public only during
special events but is definitely worth a visit during one of the Second
Saturdays; history comes to life with authentic log cabins, corn cribs, a barn,
a blacksmith shop, a school and a former slave cabin. Gardens, fields, pasture,
a farm pond, and farm animals typical of life in the Upstate in the early
1800′s complete the scene.
Winding
through the RMSC forest are a 1-mile asphalt nature trail and multiple forest
trails. The Nature Trail loops along the hardwood and pine forests of the
science center grounds and features signs informing visitors about native
plants and animals that might be found in our region. The BeWell fitness trail (which
utilizes a portion of the Nature Trail) starts by the main parking lot, and has
ten fitness stations that include different stretches and exercises along with
instructions on properly completing them. There are several picnic areas along
the way, and multiple loops on the east end, connecting the Living History Farm
to the butterfly garden and Wildwood. You can find a map of the trails here.
On the
Symmes/Daniels Observatory end of the Nature Trail you might notice another of
RMSC’s new activities, the Low Ropes Course. Visiting groups can schedule
sessions for team-building activities by contacting the Roper Mountain Science
Center.
Another
fun feature along the Nature Trail is the Stegasaurus near Harrison Hall. RMSC
is hoping to add a dozen replicas of herbivorous and carnivorous dinosaurs to field
stations along the trail, with panels giving details about the dinosaur and its
habitat. Keep your eyes open for the 19-foot Tyrannosaurus rex! The Dinosaur Trail is expected to be open the summer of 2020.
Events at RMSC
Starting
this Friday, June 1st,
Butterfly Adventure is returning to RMSC for its third year! Visitors will be
able to enter the living exhibit in the Fred W. Symmes Tropical Rainforest where hundreds of colorful butterflies will be
flitting about until July 13 from Tuesday through Saturday. In addition to the
up-close butterfly sncounter, visitors will be able to explore the Harrison
Hall of Natural Sciences including the Marine Lab, and experience life in SC in
the 1800s in the Living History Farm.
Related articles: A Butterfly Adventure, Year 1
Another
great way to experience RMSC is during one of the Second Saturday events. On
these select Saturdays the Living History Farm, Harrison Hall, Hooper
Planetarium, Daniel Observatory and Symmes Hall of Science are opened to the
public for STEM and other programs with hands-on demonstrations and special
exhibits. Upcoming 2018 Second Saturdays include Blueberry Festival on July 14,
Star Wars on October 13 and the Fall Harvest Festival on November 10.
Related articles: Blueberry Festival at RMSC
On
Friday nights (January through November) the Planetarium opens for Friday
Starry Nights with 6pm and 7:30p Planetarium shows that include Carolina Skies
(a live sky talk), the feature show, and the SpacePark 360 Virtual
Rollercoaster.
Related article: Starry Nights at the Newly-renovated Hooper Planetarium
During
the months of July and August the Planetarium is also open select Tuesday, Wednesday
and Thursday nights for planetarium programs. There are shows suitable for all
ages; for a schedule and more info check out the calendar here. If music is
more your thing, check out one of the laser shows featuring music ranging from
pop to country, from the Beatles to Pink Floyd. Laser Shows in the Planetarium
will be taking place from July 17-28, see website for schedule.
RMSC also
has summer Science Exploration camps, however all the programs for the 2018
season are currently full. The robotics, Lego, nature and other programs are in
very high demand, often filling up during the first weeks of registration.
Patch
programs and group programs are available for Cub Scouts & Boy Scouts ranging
from a self-guided program to Webelos Activity Badge Workshops in Harrison
Hall. See website for more information.
Admission Info
Fee
info for the various RMSC programs can be found on their website, here. However
possibly the most convenient option is to purchase an annual family membership.
We have been RMSC members for years, enjoying free admission to Friday Starry
Nights, Second Saturdays and Butterfly Adventure. Members also enjoy discount
ticket prices for special events such as the laser shows, and early
registration and discount to summer camps. Family memberships are $65 – see website for details.
Along
with a RMSC membership you’ll also get the benefit of admission to more than
300 different science centers and museums through the ASTC (Association of
Science-Technology Centers) Passport Program. They include nearby favorites
such as EdVenture Children’s Museum in Columbia and the Spartanburg Science
Center, as well as North Carolina’s Greensboro Science Center, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center in Chapel Hill, the Museum of Life and Science
in Durham, and the Western North Carolina Nature Center in Asheville.
This place sounds amazing! Who doesn't love baby animals and butterflies?
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