Youth and Family
PROGRAMS
NEW! Join us this summer for Aerospace Academy Family Workshops!
Designed for children and caregivers to explore the history, science, and technology of aviation together, these workshops include hands-on activities, behind-the-scenes access to our museum, exhibits, and aircraft, guided tours, and more! Workshops are themed by week, and families are encourage to register for all six workshop themes to complete the Summer 2026 Aerospace Academy Family Workshop Challenge.
Aerospace Academy Family Workshops are open to children ages 8-12 with a parent, guardian, or caregiver, and the fee is $30 per workshop. Workshop fees include museum admission, and registration is limited to 20 children per workshop. Children must remain chaperoned at all times during the workshop.
REGISTRATION OPENS APRIL 1, 2026!
NEW! Join us this summer and fall for an Aerospace Academy Teen Workshop!
These workshops introduce teens ages 13-17 to the wonders of flight through hands-on demonstrations, engaging instruction from retired pilots and aerospace engineers, behind-the-scenes access to the museum, exhibits, and aircraft, and much more!
Aerospace Academy Teen Workshops are held on Saturdays from 9:00am-3:00pm, and the $60 fee includes the workshop as well as museum admission for both the participating teen and their parent, guardian, or caregiver. Teens must remain chaperoned at all times during these workshops.
Summer/Fall 2026 Workshop Dates:
Saturday May 30, 2026
Saturday June 27, 2026
Saturday August 22, 2026
Saturday September 26, 2026
Saturday October 17, 2026
REGISTRATION OPENS APRIL 1, 2026!
NEW! Join us for Aerospace Academy at Home, a new digital learning program that brings aerospace history, science, and technology right to your door.
2026 Sessions: Challenger Center Maine Satellite Challenges
Our 2026 Aerospace Academy at Home sessions are presented in partnership with Challenger Center Maine Satellite Challenges, and are designed for children ages 10-14 and an accompanying adult. The $50 workshop fee also includes two complimentary admission passes so families can explore the museum in person at a later date.
Destination Mars: We need to build a base on one of the Red Planet’s moons, Deimos or Phobos, that will allow us to send a spacecraft to the surface of Mars and back in the fastest and safest way possible. Help select which moon is best to build our base by analyzing three sets of data collected by rovers on Deimos and Phobos.
Session Dates: January 10, 2026, April 4, 2026, July 11, 2026, October 17, 2026
Destination Moon: Launch and fly Blue Orgin’s reusable launch vehicle, New Glenn, into orbit; safely land Blue Origin’s lunar lander, Blue Moon, on the lunar surface; and prepare to explore the Moon’s surface.
Session Dates: February 14, 2026, May 2, 2026, August 8, 2026, November 21, 2026
Observation Earth: Earth-monitoring sensors on the International Space Station are outdated and need to be replaced with new, state-of-the-art hardware. You will work to capture a cargo craft using a robotic arm, monitor astronauts during a spacewalk as they install the new sensors, and analyze data from Earth-monitoring satellites.
Session Dates: March 14, 2026, June 6, 2026, September 12, 2026, December 19, 2026
We recommend families register for one of each of the three sessions to have the full Aerospace Academy at Home experience. All sessions run from 2:00-3:30pm on Saturdays and registration closes two weeks prior to each session or when the session sells out, whichever happens first.
NEW! The museum is opening its doors after hours for families with children of all ages. Join us from 5:00-8:00pm for hands-on activities, special family friendly tours and demonstrations, as well as open cockpit experiences, flight simulators, and more! Families are encouraged to bring a picnic dinner to enjoy in our dining hall and/or outdoor patio (weather permitting). Open to families with children of all ages and tickets may be purchased at the door.
Spring 2026 Family Night: Wednesday May 27, 2026
Fall 2026 Family Night: Wednesday October 25, 2026
Enjoy family-friendly drop-in programs offered on weekends, during school vacation weeks, and for eight weeks over the summer. Flights of Family Fun Programs are included with general admission and are subject to change, but generally include:
Build & Fly Challenges: Hands-on activity stations
Family Fun Tours: Take a closer look at objects, aircraft, and exhibits in the museum
Soarin' Story TIme: Read an aviation themed story under the wing of an airplane
Flight Science Demonstrations: Uncover the science of flight
