2025 ONSC Family Day, Open House, and Alumni Reunion

🌿 Family Day, Open House & Alumni Reunion at ONSC

📅 Saturday, September 6, 2025 | ⏰ 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

🎟️ Free and open to all – Alumni, families, and first-time visitors welcome!

🍽️ Alumni & guest lunch provided at noon – RSVP requested

Reconnect. Explore. Celebrate.

Whether you’re an ONSC alum, a parent of a past camper or student, or a curious newcomer ready to see what makes this place so special—we invite you to spend a day at Ozark Natural Science Center filled with nature, nostalgia, and new adventures!

Join us for a free, fun-filled open house featuring guided hikes, hands-on science activities, wildlife encounters, games, and special programming for returning alumni. Reminisce about creek crossings and campfires, or experience ONSC for the first time as we open our campus to the public for this special event.

🗓️ Event Schedule

🥾 9:00 – 11:00 AM – Guided Ozark Exploration Hike: Join our Teacher Naturalists for a scenic walk through time and terrain as we explore fall wild edibles and the settler history of the land. Optional extended loop to the Yarborough Cabin included for adventurous hikers. Multiple hike options available for all skill levels.

🔍 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Nature & Science Activity Tables

• Scavenger Hunt & ONSC Store pop-up

• Live Reptile Encounters at the Pond

• Museum Room Discovery in the Education Building

• Campus Tours available by request

🪧11:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Tom's Trail for Everybody Educational Sign unveiling: We will be unveiling our new educational signs that line Tom's Trail for Everybody, ONSC's accessible trail, made possible with a partnership with Beaver Water District.

🍽️ 12:00 – 1:00 PM – Alumni Reunion Lunch: Reconnect with fellow alumni, share stories, meet new friends, and enjoy a complimentary lunch in the Ewing Center.

🎉 1:00 – 2:00 PM – Outdoor Games & Story Sharing: Bring your best memories and competitive spirit for a round of fun at the Outdoor Classroom, followed by a casual storytelling session at the Lewis Pavilion.

🧪 2:00 – 4:00 PM – Activity Tables & Campus Tours Continue: Missed a station earlier? Explore more activities, revisit your favorite spots, or enjoy a relaxed tour around campus.

💚 Who’s Invited?

• ONSC alumni – students, campers, teachers, staff, board members

• Families of alumni

• Community members who want to learn more about what we do

• Anyone who loves nature, education, and the Ozarks!

📝 This event is free, but we kindly ask you to RSVP Let us know you're coming so we can plan food, fun, and festivities!

We can’t wait to welcome you back—or welcome you for the first time—to the place where science and nature come alive.

About Ozark Natural Science Center 

ONSC offers a unique, immersion-based approach to learning about nature and the natural sciences. Students visit us for authentic science learning experiences that are correlated with national and state science learning standards and provide in-depth education in biology, ecology, geology, social studies, and nature art – all while students have fun hiking and experiencing nature. Camp activities include  hikes, team-building, games, art, and small-group activities.

Questions? Please email Program Manager, Breana Patterson, at breana.patterson@onsc.us