Edgerton Explorit Center

05/28/2026

Does your child dream of becoming a veterinarian, doctor, or nurse?

The Edgerton Explorit Center has two incredible hands-on career exploration camps coming up for students in grades 3-8!

Young Veterinarian Camp
📅 June 15-19 | ⏰ 10am-3pm | Grades 5-8
Observe veterinarians, learn suturing and injections, participate in dissections, and explore the exciting world of animal medicine.

Memorial Hospital's Young Doctors & Nurses Camp
📅 August 3-7 | ⏰ 1pm-4pm | Grades 3-8
Learn medical skills from healthcare professionals, tour Memorial Hospital, and discover what it's like to work in healthcare.

Students who have finished 3rd or 4th grade and are interested in the Young Veterinarian Camp are encouraged to contact us to see if they may be a good fit for the camp.

Register today at www.edgerton.org/camps — spaces are limited!

05/27/2026

🌟 Camp Scholarships Available at the Edgerton Explorit Center 🌟

We believe every child should have the opportunity to explore, discover, and learn through hands-on science experiences this summer. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters and sponsors, we have a number of camp scholarships available for families who may need assistance covering camp costs.

Scholarships are available for all of our summer camps, including science, engineering, trades, robotics, animals, and more! Over 50 options throughout the summer.

If your child would love to attend camp but cost is a concern, please contact us to learn more about available scholarship opportunities. We never want finances to stand in the way of a child experiencing the joy of discovery.

📞 Call: 402-694-4032📍 or email [email protected] - Mary Molliconi, Executive Director at the Edgerton Explorit Center – Aurora, NE 🌐 www.edgerton.org/camps

Please help us spread the word so more kids can experience an unforgettable summer of learning and fun!

PLAN YOUR VISIT Daily Visitors Admission, Map/Directions, Hours Edgerton Center Facilities and Services FAQ Membership Group Visits / School Field Trips Pricing

05/25/2026

The first two weeks of Summer Camps are almost here at the Edgerton Explorit Center!

We are closed today, May 25th, for Memorial Day, but this gives you time to sign up for upcoming camps before spots are gone!

We still have openings in some AMAZING camps

🏛️ Night at the Museum Camp
⚡ Power Up Day Camp
🐴 Science of Horses – Beginning Level
🏈 Football Skills Camp

From science and engineering to sports and animals, these camps are packed with hands-on activities, experiments, challenges, and FUN that kids will remember all summer long.

Whether your child loves building, exploring, sports, animals, or discovering how things work — there’s something for everyone at the Edgerton Explorit Center this summer.

Sign up today before these camps are full at www.edgerton.org/camps.

PLAN YOUR VISIT Daily Visitors Admission, Map/Directions, Hours Edgerton Center Facilities and Services FAQ Membership Group Visits / School Field Trips Pricing

05/21/2026

The Edgerton Explorit Center is closed on Friday, May 22nd

It has been a long road since the fire in our raptor area, but we wanted to share an update on the progress being made. We are incredibly grateful for all of the support, encouragement, and patience from our community during this process.

Repairs and restoration work on the building are nearing completion, and we are excited to finally be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. The attached photos show some of the amazing progress that has been made since the fire on February 13th.

A special shoutout to RMV Construction. They have been amazing to work with throughout this entire restoration process, and we truly cannot give them a higher recommendation.

As part of the final stages of cleanup, the Edgerton Explorit Center will be closed on Friday, May 22nd for one final odor remediation treatment to address a lingering smoke smell in our theater and classroom areas.

We also continue working toward rebuilding a permanent, fire-safe raptor enclosure. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we have currently raised $90,000 of the $136,000 needed for the new enclosure project.

If you would like to help support the Raptor Restoration Project, donations can be made at www.edgerton.org/support-us/donate.

Thank you again to everyone who has supported us through this challenging time. Your kindness and generosity have meant so much to our staff, board, volunteers, and the many students and families we serve. We can’t wait to fully welcome everyone back and continue inspiring curiosity, discovery, and hands-on learning across Nebraska.

We are also excited to once again have three education ambassador raptors as part of our team. Our new Barred Owl, Strix, and Red-shouldered Hawk, Valor, are already participating in programs and have become wonderful additions to our raptor education team.

We are hopeful to welcome our new American Kestrel next week, so stay tuned for more updates and photos to come.

05/20/2026

As another amazing school year comes to a close, we want to take a moment to celebrate our incredible afterschool program!

This year was filled with hands-on learning, creativity, teamwork, problem solving, field trips and so many great memories. From science experiments and engineering challenges to live demonstrations and interactive exhibits, it has been wonderful watching students grow, learn, and discover new passions through science.

A huge THANK YOU goes to Shawna Vinkenberg, our Afterschool, for the amazing job she does organizing and leading this program. Her dedication, energy, and passion help create meaningful experiences for our students each year.

We also want to thank our middle school, high school, and college mentors who helped throughout the year. These mentors are such an important part of the Edgerton experience, helping inspire younger students while gaining leadership and teaching experience themselves. We are so proud of the positive impact they have made!

Thank you to all the students, families, teachers, schools, and supporters who helped make this such a great year. We are already excited for another year of hands-on discovery and learning!

05/09/2026

Discover the Science of Horses This Summer at the Edgerton Explorit Center!

Our popular Horse Camps are back with ALL 5 levels — combining horses, riding, and hands-on science for an unforgettable summer adventure!

🐎 Learn horse anatomy & behavior
🐎 Explore the science of riding & balance
🐎 Discover how tack and equipment work
🐎 Practice grooming, safety & horse care
🐎 Build confidence, friendships, and riding skills
🐎 FUN!

Whether your child is brand new to horses or ready for advanced experiences, we have a level just for them!

This is more than a horse camp — it’s hands-on STEAM learning with horses! 🐴⚙️🧠

Scholarships available for families with financial need so students can attend for free. Scholarship application and camp registration at www.edgerton.org/camps.

We also have camps for every future animal scientist! Explore the Science of Horses, Science of Dogs, Science of Cats, Curious Creatures, and Marine Biology through hands-on activities and amazing animal experiences.

For students in grades 5–8, our Young Veterinarian Camp offers an incredible behind-the-scenes look at animal science with vet clinic visits, operations, suturing, dissections, and other hands-on experiences!

Spots fill quickly each summer — sign up today at www.edgerton.org/camps. Or scan the QR code.

05/09/2026

Spent the day at Fort Kearney for their Outdoor Expo teaching students from the area about Birds of Prey. The education ambassadors were pretty busy as 5 different groups of students and teachers came to our session through out the day.

We finished the afternoon by visiting the Kearney Middle School. So glad that the education trailer makes a great backdrop.

05/06/2026

The Raptor Team was a presentor at the Outdoor Skills Day at Windmill State Rec Area. Students from surrounding schools participated in a number of outdoor activities and then got to attend our Raptorology Program. How cool to be apart of this day where students learn about different species of raptors, their importance in our environment along with their habitats. Also learning about how important conservation is.