Burpee Museum - 2025 Holocene Holiday, Ice Age FUN! 1227

Burpee Museum's Winter FUN at a Holocene Holiday

Join us at Rockford’s fossil-packed Burpee Museum for a day filled with unique holiday fun and Ice Age exploration. Enjoy one-of-a-kind activities designed for all ages—perfect for families and curious minds alike!

Step Back in Time to the Ice Age! Discover the fascinating world of the Holocene epoch and learn how glaciers, mammoths, and early humans shaped the world we know today. Holocene Holiday will showcase the wonders of the Ice Age, from extinct giants like the Columbian Mammoth and Smilodon to animals and plants that survived and still thrive today! Get hands-on in the Ice Age kitchen, test your knowledge about Ice Age animals, and explore some of the weirdest creatures to have ever walked the Earth!

Saturday, December 27th, 2025 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

General Admission Cost:

• Nonmembers: $18 adults | $15 Youth 4-12 | 3 & Under FREE
• All Member's admission is FREE

• Ice Age Europe invites you to step into the role of a prehistoric artist! Learn how Ice Age people created cave paintings using natural pigments, then make your own artwork inspired by the bison, horses, and handprints that once decorated ancient cave walls.
• Ice Age Kitchen invites visitors to step back in time and discover what was on the Neanderthal menu. From sizzling mammoth “steaks” to wild mushrooms, berries, and roasted roots, this exhibit explores how early humans hunted, gathered, and cooked in the frozen world of the Ice Age
• Dire Wolves explores the powerful predators of the Ice Age through a close look at their skulls. Compare the massive jaws of the extinct dire wolf with those of modern wolves to discover how these ancient hunters lived, evolved, and eventually disappeared.
• Ice Age Survivors highlights the remarkable animals that endured the end of the Ice Age. This unmanned display features the black bear and the wolf—two resilient species that adapted, survived, and still roam our world today.
• Crafts & Prizes: Enjoy themed crafts, explore rare collection items, and visit all the special locations to win a prize!

Contact (815) 965-3433 to purchase by phone.

Cancellation/refund policy:

Due to the cost of staff and materials, any cancellation must be received 7 clear days ahead of the event. A fee of 20% will be deducted from any refund after the initial purchase.

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Host or Publisher Burpee Museum of Natural History