Costumes are welcome and slime is practically guaranteed when the Maryland Science Center rolls out its seasonal Spooky Science programming at the Inner Harbor. The hands-on Halloween activities, which run alongside the museum's regular exhibits, are included with paid general admission rather than sold as a separate ticket, according to the Avenue News.
Per the Avenue News report, visitors can mix up science-based magic potions, whip up slime punch, and craft ghoulish ghosts as part of the day's Halloween-themed crafts. The museum, located at 601 Light St. in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, encourages guests to show up in costume for the occasion. Families can find ticket details and event information at marylandsciencecenter.org or through the museum's 24-hour information line at 410-685-5225.
From Rocket Rescues to Modern Engineering Challenges
Spooky Science has taken different shapes over the years. In earlier iterations, guests helped a character called Professor Schmartkopf, portrayed by actor Jeff Boyer, get his rocket ship to the moon after he found himself unable to launch it on his own, per the Avenue News. Boyer is a professional family entertainer known for touring children's museums nationwide with interactive shows such as “Bubble Trouble,” according to the Maryland Science Center.
Modern versions of the event have shifted toward engineering-focused activities, including a Dr. Frankenstein's laboratory challenge, glow-in-the-dark shadow experiments, and pumpkin catapults, per the museum's event listing. Visitors can also learn about different kinds of simple machines as part of the broader activity lineup described in the original Avenue News account.
A Museum Rooted in a Much Older Scientific Mission
The seasonal programming plays out inside an institution with deep roots in Maryland's history. The Maryland Science Center traces its lineage to the Maryland Academy of Sciences, founded in 1797 as one of the oldest scientific organizations in the country, according to the Maryland State Archives. The academy operated out of several temporary Baltimore sites before Inner Harbor voters approved its current home in 1966.
That current building opened at the Inner Harbor on June 13, 1976, and marked its 50th anniversary in June, having drawn more than 15 million total visitors since opening, according to the Office of Governor Wes Moore. Hoodline previously covered the milestone anniversary and the museum's plans for a green renovation of its Inner Harbor Plaza.
Accessibility Built Into the Museum's Mission
General admission in 2026 runs $34.95 for adults and $26.95 for children ages 3 to 12, with $5 tickets available to qualifying low-income families through the museum's Access Science program, per the Maryland Science Center. All Maryland school groups also receive free admission under state-supported programs, according to Towson University, which notes the center draws roughly 400,000 visitors a year, including about 100,000 students on school trips.
The museum's permanent exhibits give year-round context to seasonal events like Spooky Science. “Dinosaur Mysteries” features full-scale models of Astrodon, Maryland's state dinosaur, while “Newton's Alley” offers a hands-on physics lab, according to Visit Baltimore. Those exhibits sit alongside the Halloween-themed activities as part of the same three-floor visitor experience.
Whether families come for the slime, the costumes, or the pumpkin catapults, the event fits into a broader pattern at the Inner Harbor museum: folding STEM learning into approachable, low-barrier entertainment. With admission covering both the seasonal crafts and the museum's core exhibits, the Maryland Science Center is positioning Halloween as just one more excuse to get kids experimenting.
