More than 3,300 children, caregivers, and community members gathered at Please Touch Museum on April 25 to celebrate Earth Day through a full day of hands-on learning, creative exploration, and environmental discovery.
Presented by Essential Utilities, the annual celebration welcomed 3,347 visitors — our largest Earth Day attendance to date — for interactive experiences that encouraged families to learn about protecting our planet through the power of play.
Throughout the Museum, children explored how everyday actions can make a meaningful difference for the environment.
Budding environmental scientists designed and tested their own water filtration systems in the Albert M. Greenfield Makerspace Studio, while families discovered how pollution travels through local waterways using the interactive Enviroscape watershed model presented by Let’s Go Outdoors. Guests also stepped aboard The Planet Earth Challenge’s Rolling Weather Lab to learn how clouds form, storms develop, and weather shapes the world around us.
Water and aquatic ecosystems remained a central focus throughout the day. Adventure Aquarium and the Center for Aquatic Sciences introduced young learners to fascinating marine life during Oceans in Motion, while educators from Fairmount Water Works shared how freshwater mussels and other local wildlife help keep our waterways healthy.
Environmental learning continued through art and imaginative play. In the Creative Arts Studio, children transformed recycled cardboard paper pulp into textured art tiles, demonstrating how discarded materials can become something entirely new. Our youngest visitors practiced caring for the natural world in Tot Spot by “rescuing” earthworms from hot sidewalks to cool grass, while families also enjoyed Earth Day-themed storytimes, music and movement activities.
The celebration also featured a special performance of Lightyears Away by Philly Sensory Theatre, inspiring children to explore wonder, imagination, and care for our planet through live performance.
Earth Day at Please Touch Museum reflects our belief that meaningful learning begins with joyful, hands-on experiences. By encouraging children to ask questions, experiment, create, and play, we help foster curiosity about the natural world and empower young learners to become thoughtful stewards of their communities and environment.
We are deeply grateful to Essential Utilities for presenting Earth Day 2026 and helping make these enriching experiences possible for thousands of families. Their commitment to environmental stewardship, water conservation, and community education helped bring a day of exploration, creativity, and discovery to life for children across the Greater Philadelphia region.
Thank you as well to our many community partners — including The Planet Earth Challenge, Philly Sensory Theatre, Adventure Aquarium, the Center for Aquatic Sciences, Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania, Let’s Go Outdoors, and Fairmount Water Works — whose engaging programs inspired children and families to discover new ways to care for the world around them.
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