Fascinate-U Children’s Museum is proud to announce its participation in Our World: Worldwide Day of Play on Saturday,  Sept.  26, 2026. Presented by Nickelodeon and the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM), Worldwide Day of Play is dedicated to experiencing joyful learning through play and getting kids and their families up, out, and playing. In celebration of the day, Fascinate- U will offer FREE admission to all visitors thanks to the generous support of Village Family Dental.

From 10 a.m.–12 p.m., Fascinate-U will host Messfest, an outdoor celebration of good, messy fun featuring kiddie pools filled with mud, sand, slime, and other hands-on sensory play experiences. Messfest will take place in the driveway behind the museum and invites children and families to come ready to get messy, explore, and play. Families can participate in Messfest that morning and enjoy free admission to Fascinate-U throughout the entire day, made possible by Village Family Dental.

“Play is a powerful experience that enriches people’s lives in museums, schools, homes, and beyond,” shared Arthur G. Affleck, III, executive director of the Association of Children’s Museums in a press release. “ACM is pleased to partner with Nickelodeon on amplifying the importance of play on wellbeing and healthy brain development, and to make learning more effective and joyful for everyone. As children’s museums, we believe in the power of play and we strive to nurture more play and playful learning everywhere we go.”

“We’re excited to bring Worldwide Day of Play to our community with a morning of wonderfully messy fun,” said Amanda Jekel, Executive Director of Fascinate-U in a press release. “We’re especially grateful to Village Family Dental for making it possible for every family to enjoy Fascinate-U free of charge throughout the day. Their support helps us make play and learning accessible to even more children in our community.”

Our World: Worldwide Day of Play is part of Nickelodeon’s Our World global initiative to inspire kids and provide them with tools to activate their individual and collective agency. As part of a network of more than 360 ACM member children’s museums who reach millions of families in

North America, and the over 1,500 museums participating in Museums for All, a national access initiative that ACM manages, Fascinate-U Children’s Museum is a vital collaborator in the Our World: Worldwide Day of Play.

For a list of all participating Our World: Worldwide Day of Play events and more information about the initiative, please visit www.childrensmuseums.org/dayofplay.