You are invited to attend a reception honoring the winners of Bridgeport's 2006 Citywide Science Fair this Thursday evening at The Discovery Museum. This event is an excellent way to meet some of Bridgeport's most promising young science students and to celebrate their accomplishments at city and statewide competitions. Join us, along with the student's friends & family and members of the community, from 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm on March 23rd for this celebration of excellence.

March Madness is coming to the Park City this weekend in the form of the women's college basketball regional finals. The tournament is scheduled to take place at the Arena at Harbor Yard on March 26th and 28th. In order to properly prepare for the competition, Discovery staff and other sports enthusiasts are gathering in downtown Bridgeport for the first-ever Park City Sportsfest on Saturday, March 25th. Skatebaord demos, golf swing tip opportunities, soccer goals and slapshots for you to try, plus "Hoop Smarts", the Museum's own science of basketball diplay, will all be available from 11:00 am to 5:30 pm. Sportsfest is free and open to the public. For more information, call (203) 522-0224.

Does your family prefer Discovery Channel underwater documentaries to college basketball on TV? If so, why not join inventor and submarine builder Alan Winick for an afternoon of undersea fun at Discovery on Saturday, March 25th from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. You will find special presentations & activities related to deep sea exploration, along with movies, planetarium shows and hands-on exhibits. This family day is offered through a special Museum program that matches urban and suburban kindergarten students for ongoing science experiences. Along with the activities you will also find information about "interdistrict" programs at Discovery, as well as other state-supported efforts to reduce racial isolation between students attending urban and suburban schools. K.I.D.S. is the result of a partnership between The Discovery Museum and Cooperative Educational Services. Family Day activities are included with general museum admission.

Photos of over 30 Connecticut children awaiting adoption and in need of a loving home will be on display at the Discovery Museum from April 5th through May 28th, 2006. This special exhibit, called the Heart Gallery, is the result of a partnership between the Connecticut Association of Foster and Adoptive Parents, the CT Department of Children and Families, and the Connecticut Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The exhibit, which is now in its third year, has travelled to several public locations throughout the state with promising results. At least 10 adoptions have been finalized and 20 more are in process as a result of this project. An opening reception on April 5th from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm is free and open to the public, however organizers do ask that you RSVP by calling the Museum at (203) 372-3521 or sending an e-mail response to this newsletter.

Attention astronomy fans! Get ready to point your browser at the Discovery Museum's website (www.discoverymsueum.org), where you will soon be able to download regular tours of the nighttime sky and other astronomy info directly to your IPod or MP3 player. Starting April 1st, the Museum Director of Space Science, David Mestre will produce a regular series of short "podcasts" highlighting news & events in astronomy, and offering guidance on how to find constellations and other objects in the nighttime sky. Most of the technology needed to produce these podcasts was donated by Bloomingdale's Direct. Additional support is provided by People's Bank. Stay tuned.

Mark your calendar for this year's Discovery in the Garden, June 1 & 2, 2006. Events will include a cocktail party and flower show on Thursday evening, followed by Friday's self-guided tours of five spectacular private gardens, and a boutique and luncheon on grounds of beautiful Trinity church in Southport. All proceeds from this lovely event support Discovey Museum exhibits and programs.