MCC’s Creepy Coastal October

by Sep 24, 2025Education, Events, Online Exclusives, South Brunswick

Celebrate Halloween all October at the Museum of Coastal Carolina with family-friendly creepy critters and a 21+ Mad Science Masquerade fundraiser Oct 25.

All October, the Museum of Coastal Carolina brings Halloween to the coast with its Creepy Coastal Gallery Crawl—fun, not-so-scary, educational activities for all ages. Galleries will be decked out for the season, featuring deep-sea creatures like octopus and jellyfish, plus owls, bats, spiders, and more. The month concludes with the Mad Science Masquerade, a new 21+ fundraiser for the Ocean Isle Museum Foundation on October 25.

October 2–31: Daily Activities
• Hands-on “creepy critter” spotlights across museum galleries during all open hours
• Explore a sea creature discovery bin, make a bat hat, learn about Venus flytraps, and interact with touchable specimens (like a turtle esophagus)

Sea Tales (Thursdays at 11:00 AM)
• Oct 2: Little Owl’s Night (story + owl craft)
• Oct 9: The Bat by Elise Gravel (bat facts + craft)
• Oct 16: The Spider by Elise Gravel (spider facts + craft)
• Oct 23: The Worm by Elise Gravel (earthworm facts + craft)
• Oct 30: Trick or Treat Pout Pout Fish (story + Halloween fish craft)

A ghostly, abandoned ship surrounded by ominous green mist and dark, turbulent waves under a stormy sky, creating a haunting, eerie atmosphere.

October Habitat Hop: The Deep Sea (Saturdays at 11:00 AM)
• Oct 4: Sharks — adaptations for life in the dark, cold depths
• Oct 11: Octopus — hydrothermal vents, bioluminescence, and more
• Oct 25: Jellyfish — are they fish, and how do they survive the deep?

A menacing creature with glowing red eyes, tentacles, and large curled horns emerges from a pile of bones amid swirling mist; bats fly overhead under a dark, ominous sky.

Mad Science Masquerade (21+ Fundraiser) — October 25, 6:00–10:00 PM
• New adult-only, science-themed Halloween event benefiting the Ocean Isle Museum Foundation (supports the Museum and Ingram Planetarium)
• Includes food, drinks, and dancing in the “Radiation Dance Hall,” the Unnatural History Costume Contest, Flamingo Foto Booth, Coastal Wine & Tap Cork

A dimly lit table holds various glass bottles and flasks filled with colorful liquids, surrounded by candles and scattered crystals, creating a mysterious, alchemy-like atmosphere.

Pull, creepy critters, and spooky science
• Expect quirky fun: meet the snake charmer, sample edible insects, visit “Frankenstein at Sea,” and enjoy seafood bites in the Chum Chamber
• Tickets: $75 per person (all-inclusive: heavy hors d’oeuvres, beer, and wine). Advance tickets required
• Costume contest participants help raise funds; learn more and register for free by calling (910) 579-1016
• Details and tickets: https://museumplanetarium.org/mad-science-masquerade-2025/

A person stands alone on a rocky shore with a giant, eerie shadow of a multi-armed figure with a pumpkin head looming behind them in the misty background.

Plan Your Visit
• Location: Museum of Coastal Carolina, Ocean Isle Beach, NC
• Dates: October 2–31 (all-ages programming); October 25 for the 21+ Masquerade
• More info: Check the Museum’s website and social channels for hours, tickets, and updates

Explore More About Museum of Coastal Carolina
21 E 2nd St
Ocean Isle Beach, NC28469
910-579-1016


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