November entered the record books at Explorit, not for simply surpassing an admission record but for shattering it.

The month saw 2,391 visitors pass through the doors at the hands-on science museum, 2801 Second St. For comparison’s sake, November 2008 drew 1,438 and November 2007, just 825.

No doubt the day called “Toddler Tuesday” on Nov. 17 gets part of the credit. To publicize the fact that we open at 10 a.m. now on Tuesdays, we invited under-5s and their parents or caregivers to a morning of special activities. Almost 350 people showed up and had a ball.

But Toddler Tuesday alone doesn’t explain the bump in attendance. Perhaps it’s this: In the past three years, Explorit has slowly added to its permanent array of activities, the latest two being a streambed table and a Demonstration Station. More activities mean more fun and more learning for visitors.

“Clearly, the word is getting out that we’re a fantastic destination for families in the region,” said Peter Willson, director of development and marketing.

Comments in the Guest Book confirm that. A sampling:

“My mom was right, that it was going to be fun.”

“My children’s knowledge was challenged. Great sensory experiences. Thanks.”

“This place is tha bomb.”

“Explorit is such a fun place where science isn’t frustrating … why don’t more people know about it?”

Our limited nonprofit budget doesn’t allow for paid advertising, so we depend heavily on word of mouth. If you’re among the almost 3,000 people who visited last month, we thank you for coming, and if the opportunity arises to tell a friend about our museum, we double our thanks.
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Explorit’s second floor currently is closed to change exhibitions. Coming up next: “What’s Out There? Exploring Our Universe,” a space and astronomy exhibition, which opens Dec. 12 and continues through Feb. 22.

In next week’s column, we’ll offer a preview of the exhibition. But for now, a teaser: Explorit’s exhibit staff members were seen on ladders this week hanging 420 square feet of netting to make a rocket-launching enclosure.

Incidentally, save Jan. 16 on your calendar. Science fiction novelist Kim Stanley Robinson will speak at a gathering of the Davis Astronomy Club at Explorit – a nice tie-in to the space exhibition. The talk will be free and open to the public at 7 p.m. at Explorit’s main site.
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Apparently there’s a market for toys resembling HIN1 swine flu microbes. And for other toy microbes. Priced at $7.50, the plush toys in Explorit’s Store sold out as the record-breaking crowd passed through the museum last month. It didn’t hurt that the toys were featured on a Sacramento TV newscast and radio program, too.

For those who were planning to buy one, rest assured that more have been ordered and will hit the shelves soon. Remember, too, that the store is packed with other science-related merchandise that makes great holiday gifts.
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Earlier this fall, Explorit added one weekday morning to its Visiting Hours schedule and pushed closing time to 5 p.m. six days a week. Our trial run of the new visiting hours has been successful.

So we're going to keep the current schedule into the new year. Here's a recap of the hours we're open to the public:
• 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays
• 2-5 p.m. Wednesdays-Fridays
• 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

The museum is located at 2801 Second St. in Davis. Admission is $4 general, free for ages 3 and under. The fourth Friday of every month is free, thanks to a grant from the Kelly Foundation (except for in December, when Free Admission Day will be held on Dec. 18).
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Also on the subject of Visiting Hours: We plan extended Holiday Hours during the last two weeks of this month.

Beginning Monday, Dec. 21, we’ll be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. almost daily through Dec. 31. Exceptions: On Tuesdays (Dec. 22 and 29), we’ll open an hour earlier, at 10 a.m. On Dec. 24, we’ll close early -- at 3 p.m. Finally, we’ll be closed on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. Our regular schedule will resume on Saturday, Jan. 2.
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Explorit Science Center is at 2801 Second St., Davis. New visiting hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays, 2-5 p.m. Wednesdays-Fridays, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Admission is $4 general, free for members and ages 3 and under. For more information: (530) 756-0191 or http://www.explorit.org