THE CLAY CENTER IS OPEN OCTOBER 5TH
THE CLAY CENTER IS OPEN OCTOBER 5TH
Explore more music, theater, art, and science at the Clay Center.
Avampato Discovery Museum
Avampato Discovery Museum
Caperton Planetarium & Theater
Caperton Planetarium & Theater
Juliet Art Museum
Juliet Art Museum
Maier Foundation Performance Hall
Maier Foundation Performance Hall
DRINKS. SNACKS. LUNCH.
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EXPLORE THE CURIOSITY CAFE!
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DRINKS. SNACKS. LUNCH. ✦ EXPLORE THE CURIOSITY CAFE! ✦
UPCOMING EVENTS
Become a junior paleontologist as you excavate fossils, examine ancient clues, and create your own fossil impressions. Learn how scientists uncover Earth's prehistoric past one discovery at a time.
The original Broadway sensation returns to the road! Celebrating 20 years - Jersey style!
The Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of West Virginia is proud to welcome Ailey II, the acclaimed second company of the world-renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, to Charleston for a special one-night performance on Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
Join us for Homeschool Days, an experience where students and parents partake in a series of educational programming designed to spark creativity and imagination.
The Clay Center invites patrons and supporters to join us at Prime 101 from 5:00–7:00 PM on Thursday, October 15, for the official 2027 Carnaval Theme Reveal.
The Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of West Virginia is proud to announce that acclaimed Americana string band Old Crow Medicine Show will perform live on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 7:30 PM.
Watch chemistry come alive as bubbling, fizzing, and colorful reactions reveal the difference between physical and chemical changes. You'll make predictions, perform experiments, and discover the clues scientists use every day.
The Juliet Art Museum invites visitors to engage directly with the art-making process while exploring rarely exhibited still life works from our permanent collection. This exhibition highlights the richness and diversity of still life as a genre, showcasing a range of artistic approaches and styles across time.
Enjoy admission to the Clay Center for just $2 per person on the first Sunday of each month with a valid SNAP or WIC card and photo ID.
Can you create amazing art under unusual conditions? Put your creativity to the test with fun engineering-inspired art challenges that encourage problem-solving, experimentation, and imagination.
Join us for Homeschool Days, an experience where students and parents partake in a series of educational programming designed to spark creativity and imagination.
Families excavate mystery dinosaur bones, develop their own theories, reconstruct prehistoric creatures, and defend their scientific conclusions.
Families investigate fossil replicas through crayon rubbings and careful observation before creating their own scientific illustrations of prehistoric creatures.
Create clear "amber slime" inspired by fossils preserved in amber. A fun, hands-on STEAM activity perfect for younger audiences.
Based on the 1992 film starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, THE BODYGUARD is a thrilling, romantic musical that combines high-stakes suspense with unforgettable music.
Enjoy admission to the Clay Center for just $2 per person on the first Sunday of each month with a valid SNAP or WIC card and photo ID.
Roar & Explore with Dinosaurs, an immersive travelling dinosaur exhibit produced by the Miami Children’s Museum, will open on September 26, 2026 and will run until January 3, 2027 at the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of West Virginia.
I AM WILD: A Charley Harper Exhibit West Virginia, inspired by the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh’s 2025 exhibition, I AM WILD: A Charley Harper Exhibit, closes at The Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of West Virginia on January 3rd, 2027.
Barrie Kaufman: Life Leading to the Arctic charts the evolution of her career, bringing together landmark series and rarely seen works from institutional and private collections, offering a rare opportunity to experience the full arc of Kaufman’s artistic journey—from early investigations to the fulfillment of a lifelong ambition to create in direct response to the environmental realities of the Arctic.
Join us for Homeschool Days, an experience where students and parents partake in a series of educational programming designed to spark creativity and imagination.
Created in collaboration with Neil Diamond himself, A BEAUTIFUL NOISE is the uplifting true story of how a kid from Brooklyn became a chart-busting, show-stopping American rock icon.
Join us for Homeschool Days, an experience where students and parents partake in a series of educational programming designed to spark creativity and imagination.
Blues-rock titan Joe Bonamassa has announced a new run of Spring 2027 U.S. tour dates, bringing one of today’s most celebrated live guitarists back to theaters and performing arts centers across the country.
Join us for Homeschool Days, an experience where students and parents partake in a series of educational programming designed to spark creativity and imagination.
He earned his stripes on Broadway… now the ghost-with-the-most is coming to Charleston, WV.
Join us for Homeschool Days, an experience where students and parents partake in a series of educational programming designed to spark creativity and imagination.
Everybody look around, there’s reason to rejoice! The Tony Award®-winning Best Musical that took the world by storm is back.
“WAITRESS is a little slice of heaven!” says Entertainment Weekly, and is “sweet, sassy and passionate,” according to New York Magazine.
EXHIBITS
Barrie Kaufman: Life Leading to the Arctic charts the evolution of her career, bringing together landmark series and rarely seen works from institutional and private collections, offering a rare opportunity to experience the full arc of her artistic journey—from early investigations to the fulfillment of a lifelong ambition to create in direct response to the environmental realities of the Arctic.
The Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of WV is excited to announce its next traveling exhibit from Miami Children’s Museum, “Roar & Explore with Dinosaurs.” This spectacular exhibit invites children and families to journey back to the age of dinosaurs in an educational and exciting environment.
I AM WILD: A Charley Harper Exhibit West Virginia, inspired by the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh’s 2025 exhibition, I AM WILD: A Charley Harper Exhibit, opens at the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of West Virginia on August 15, 2026, and runs through January 3, 2027.
Step into the Clay Center Makerspace, our interactive exhibit where creativity, engineering, and problem-solving come to life!
Prepare for launch! Step into Space Lab, a hands-on exploration of space science and interplanetary adventure. Whether you're defending Earth from incoming asteroids, engineering your own rocket, or mining asteroids for valuable resources, this immersive exhibit challenges visitors to think like scientists, engineers, and astronauts.
In WaterWorks visitors play and work with water along sweeping flow routes, dramatic water falls, controlling the water to animate and energize everything in its path in an expression of water’s power. Along the way, they will experience the potential, kinetic and mechanical energy of water.
In the Maier Foundation Music Studio, visitors see, listen to, move to, and create their own music; examine the scientific foundations of music they hear; and explore the mathematical concepts of rhythm, pattern, and harmony.
Explore art in new and exciting ways! In our Interactive Art Space, guests of all ages can explore basic art principles while having fun.
Focusing on the human body in motion, Healthy Me provides a safe environment to test your physical skills and learn why regular physical activity is essential to health.
Enter a town much like Charleston but on a kid’s scale. In My Town, the kids have the jobs, get to spend (imaginary) money and participate in fun activities every day!
See all three stories of the Clay Center from a new perspective as you climb a work of art. From kids to adults, everyone can take part in this interactive exhibit.
SHOWS AND FILMS
TUESDAY–SATURDAY: 12:00PM
Take a guided journey from the Sun to the eight planets and beyond, exploring icy moons, giant storms, dwarf planets, and other surprising objects along the way.
TUESDAY–SUNDAY: 1:00PM
This high-speed adventure for family audiences takes you on a roller coaster ride from the Moon through our solar system, galaxy and beyond.
TUESDAY–SATURDAY: 11:00AM
TUESDAY–SUNDAY: 2:00PM & 4:00PM
Join shark heroes Jess Cramp, Liv Rose and Cristina Zenato on an epic family adventure into the fascinating kingdom of sharks, where we’ll come face to face with these magnificent creatures and learn how our future is intertwined with theirs.
TUESDAY–SATURDAY: 10:30AM
MAGNETISM explains how Earth’s magnetic field acts like a shield — protecting us from harmful particles from the Sun and outer space.
The Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of West Virginia’s Board of Directors voted Thursday, September 17, to elect Rebecca Gillispie as Interim President & CEO as the organization begins a national search for a permanent successor to the late Al Najjar.
The Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of WV is excited to announce its next traveling exhibit from Miami Children’s Museum, “Roar & Explore with Dinosaurs.” This spectacular exhibit invites children and families to journey back to the age of dinosaurs in an educational and exciting environment.
The Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of West Virginia is proud to welcome Ailey II, the acclaimed second company of the world-renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, to Charleston for a special one-night performance on Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
Al Najjar, President and CEO of the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of West Virginia, passed away Friday, August 21, 2026.
I AM WILD: A Charley Harper Exhibit in West Virginia, inspired by the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh’s 2025 exhibition, I AM WILD: A Charley Harper Exhibit, opens at the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of West Virginia on August 15, 2026, and runs through January 3, 2027.
Art Takeover is a museum-wide celebration of creativity that transforms the entire museum into a living art studio.