or Immediate Release:
May 12, 2026
Contact:
Olivia Mitchell
Marketing Manager
Culture & Heritage Museums
www.chmuseums.org
803.792.2572
Sink Your Teeth Into This Summer Exhibit!
Opening June 6 with Invasion of the Bloodsuckers Family Day
ROCK HILL, S.C. – Get ready for a skin-crawling adventure as Museum of York County unveils “Attack of the Bloodsuckers!” exhibition from Sciencenter in New York! This hands-on exhibition invites visitors of all ages to uncover the creepy and the curious science behind nature’s most notorious biting pests.
The exhibition opens Sat. June 6 at Invasion of the Bloodsuckers Family Day. Explore bats and other fanged flying creatures, learn about the medical use of leeches, and examine real creepy crawlies to discover how sanguivores feed on blood and how to avoid becoming their next meal! Dive into the legendary and mythological creatures that are said to consume blood and catch the “Bloodsucking Mythical Creatures” planetarium show every half hour. Littles will enjoy a buzzing mosquito craft, coloring pages, and a puppet parade. Don’t miss the compound eye challenger, smelling safari, flea jump, and more! Lunch concessions will also be available for purchase. The One Blood donation bus will also be on site for life-saving blood donations. Donors may sign up online at oneblood.org/donate-now/scheduler.html?location=1781842.
The fun doesn’t stop after Family Day! All ages can explore a whole other side of parasites and discover practical tips for avoiding bug bites and staying safe this summer. Interactive highlights include live leech feedings, “TwITCHer” – a buggy twist on the classic Twister™ game, a magnification station (up to 125x!), a carbon dioxide detector to follow gas trails to track hosts, mosquito larvae water ballets, and an attraction station to discover why smelly feet attract bugs and how your body reacts to bug bites. A variety of games and hands-on components include compound eye movement, heat detection, and a mosquito probe game.
Discover the fascinating world of bloodsuckers and their remarkable adaptations and extraordinary survival strategies, from scissor jaws to ticks growing up to 600 times their original size, all summer long until Sep. 5.
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WHAT: Invasion of the Bloodsuckers Family Day!
WHEN: June 6 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
WHERE: Museum of York County, 4621 Mt. Gallant Rd., Rock Hill, S.C. 29732
TICKETS: Pre-registration strongly encouraged at chmuseums.org/event/family-day/. Admission is $15 for adults, seniors, and youth. Culture & Heritage Museum members and children under 3 are free.
IMAGES:
- Child discovers an inflatable Ms. Phillipa Tick
- Watching live mosquitoes – safely contained!
- Reaction station tells why certain pests are attracted to people
- Come face to face with live leeches!
- Play the macro matching game
Images courtesy of Sciencenter. Contact omitchell@chmuseums.org for high resolution images.
About Attack of the Bloodsuckers:
Attack of the Bloodsuckers! was developed by the Environmental Exhibit Collaborative (EEC) and funded by Jane’s Trust, the Cabot Family Charitable Trust, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under Award No. MA-02-04-0793-04.
Attack of the Bloodsuckers! is produced by EEC!—the Environmental Exhibit Collaborative (ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, Burlington, Vermont; EcoTarium, Worcester, Massachusetts; and the Children’s Museum of Maine, Portland, Maine)—and made possible by grants from Jane’s Trust, Cabot Family Charitable Trust, and the U.S. Institute for Museum and Library Services under Award No. MA-02-04-0793-04. Touring in partnership with Sciencenter, Ithaca, NY.
About Museum of York County:
Museum of York County highlights the world of natural history in the Carolina Piedmont through award-winning exhibits, planetarium shows, and special programs. “Before the Ice Ages: Miocene and Pliocene Beasts of the Southeast” is Museum of York County’s newest permanent exhibit that looks at the strange and bizarre creatures that roamed the southeast before the Ice Ages of the Pleistocene. “Ice Age Carolinas: Exploring Our Pleistocene Past” is a journey-back-in-time experience that features the gigantic and fantastic beasts that once roamed the Carolinas. The Naturalist Center, with over 2,500 natural history specimens, provides hands-on opportunities for self-guided discovery and educational programs. The Settlemyre Planetarium presents a changing array of full-dome digital planetarium shows. The Museum Store has a selection of local handmade pottery and goods, locally produced food products, and nature-themed gifts. Outside, the museum has a picnic facility and a three-quarter mile nature trail.
Museum Membership:
Become a Culture & Heritage Museums member and enjoy one year of exclusive benefits including free general admission to all CHM museum sites: Historic Brattonsville, Museum of York County and Main Street Children’s Museum. Membership helps support the work of preserving and communicating the cultural and natural history of the Carolina Piedmont. Consider becoming a CHM member and/or give the gift of CHM membership. Details at chmuseums.org/membership.
Museums for All:
As part of the Museums for All initiative, all Culture & Heritage Museum sites provide reduced admission for low-income families; visit museums4all.org for more information. Culture & Heritage Museum sites are also KultureCity® Certified and Sensory InclusiveTM.