Forty years after the first Earth Day, the Rochester Museum and Science Center is celebrating the environmental holiday in a big way. "We have never done a line-up as extensive as the one this year," says Debra Jacobson, RMSC director of marketing and community affairs.

Together with the Water Education Collaborative, a coalition of local organizations working to educate the community about water quality, the RMSC is offering a month of engaging exhibits and programs aimed at teaching kids about how they can help conserve the Earth's resources, especially water.

The Earth Month activities, which began on March 20 and end on April 25, three days after Earth Day, take place at the museum itself as well as its affiliates, the Strasenburgh Planetarium and Cumming Nature Center. They include special attractions during the impending spring school break.

New exhibits in the "Expedition Earth" natural science gallery educate through interactivity. In the watershed exhibit, kids discover ways to improve local water quality by reducing stormwater pollution. The solar energy kiosk gives a behind-the-scenes look at the museum's own solar panels, including information on their current energy production.

Next door in the planetarium, families can choose from an in-depth look at a nearby freshwater ecosystem in "Mysteries of the Great Lakes," which opens on Saturday, April 17, or panoramic views of the planet from space in "Face of Earth 2010." The former is shown as a double feature with "Walking With Dinosaurs: Death of a Dynasty." Both films are suitable for kids aged 6 and older.

At the museum's Cumming Nature Center, families can take part in three-mile guided nature walks on Saturdays and Sundays in April, including a wilderness walk on Saturday, April 17, that explores areas of the property not usually open to the public.

During their break from school, kids can keep on learning while being entertained at the same time. "Raindrops & Runoff: Investigate our Water!" runs April 17-25, and teaches kids how they can help keep local water resources clean. They can test a water sample brought from home, make their own "H20 Hero" costume, and participate in a watershed-themed scavenger hunt for a chance to win a mini microscope. Each day at 1 and 2 p.m. live science shows will explain the water cycle and watersheds with two demonstrations, "Waltz through the Watershed" and "Wormie and Mother Nature."

 The spring-break programs, which take place daily noon-4 p.m., are free with museum admission, although a small materials fee may apply for the rain barrel workshops offered on Saturdays April 17 and 24. In these sessions, families can make barrels to take home to collect water for use on lawns and gardens.

For more details about these and additional RMSC Earth Month activities, visit rmsc.org or call 271-4320.