Calendar of Events

Visit The Shop to combine a variety of materials and your imagination to design and build a simple animation machine. Bring a beautiful winter scene to life with a machine that creates a simple looping animation. What you create is yours to keep! Please note: The Shop offers access to real tools and materials that can be dangerous if used improperly. Parents are encouraged to help young tinkerers use the tools and materials safely in this space.

Light up your holiday with a greeting card that glows! Visit The Shop to use a variety of available materials along with a battery, LED and copper circuitry to create a holiday greeting that shines like Rudolph’s nose. Please note: The Shop offers access to real tools and materials that can be dangerous if used improperly. Parents are encouraged to help young tinkerers use the tools and materials safely in this space.

Light up your holiday with a greeting card that glows! Visit The Shop to use a variety of available materials along with a battery, LED and copper circuitry to create a holiday greeting that shines like Rudolph’s nose. Please note: The Shop offers access to real tools and materials that can be dangerous if used improperly. Parents are encouraged to help young tinkerers use the tools and materials safely in this space.

Light up your holiday with a greeting card that glows! Visit The Shop to use a variety of available materials along with a battery, LED and copper circuitry to create a holiday greeting that shines like Rudolph’s nose. Please note: The Shop offers access to real tools and materials that can be dangerous if used improperly. Parents are encouraged to help young tinkerers use the tools and materials safely in this space.

In The Shop, hands-on gets serious. During Open Build, take your pick from a variety of materials and use real tools to design and build nearly anything you can imagine. Best of all, what you create is yours to keep! Please note: The Shop offers access to real tools and materials that can be dangerous if used improperly. Parents are encouraged to help young tinkerers use the tools and materials safely in this space.

Be inspired by the creativity and innovation of Muppets creator Jim Henson when you visit Spark!Lab Smithsonian to invent your own hand puppet. Using available materials, you can create a unique character all your own and learn about how The Muppets went from idea to hit television sensation.

Be inspired by the creativity and innovation of Muppets creator Jim Henson when you visit Spark!Lab Smithsonian to invent your own hand puppet. Using available materials, you can create a unique character all your own and learn about how The Muppets went from idea to hit television sensation.

Be inspired by the creativity and innovation of Muppets creator Jim Henson when you visit Spark!Lab Smithsonian to invent your own hand puppet. Using available materials, you can create a unique character all your own and learn about how The Muppets went from idea to hit television sensation.

Visit The Shop for a unique opportunity to create a classic winter snow globe. Combine a mason jar with a variety of items to set your scene and then add water and glitter to create a wonderful snowy scenes that comes to life! Space in each session is limited and available on a first come, first served basis. Please note: The Shop offers access to real tools and materials that can be dangerous if used improperly. Parents are encouraged to help young…

Be inspired by the creativity and innovation of Muppets creator Jim Henson when you visit Spark!Lab Smithsonian to invent your own hand puppet. Using available materials, you can create a unique character all your own and learn about how The Muppets went from idea to hit television sensation.

Visit The Shop for a unique opportunity to create a classic winter snow globe. Combine a mason jar with a variety of items to set your scene and then add water and glitter to create a wonderful snowy scenes that comes to life! Space in each session is limited and available on a first come, first served basis. Please note: The Shop offers access to real tools and materials that can be dangerous if used improperly. Parents are encouraged to help young…

Be inspired by the creativity and innovation of Muppets creator Jim Henson when you visit Spark!Lab Smithsonian to invent your own hand puppet. Using available materials, you can create a unique character all your own and learn about how The Muppets went from idea to hit television sensation.

Celebrate the coming of the New Year with a pop-up card you create in The Shop. Using a variety of paper and some careful engineering, you’ll create a greeting card with an object that pops up when the card is opened. Please note: The Shop offers access to real tools and materials that can be dangerous if used improperly. Parents are encouraged to help young tinkerers use the tools and materials safely in this space.