Calendar of Events

Visit The Discovery’s Spark!Lab Smithsonian to explore nano technology by creating a thin film. A thin film is a layer of material ranging from less than a nanometer (one billionth of a meter) to several micrometers thick. Everyday examples of thin films include soap bubbles, oil slicks on water, and anti-reflection coating on eyeglasses. Scientists are developing thin films to use as computer memory and in solar cells. Please note: This activity includes materials that can be dangerous if used improperly. Parents are encouraged…

The future of transportation is in your hands! Visit The Shop to use available tools and materials to create a miniature car that uses a rubber band for power. Experiment with a variety of rubber bands to see which will make your car move faster, slower or travel farther? 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…

Be ready to catch the autumn breezes with a kite you build in the The Shop. Using available tools and a variety of paper, you can design and build a bird kite that will soar on the winds at the end of a string. 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…

Hands-on gets serious in The Shop! In this material-specific session of Open Build, you’ll use real tools to build nearly anything you can imagine out of cardboard. 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 ready to catch the autumn breezes with a kite you build in the The Shop. Using available tools and a variety of paper, you can design and build a bird kite that will soar on the winds at the end of a string. 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…

Hands-on gets serious in The Shop! In this material-specific session of Open Build, you’ll use real tools to build nearly anything you can imagine out of a variety of plastics. 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.

Hands-on gets serious in The Shop! In this material-specific session of Open Build, you’ll use real tools to build nearly anything you can imagine out of wood. 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.

In this hands-on activity in The Shop, you can use a variety of materials to create a tree sculpture. Choose from a plethora of reclaimed and repurposed materials to design and build a sculptural rendition of a tree. Best of all, what you make 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.

Celebrate National Wildlife Day with an exciting open build project in The Shop. Using wood, fabric, plastic, and more, create your rendition of your favorite animal. Best of all, what you make 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.

Hands-on gets serious in The Shop! In this material-specific session of Open Build, you’ll use real tools to build nearly anything you can imagine out of wood. 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.

Visit The Shop to create the perfect decoration for fall. Using hammers and nails, you can create a autumn-inspired shape to trace with festive fall yarn. Best of all, what you make is yours to take home! 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.

Combine art with engineering in this design challenge in The Shop. Using cardboard and fasteners, you can create a set of “monster” jaws that chew when you activate them with your hands. Experiment with a variety of parameters during your build to see what makes the strongest set of jaws! 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…

Develop or refine your carpentry skills when you build a custom photo frame in The Shop. Using a variety of tools and materials, you’ll create a frame perfect for your favorite photograph. Keep it for yourself or give it as a holiday gift! 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.

Turn a pile of trash into a toy car—and watch it go! In this activity you’ll learn some physics concepts and use recycled materials to build a toy car that is propelled by a balloon. You can even find a friend, build two cars and race them against each other. Whose car will go the fastest? 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…

Hands-on gets serious in The Shop! In this material-specific session of Open Build, you’ll use real tools to build nearly anything you can imagine out of cardboard. Best of all, what you create is yours to keep! Please note: The Shop offers access to real tools and materials that can cause injury if used improperly. Parents are encouraged to help young tinkerers use the tools and materials safely in this space.

Work with fellow museum visitors in The Shop to create a spooky cardboard Halloween-themed town. Build homes, skyscrapers, churches, parks, stores—whatever you can imagine. This is an ongoing collaborative project that will grow and change throughout the month of October. 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.

Hands-on gets serious in The Shop! In this material-specific session of Open Build, you’ll use real tools to build nearly anything you can imagine out of wood. Best of all, what you create is yours to keep! Please note: The Shop offers access to real tools and materials that can cause injury if used improperly. Parents are encouraged to help young tinkerers use the tools and materials safely in this space.

Hands-on gets serious in The Shop! In this material-specific session of Open Build, you’ll use real tools to build nearly anything you can imagine out of wood. Best of all, what you create is yours to keep! Please note: The Shop offers access to real tools and materials that can cause injury if used improperly. Parents are encouraged to help young tinkerers use the tools and materials safely in this space.

Visit The Shop to craft a whimsical owl out of a pine cone. Using assorted craft supplies, you can create an owl that is as funny or fantastic as you can imagine. 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.

Visit The Shop to craft a whimsical owl out of a pine cone. Using assorted craft supplies, you can create an owl that is as funny or fantastic as you can imagine. 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.

Turn a Thanksgiving staple into a carefully guided projectile in The Shop! Using a variety of materials and a heaping helping of creativity, you can create a catapult that will send a dinner roll hurtling through the air. Have fun, but please remember to use good table manners. Please note: The Shop offers access to real tools and materials that can cause injury if used improperly. Parents are encouraged to help young tinkerers use the tools and materials safely in this space.

Put your do-it-yourself skills to work in The Shop when you use real tools and materials to create a fun game to play with family and friends. 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.

Put your do-it-yourself skills to work in The Shop when you use real tools and materials to create a fun game to play with family and friends. 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.

Put your do-it-yourself skills to work in The Shop when you use real tools and materials to create a fun game to play with family and friends. 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.