Calendar of Events

A Violin Serenade is an enchanting, family-friendly musical experience. Leading the show are internationally renowned Juliette Leong and profoundly talented Ethan Mao—both award-winning violinists and members of the Reno Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. In this captivating event, audiences of all ages will enjoy an interactive and dynamic program that blends classical favorites with modern pop tunes, creating the perfect introduction to the violin’s versatility. Between pieces, the musicians will invite children to participate in a show-and-tell session and give them a…

In honor of Harry Potter’s birthday, you’re invited to Wizardly Weekend here at The Discovery! Through a variety of hands-on activities, you can explore aspects of the book and film series… create your own wand, design your magical robe, craft a wizard’s hat, and much more! Both Wizards and Muggles are encouraged to attend!

In honor of Harry Potter’s birthday, you’re invited to Wizardly Weekend here at The Discovery! Through a variety of hands-on activities, you can explore aspects of the book and film series… create your own wand, design your magical robe, craft a wizard’s hat, and much more! Both Wizards and Muggles are encouraged to attend!

Celebrate Hot August Nights with a project in The Shop inspired by classic cars and hot rod culture. Using a variety of tools and a selection of wood and wheels, you can design and build your own classic car. 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/caregivers are encouraged to help young tinkerers use the tools and materials safely in this space.

Celebrate Hot August Nights with a project in The Shop inspired by classic cars and hot rod culture. Using a variety of tools and a selection of wood and wheels, you can design and build your own classic car. 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/caregivers are encouraged to help young tinkerers use the tools and materials safely in this space.

Visit The Shop to combine science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) to create a summer themed decoration that transfers energy to light an LED. Design, test and refine your creation until you’re pleased with how it works. Best of all, what 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 combine science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) to create a summer themed decoration that transfers energy to light an LED. Design, test and refine your creation until you’re pleased with how it works. Best of all, what 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 like a sewing machine, hot glue and fabric glue to create nearly anything you can imagine out of fabric. 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.

As part of College Savings Day, visit The Shop where you can use available tools and materials to create a custom piggy bank to begin your college savings plan. What you build 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.

When given a ‘budget’, visitors will be tasked with sourcing and building a functioning water filter using pieces of fabric, filters, mesh, rocks and many other items.

As part of College Savings Day, visit The Shop where you can use available tools and materials to create a custom piggy bank to begin your college savings plan. What you build 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.

When given a ‘budget’, visitors will be tasked with sourcing and building a functioning water filter using pieces of fabric, filters, mesh, rocks and many other items.

When given a ‘budget’, visitors will be tasked with sourcing and building a functioning water filter using pieces of fabric, filters, mesh, rocks and many other items.

Visit The Shop to design and build the future of transportation. During “Open Build: Wheels,” take your pick from a variety of materials and use real tools to create nearly anything you can imagine with wheels. 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.

Keep your literary collection organized and carefully displayed with bookends you make in The Shop . Using real tools and a selection of wood and craft supplies, you can build bookends to keep your book in perfect, standing order. Please note: The Shop offers access to real tools and materials that can be dangerous if used improperly. Parents/caregivers are encouraged to help young tinkerers use the tools and materials safely in this space.

Follow in Orville and Wilbur’s footsteps when you visit Spark!Lab Smithsonian to invent a flying machine. Using recycled materials, you can invent something you think will fly. Create it, try it, tweak it, until you designed something airworthy, whether that’s a paper airplane or a prototype for a more advanced flying machine like a helicopter, jet, or rocket! Please note: This activity includes access to tools and materials that can be dangerous if used improperly. Parents are encouraged to help young…

DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is a molecule found inside cells that carries the genetic information needed for an organism to develop and function, essentially acting as the “blueprint” for life. In this hands-on activity in The Discovery’s Microsoft STEM Lab, participants will explore DNA from protein folding to strawberry DNA extraction, learning what DNA is, how it works, and why it is so important.

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.

Get ready to explore the field of mining in this hands-on STEM Lab designed to inspire future female geologists and miners. Through a variety of hands-on activities, this intensive STEM Lab will help aspiring female miners understand the mining process from exploration, to extraction, to reclamation. Drill to see where minerals exist, build efficient mining infrastructure, and restore the land to its natural state. From minerals and precious metals, to refining to reclamation, this STEM Lab truly rocks!

Visit The Shop to create the perfect decoration for summer. Using hammers and nails, you can create a summer-inspired shape to trace with 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.

Visitors will be given access to craft supplies and cardboard pieces (including recycled materials like plastics) and asked to create a robot of their own design, they will be prompted to think about its function and what it needs to do those things. Does it drive? It will need wheels! Does it fly? It may need wings!

Visit The Shop to create the perfect decoration for summer. Using hammers and nails, you can create a summer-inspired shape to trace with 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.

Visitors will be given access to craft supplies and cardboard pieces (including recycled materials like plastics) and asked to create a robot of their own design, they will be prompted to think about its function and what it needs to do those things. Does it drive? It will need wheels! Does it fly? It may need wings!

Invention is a process! You’re invited to visit The Discovery’s Spark!Lab Smithsonian to explore the steps in the invention process including think it, sketch it, create it, tweak it, and sell it. Visit a station for each step in the process and who knows, you might just invent something new! Please note: Spark!Lab offers access to tools and materials that can cause injury if used improperly. Parents are encouraged to help young inventors use the tools and materials safely in this space.