Calendar of Events

Get organized for school or work with a homemade wallet of your own design! Join us in The Shop to engineer a functional pouch using Velcro, zippers, or buttons. Sewing skills are not necessary to complete this project. 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.  

Join us to build your own insect and bee hotel! Perfect for nature enthusiast. This hands-on activity helps support local ecosystems. Create a cozy habitat for beneficial insects while learning about their vital role in our environment.* 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.

Join us to build your own insect and bee hotel! Perfect for nature enthusiast. This hands-on activity helps support local ecosystems. Create a cozy habitat for beneficial insects while learning about their vital role in our environment.* 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.

In honor of earth day, in this hands-on activity, visitors can invent a device that will help keep Lake Tahoe’s beaches and shores clean using a variety of materials. What will you invent to help preserve one of America’s most beautiful lakes and the jewel of the Sierra? 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.

Join us to build your own insect and bee hotel! Perfect for nature enthusiast. This hands-on activity helps support local ecosystems. Create a cozy habitat for beneficial insects while learning about their vital role in our environment.* 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.

In honor of earth day, in this hands-on activity, visitors can invent a device that will help keep Lake Tahoe’s beaches and shores clean using a variety of materials. What will you invent to help preserve one of America’s most beautiful lakes and the jewel of the Sierra? 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.

Join us to build your own insect and bee hotel! Perfect for nature enthusiast. This hands-on activity helps support local ecosystems. Create a cozy habitat for beneficial insects while learning about their vital role in our environment.* 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.

In honor of earth day, in this hands-on activity, visitors can invent a device that will help keep Lake Tahoe’s beaches and shores clean using a variety of materials. What will you invent to help preserve one of America’s most beautiful lakes and the jewel of the Sierra? 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.

Join us to build your own insect and bee hotel! Perfect for nature enthusiast. This hands-on activity helps support local ecosystems. Create a cozy habitat for beneficial insects while learning about their vital role in our environment.* 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.

Join us to build your own insect and bee hotel! Perfect for nature enthusiast. This hands-on activity helps support local ecosystems. Create a cozy habitat for beneficial insects while learning about their vital role in our environment.* 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.

Humans have long endeavored to travel among the stars. To do so, we need innovative spaceships that go farther and faster than ever before. Visit Spark!Lab Smithsonian to invent a spacecraft using recycled materials, considering things like how it will be powered, where it will travel, who will be at the controls, and other important aspects of the mission. Please note: This activity includes access to tools and materials that can be dangerous if used improperly. Parents are encouraged to help young inventors…

Visit The Shop to create the perfect decoration for spring. Using hammers and nails, you can create a spring-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.

Celebrate Mother’s Day 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 card that shines like the mothers in your life. 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 Mother’s Day 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 card that shines like the mothers in your life. 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 your own mini Nevada, full of natural wildlife and flora. Using clay and other materials, visitors design their own ecologically accurate diorama. 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 your own mini Nevada, full of natural wildlife and flora. Using clay and other materials, visitors design their own ecologically accurate diorama. 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.

Join us in celebrating Nevada’s scientific heritage when you visit The Shop to learn about Nevada’s state fossil, the Ichthyosaur. With the help of the museum’s educators, you’ll use available materials to design and fill your own plush Ichthyosaur. 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 practice the safe use of the tools and…

Join us in celebrating Nevada’s scientific heritage when you visit The Shop to learn about Nevada’s state fossil, the Ichthyosaur. With the help of the museum’s educators, you’ll use available materials to design and fill your own plush Ichthyosaur. 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 practice the safe use of the tools and…

Join us in celebrating Nevada’s scientific heritage when you visit The Shop to learn about Nevada’s state fossil, the Ichthyosaur. With the help of the museum’s educators, you’ll use available materials to design and fill your own plush Ichthyosaur. 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 practice the safe use of the tools and…

In Reno, there’s usually a-wind-a-blowin’. Using a multitude of materials available in The Shop , you can now harness the wild western winds! Construct, decorate, and release your creation on the Washoe Zephyr. What you make 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 practice the safe use of the tools and materials in this space.

In Reno, there’s usually a-wind-a-blowin’. Using a multitude of materials available in The Shop , you can now harness the wild western winds! Construct, decorate, and release your creation on the Washoe Zephyr. What you make 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 practice the safe use of the tools and materials in this space.

Celebrate the favorite father in your life with a trophy you build in his honor. In honor of Father’s Day, visit The Shop to use a variety of real tools and materials to construct a trophy to commemorate the importance of the dad in your life. 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 the favorite father in your life with a trophy you build in his honor. In honor of Father’s Day, visit The Shop to use a variety of real tools and materials to construct a trophy to commemorate the importance of the dad in your life. 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.

Calling all Minecraft fans! Head to The Shop to build your own sculptural tribute to your favorite character or NPC. Using simple wooden blocks and a healthy amount of glue, you can build and color your favorite character or artifact from the ever-popular game originally created by Mojang Studios in 2011. 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…