Calendar of Events

Work with fellow museum visitors in Spark!Lab Smithsonian to create an expansive cardboard city. Build homes, skyscrapers, churches, parks, stores… whatever you can imagine. This is an ongoing collaborative project that will grow and change throughout the day. Please note: This activity includes access to tools and materials that can be dangerous if used improperly. Parents are encouraged to help young inventors 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Take inspiration from Orville & Wilbur Wright when you visit The Shop to design and build your version of a flyer machine. Using available materials and real tool, you can create your own rendition of the famous Wright Flyer! 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.

Take inspiration from Orville & Wilbur Wright when you visit The Shop to design and build your version of a flyer machine. Using available materials and real tool, you can create your own rendition of the famous Wright Flyer! 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.

Take inspiration from Orville & Wilbur Wright when you visit The Shop to design and build your version of a flyer machine. Using available materials and real tool, you can create your own rendition of the famous Wright Flyer! 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.

Take inspiration from Orville & Wilbur Wright when you visit The Shop to design and build your version of a flyer machine. Using available materials and real tool, you can create your own rendition of the famous Wright Flyer! 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.

Prepare for liftoff! Join us in The Shop where you will use a variety of materials to engineer and launch a rocket powered by compressed air. Visitors will build a rocket and can experiment with rocket launch to see how certain factors influence distance and height. 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.

Prepare for liftoff! Join us in The Shop where you will use a variety of materials to engineer and launch a rocket powered by compressed air. Visitors will build a rocket and can experiment with rocket launch to see how certain factors influence distance and height. 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.

Prepare for liftoff! Join us in The Shop where you will use a variety of materials to engineer and launch a rocket powered by compressed air. Visitors will build a rocket and can experiment with rocket launch to see how certain factors influence distance and height. 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.

Prepare for liftoff! Join us in The Shop where you will use a variety of materials to engineer and launch a rocket powered by compressed air. Visitors will build a rocket and can experiment with rocket launch to see how certain factors influence distance and height. 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.

Prepare for liftoff! Join us in The Shop where you will use a variety of materials to engineer and launch a rocket powered by compressed air. Visitors will build a rocket and can experiment with rocket launch to see how certain factors influence distance and height. 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.

Prepare for liftoff! Join us in The Shop where you will use a variety of materials to engineer and launch a rocket powered by compressed air. Visitors will build a rocket and can experiment with rocket launch to see how certain factors influence distance and height. 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 create Pull Toy Float. Choose from a variety of materials and go to work with your choice of woodworking tools to create a Celebratory Float that will fondly follow you wherever you go! 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 parade float pull-toy. Choose from a variety of materials and go to work with your choice of woodworking tools to create a celebratory parade float that will fondly follow you wherever you go! 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 parade float pull-toy. Choose from a variety of materials and go to work with your choice of woodworking tools to create a celebratory parade float that will fondly follow you wherever you go! 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 The Shop and create you very own Lucha Libre Mask. Lucha Libre has played an important role in Mexican culture since the late 1950s. The mask gave ordinary people the chance to be fearless protagonists in the ring. The mask represented hopes, traditions, fears, and accomplishments. We want our visitors to create their own Lucha masks and use their masks to declare who they are or who they want to be! Please note: The Shop offers access to real tools and…

Join us in The Shop and create you very own Lucha Libre Mask. Lucha Libre has played an important role in Mexican culture since the late 1950s. The mask gave ordinary people the chance to be fearless protagonists in the ring. The mask represented hopes, traditions, fears, and accomplishments. We want our visitors to create their own Lucha masks and use their masks to declare who they are or who they want to be! Please note: The Shop offers access to real tools and…