Calendar of Events

Visit The Shop to create an anemometer using simple materials like cups, straws and a little hot glue. An anemomter is an instrument that measures wind speed by counting the number of rotations. The stronger the wind blows, the faster your anemometer will spin! 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.

Get ready to strum or pluck your way to the top of the charts on a string instrument you invent in Spark!Lab Smithsonian. Using a variety of materials including cardboard, craft sticks, wood scraps, twine, and more, you’ll create a musical instrument that really plays! 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.

The Discovery invites you to an exclusive, members-only opportunity to explore Energy/Energía, an exciting new permanent exhibition featuring more than 20 hands-on exhibits focused on energy generation, storage and use. Visitors will investigate energy innovation happening right here in Northern Nevada, and have the opportunity to explore foundational energy concepts, learn what it takes to solve energy challenges, and leave inspired to discover more. RSVP Required Please use the links below to RSVP for a specific museum entrance time. Once…

The Discovery is excited to welcome everyone to explore Energy/Energía, an exciting new permanent exhibition featuring more than 20 hands-on exhibits focused on energy generation, storage and use. Visitors will investigate energy innovation happening right here in Northern Nevada, and have the opportunity to explore foundational energy concepts, learn what it takes to solve energy challenges, and leave inspired to discover more.

Visit The Shop to try your hand at paper engineering. Using a variety of paper, ribbon, and other materials, you can create a waterfall card to deliver a hidden message. 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 try your hand at paper engineering. Using a variety of paper, ribbon, and other materials, you can create a waterfall card to deliver a hidden message. 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 try your hand at paper engineering. Using a variety of paper, ribbon, and other materials, you can create a waterfall card to deliver a hidden message. 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 try your hand at paper engineering. Using a variety of paper, ribbon, and other materials, you can create a waterfall card to deliver a hidden message. 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.

Back by popular demand, paint or draw on the Clear Canvas in Da Vinci’s Corner and then watch as the canvas is washed clean to prepare for the next amazing works of art.

Visit The Shop to try your hand at paper engineering. Using a variety of paper, ribbon, and other materials, you can create a waterfall card to deliver a hidden message. 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.

With fossil fuels in high demand and short supply, can you invent a vehicle that uses an alternate form of power? Not batteries, but wind! Using a variety of materials, invent a vehicle that harnesses wind power to transport people or parcels to-and-fro. 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.

Visit The Shop to create a beautiful and functional device to harness the power of the sun. Using wax paper, tissue paper, and a variety of other materials, you can create a sun catcher that looks like stained glass. 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.

Show your pride at Social Science! Explore the science of rainbows, create a communal art installation using LEDs, delve into the science of self esteem, witness drag queen science demonstrations, learn about LGBTQ+ people in STEM fields, and much, much more. All are welcome for this inclusive celebration. Labs, lectures and experiences at this Social Science will include: QPOC (in the media) – “Changes” Join the University of Nevada, Reno’s Dr. Sarah Mitchell in an educational and interactive lecture on the…

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.

With fossil fuels in high demand and short supply, can you invent a vehicle that uses an alternate form of power? Not batteries, but wind! Using a variety of materials, invent a vehicle that harnesses wind power to transport people or parcels to-and-fro. 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.

Back by popular demand, paint or draw on the Clear Canvas in Da Vinci’s Corner and then watch as the canvas is washed clean to prepare for the next amazing works of art.

With fossil fuels in high demand and short supply, can you invent a vehicle that uses an alternate form of power? Not batteries, but wind! Using a variety of materials, invent a vehicle that harnesses wind power to transport people or parcels to-and-fro. 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.

Our energy future will contain diverse renewable energy options, and these emerging technologies have a direct connection to the landscape around us. Here in the Great Basin, we find many sources of this energy literally underfoot, including what is needed for geothermal production and energy storage for batteries. This makes our region central to important energy topics for the future, and a key driver of emerging energy technologies. Our featured speakers at this Science Distilled event include Dr. Bridget Ayling,…

Visit The Shop to create a beautiful and functional device to harness the power of the sun. Using wax paper, tissue paper, and a variety of other materials, you can create a sun catcher that looks like stained glass. 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 here at The Discovery every Wednesday for a special morning just for young learners ages 5 and under. Hear stories, climb the clouds, create art, and enjoy the entire museum for a full hour before it opens to everyone! Please note: Admission during Small Wonder Wednesday is limited to families with children ages 5 and under only. Visitors with children age 6 and older can visit the museum beginning at 10:00am.

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…

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.