
Calendar of Events
Past Events

Rubber Band Cars
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…
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Social Science: Uppers & Downers
From caffeine and alcohol, to marijuana and prescribed meds, drugs have varied and often misunderstood effects on the body and brain. At this Social Science, you’ll explore the science of drugs and their effects – positive and negative – on humans and our community. Labs, lectures and programming for this Social Science will include: Drug IQ Put your drug knowledge to the test when you and a team of four others join in on a survey-based drug Q&A session. Winning…
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Rubber Band Racers
Reno, NV 89501 United States
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…
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DIY Motor Planes
Visit The Shop to create your own motorized model airplane. Using available tools and materials, and a motor and battery, you can design and build a motorized airplane model that will spin and wiggle down the runway! 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.
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Bank of America Museums on Us
An event every month that begins at 9:00 am on day First of the month, repeating until December 7, 2019
Bank of America cardholders enjoy one free general admission to The Discovery on the first full weekend of every month with credit or debit card and photo ID. Find out more here. To qualify, simply present your active Bank of America®, Merrill Lynch® or U.S. Trust® credit or debit card along with a photo ID to gain one free general admission to The Discovery. Cardholders only; guests are not eligible for free admission. Excludes special exhibitions, ticketed shows or events,…
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DIY Motor Planes
Visit The Shop to create your own motorized model airplane. Using available tools and materials, and a motor and battery, you can design and build a motorized airplane model that will spin and wiggle down the runway! 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.
Find out more »
Explore Bubbles
Bubbles can be fascinating, beautiful and fun. But did you know bubbles can also help you explore scientific concepts such as elasticity, surface tension, chemistry, light, and even geometry? As part of the National Math Festival, explore the science and math behind bubbles with a variety of hands-on bubble activities throughout the museum. Join artist Kit Huntington, creator of Bubbleution, to create giant soap bubbles. With Bubbleution, Kit provides interactive entertainment with a fantastic display of giant bubbles for all to…
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Bank of America Museums on Us
An event every month that begins at 11:00 am on day First of the month, repeating until December 8, 2019
Bank of America cardholders enjoy one free general admission to The Discovery on the first full weekend of every month with credit or debit card and photo ID. Find out more here. To qualify, simply present your active Bank of America®, Merrill Lynch® or U.S. Trust® credit or debit card along with a photo ID to gain one free general admission to The Discovery. Cardholders only; guests are not eligible for free admission. Excludes special exhibitions, ticketed shows or events,…
Find out more »
DIY Motor Planes
Visit The Shop to create your own motorized model airplane. Using available tools and materials, and a motor and battery, you can design and build a motorized airplane model that will spin and wiggle down the runway! 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.
Find out more »
Mother’s Day Shrinky Dinks
One event on May 11, 2019 at 10:30 am
One event on May 12, 2019 at 12:30 pm
Give Mom a gift made with love and your own hands when you create a shrinky dink in The Shop. Using available thermoplastic, you can decorate and shrink an item into a charm or bobble of your own design. 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.
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Tech!Night May
Visit The Discovery on the second Wednesday of every month for Tech!Night, a new program designed to put emerging technology in the hands of museum visitors. Tech!Nights will feature a variety of high-tech tools and techniques, gadgets and games – command a robot, print in 3-D, and even code a new game – happening monthly in Spark!Lab Smithsonian.
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Mother’s Day Shrinky Dinks
Give Mom a gift made with love and your own hands when you create a shrinky dink in The Shop. Using available thermoplastic, you can decorate and shrink an item into a charm or bobble of your own design. 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.
Find out more »
Upcycled T-shirt Totes
Join us in Spark!Lab Smithsonian to turn an old, worn out t-shirt into versatile tote bag. Bring your own t-shirt, or grab one of ours, and follow the simple instructions to easily transform a tired t-shirt into a tote bag perfect for daily use. Activity presented in partnership with:
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Mother’s Day Shrinky Dinks
Give Mom a gift made with love and your own hands when you create a shrinky dink in The Shop. Using available thermoplastic, you can decorate and shrink an item into a charm or bobble of your own design. 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.
Find out more »
Bubble Extravaganza
Bubbles can be fascinating, beautiful and fun. But did you know bubbles can also help you explore scientific concepts such as elasticity, surface tension, chemistry, light, and even geometry? At Bubble Extravaganza, The Discovery’s event during the inaugural Northern Nevada Science & Technology Festival, you’ll be able to create bubbles of all shapes and sizes and explore the many interesting properties bubbles demonstrate. Bubble Performer Be dazzled by artist Kit Huntington, who will be creating spectacular giant bubbles on the plaza…
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Open Build in The Shop
One event on June 15, 2019 at 9:30 am
One event on June 29, 2019 at 9:30 am
One event on July 13, 2019 at 9:30 am
One event on July 26, 2019 at 9:30 am
One event on August 10, 2019 at 9:30 am
One event on August 31, 2019 at 9:30 am
One event on September 7, 2019 at 9:30 am
One event on September 21, 2019 at 9:30 am
One event on October 12, 2019 at 9:30 am
One event on October 23, 2019 at 2:30 pm
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.
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Nature Conservancy Photography
In conjunction with the current Spark!Lab Smithsonian sustainability theme, visit the lab to view a showing of photography provided by The Nature Conservancy showcasing the many ways they work to keep the state of Nevada beautiful.
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DIY Spinning Tops
Visit The Shop to create a toy that uses rotational inertia to entertain. Using available tools and materials, you can design and build your own version of this classic toy. 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.
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Memorial Day: Museum Open
From Memorial Day, May 27, 2019 though Labor Day, September 2, 2019, The Discovery adds Monday to the days of the week the museum is open to the public. That’s seven days a week you can build, invent, explore and have fun! Be sure to check out the calendar of events to find out what’s happening all summer long!
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DIY Space Ship Climbing Toy
Blast off into outer space in The Shop when you create your own version of a space ship climbing toy. Using available tools and materials, you can design and build your own classic climbing toy to send a spacecraft to the moon and beyond! 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…
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DIY Space Ship Climbing Toy
Blast off into outer space in The Shop when you create your own version of a space ship climbing toy. Using available tools and materials, you can design and build your own classic climbing toy to send a spacecraft to the moon and beyond! 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…
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Social Science: Sound Check
Whether an ear-shattering guitar solo or a tear-jerking ballad is your jam, this Social Science is your opportunity to explore the science of sound. Invent your own musical instrument, play a one-of-a-kind light-up drum kit, make Oobleck dance to the beat, enjoy live musical performances, and so much more! Labs, lectures and programming for this Social Science will include: The Big Music Quiz Join a team and put your collective music knowledge to the test in a battle of audiophiles.…
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Summer Hours: Open Mondays
An event every week that begins at 9:00 am on Monday, repeating until September 2, 2019
From Memorial Day, May 27, 2019 though Labor Day, September 2, 2019, The Discovery adds Monday to the days of the week the museum is open to the public. That’s seven days a week you can build, invent, explore and have fun! Be sure to check out the calendar of events to find out what’s happening all summer long!
Find out more »