Calendar of Events

Welcome, prospective volunteers! The Discovery offers a variety of rewarding volunteer opportunities, from greeting visitors, to helping present science demonstrations, to working behind the scenes. Volunteering is a great way to get involved with northern Nevada’s world-class, hands-on science center. As a volunteer at The Discovery, you’ll gain new skills and experience, meet interesting people, and enjoy a fun, collaborative atmosphere. All volunteers must be age 16 or older and will be asked to pass a background check and attend…

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. Specimen Examination During this Tech!Night activity inspired by Mexican-American biologist Lydia Villa-Komaroff, visitors will examine a variety of specimens using a microscope.…

With LED eyes peering through the darkness of night, these Halloween-inspired light up decorations are sure to be a hit. Using construction paper and light emitting diodes (LEDs) you can create a spooky decoration with eyes that light up in the dark! 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 LED eyes peering through the darkness of night, these Halloween-inspired light up decorations are sure to be a hit. Using construction paper and light emitting diodes (LEDs) you can create a spooky decoration with eyes that light up in the dark! 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, whatever you create 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.

Just in time for Halloween, visit The Shop to create a tail using a no-sew technique. Choose from a variety of materials to create almost any tail you can imaging—horse, rooster, peacock, even a T. rex! 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.

Just in time for Halloween, visit The Shop to create a tail using a no-sew technique. Choose from a variety of materials to create almost any tail you can imaging—horse, rooster, peacock, even a T. rex! 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.

Put the finishing touches on your Halloween costume in The Shop here at The Discovery. Tap into The Shop‘s library of real tools and materials to create a custom costume only you can imagine. 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 Visiting Artist, Elizabeth Cadigan for a hands-on concert with a Northern Nevada theme. Audience members will be entertained as they learn about the wildlife, ecosystems and history found within the Black Rock-High Rock Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area and surrounding regions. Throughout the concert, you’ll be invited to participate in various demonstrations designed to further your understanding of “what lives and takes place within our great state.” Elizabeth Cadigan receives support for her concert series through a grant from…

Put the finishing touches on your Halloween costume in The Shop here at The Discovery. Tap into The Shop‘s library of real tools and materials to create a custom costume only you can imagine. 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.

Stop by this quick, hands-on activity to explore a variety of fossils and understand how the fossilization process works as it did with A T. rex Named Sue. Activity available 11:30am to 1:30pm.

Put the finishing touches on your Halloween costume in The Shop here at The Discovery. Tap into The Shop‘s library of real tools and materials to create a custom costume only you can imagine. 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.

Head to The Discovery for a hauntingly good time at the 7th annual Halloween Trick-or-Treat. Visit the museum in costume and trick-or-treat from gallery to gallery. There’ll be spooky science demos and delicious treats for all of the little ghosts, ghouls and goblins who attend. Note: For the safety of all visitors, please no costumes with weapons of any kind. Generously sponsored by:    

Put the finishing touches on your Halloween costume in The Shop here at The Discovery. Tap into The Shop‘s library of real tools and materials to create a custom costume only you can imagine. 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.

Put your carpentry skills to the test when you visit The Shop to build a sculpture of your favorite animal using scraps of wood. Choose from The Shop‘s selection of real tools and saw, hammer and drill your pieces of scrap wood into an artistic interpretation of your favorite member of the animal kingdom. 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…

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, whatever you create 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.

Stop by this hands-on activity to find out about the land where dinosaurs lived. You’ll explore the landscape they inhabited and understand how recently they roamed the Earth, especially when you consider the age of our universe. Activity available 11:30am – 1:30pm

Use your creativity and a variety of materials in The Shop to transform and ordinary pinecone into a whimsical and festive holiday decoration. 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.

Stop by this hands-on activity to find out about the land where dinosaurs lived. You’ll explore the landscape they inhabited and understand how recently they roamed the Earth, especially when you consider the age of our universe. Activity available 11:30am – 1:30pm

Use your creativity and a variety of materials in The Shop to transform and ordinary pinecone into a whimsical and festive holiday decoration. 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 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. Invent a Flavor In this Tech!Night activity, you’ll have the chance to invent an icing flavor for cupcakes. Yum! Generously supported by:

November 10, 2017 is the second annual International Science Center & Science Museum Day (ISCSMN), and The Discovery is a part of the celebration. Science centers and science museums worldwide take the opportunity of this day to celebrate and promote their missions through widely diverse informal science education and engagement activities addressing the critical topics articulated in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the world’s nations in late 2015. Visit The Discovery on this special day to explore the museum’s…