Calendar of Events

“Exploring the Solar System: Big Sun, Small Moon” is a 10-minute hands-on activity led by The Discovery’s Educators that explores the concept of apparent size, and allows visitors to experience this phenomena using familiar objects—a tennis ball and a beach ball. You’ll learn that the sun and moon appear the same size in our sky because although the sun is much larger, it is also much farther away.

Be ready for school or work with a do-it-yourself zipper pouch you create in The Shop. This no-sew project is a snap—simply use available materials to create a customized and versatile storage solution for pens, pencils, or anything you need to carry. 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 craft a whimsical owl using a pine cone. Using assorted craft supplies, you can create an owl that is as funny or fantastic as 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.

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.

The Discovery will be open 10:00am to 5:00pm on Monday, September 4, 2017. Check the calendar of event for exciting things happening at the museum on this unofficial last day of summer.

Prepare to take to the road when you visit The Shop to build your very own vehicle. Using available tools and materials, and a set of wheels, you’ll have the chance to design and build the next great automobile. 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.

Prepare to take to the road when you visit The Shop to build your very own vehicle. Using available tools and materials, and a set of wheels, you’ll have the chance to design and build the next great automobile. 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.

Dress up your surroundings with a hanging decoration you create yourself in The Shop. Using available tools and materials, you can create an artistic or mechanical piece of art to brighten any space. 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. Wobblebots At this Tech!Night, visitors are invited to use available materials and a sense of humor to invent a dancing, jumping, wobblebot!…

Dress up your surroundings with a hanging decoration you create yourself in The Shop. Using available tools and materials, you can create an artistic or mechanical piece of art to brighten any space. 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 learning station to find out about the land where dinosaurs lived. You’ll explore the landscape they inhabited and consider how recently they roamed the Earth, especially when you consider the age of our universe.

Have you ever dated a dinosaur? Here’s your chance to spend quality time with Sue and find out all there is to know about her amazing 67-million-year history—what she ate, who she fought, where she lived, and the ferocious details of the custody battle that followed her discovery in South Dakota. Labs, lectures and programming at this Social Science will include: Fossils and Dig Pits Scavenge dig pits for dino puzzle pieces and examine a variety of real fossils. DIY…

Dress up your surroundings with a hanging decoration you create yourself in The Shop. Using available tools and materials, you can create an artistic or mechanical piece of art to brighten any space. 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.

Stop by The Shop on your visit to The Discovery to design and build a hardware robot. Using available tools and materials, you can create your own version of a robot sculpture with specific features or functions in mind. 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.

Did the Earth used to be made up of one giant supercontinent rather than the seven distinct land masses we know today? Stop by this hands-on activity lead by the museum’s educators to explore how fossil evidence suggests that Pangea once existed. Activity available between 11:30am and 1:30pm.

Stop by The Shop on your visit to The Discovery to design and build a hardware robot. Using available tools and materials, you can create your own version of a robot sculpture with specific features or functions in mind. 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.

Did the Earth used to be made up of one giant supercontinent rather than the seven distinct land masses we know today? Stop by this hands-on activity lead by the museum’s educators to explore how fossil evidence suggests that Pangea once existed. Activity available between 12:30 and 2:30pm.

Stop by The Shop on your visit to The Discovery to design and build a hardware robot. Using available tools and materials, you can create your own version of a robot sculpture with specific features or functions in mind. 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.

Visit The Shop to create the perfect decoration for fall. Using hammers and nails, you can create a autumn-inspired shape to trace with festive fall 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.