Calendar of Events
Past Events
Building with Biology
Explore the importance of the emerging field of synthetic biology through a variety of hands-on activities. Building with Biology is part of a nationwide festival of educational programs designed to encourage conversations between the public and scientists. The Building with Biology project is funded by the National Science Foundation and led by the Museum of Science, Boston. Building with Biology kits are developed and distributed nationwide in collaboration with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), BioBuilder Educational…
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Dismantle Day
Have you ever wondered, “What’s inside that,” or “How does that work?” Here’s your chance to find out. Visit The Shop and select from a variety of retired electronic and mechanical devices and let the deconstruction begin. Using available tools, you’ll be able to dismantled your object to find out exactly what makes it work. 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…
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Tool Exploration
Visit each exploration station in The Shop to get your hands on a variety of tools. At each station, get your Tool Exploration passport stamped to earn your Discovery Toolsmith certification. 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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Tool Exploration
Visit each exploration station in The Shop to get your hands on a variety of tools. At each station, get your Tool Exploration passport stamped to earn your Discovery Toolsmith certification. 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 »
Cardboard Space City
Work with other museum visitors in Spark!Lab Smithsonian to create a cardboard model of a futuristic space community. This collaborative project will grow and change through Sunday, September 18, 2016, so make plans to visit the museum again to see how it turn out!
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Cardboard Space City
Work with other museum visitors in Spark!Lab Smithsonian to create a cardboard model of a futuristic space community. This collaborative project will grow and change through Sunday, September 18, 2016, so make plans to visit the museum again to see how it turn out!
Find out more »
Tool Exploration
Visit each exploration station in The Shop to get your hands on a variety of tools. At each station, get your Tool Exploration passport stamped to earn your Discovery Toolsmith certification. 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 »
Cardboard Space City
An event every week that begins at 9:30 am on Wednesday, repeating until September 14, 2016
Work with other museum visitors in Spark!Lab Smithsonian to create a cardboard model of a futuristic space community. This collaborative project will grow and change through Sunday, September 18, 2016, so make plans to visit the museum again to see how it turn out!
Find out more »
Cardboard Space City
An event every day that begins at 9:30 am, repeating until September 10, 2016
Work with other museum visitors in Spark!Lab Smithsonian to create a cardboard model of a futuristic space community. This collaborative project will grow and change through Sunday, September 18, 2016, so make plans to visit the museum again to see how it turn out!
Find out more »
Cardboard Space City
An event every day that begins at 9:30 am, repeating until September 10, 2016
Work with other museum visitors in Spark!Lab Smithsonian to create a cardboard model of a futuristic space community. This collaborative project will grow and change through Sunday, September 18, 2016, so make plans to visit the museum again to see how it turn out!
Find out more »
Tool Exploration
Visit each exploration station in The Shop to get your hands on a variety of tools. At each station, get your Tool Exploration passport stamped to earn your Discovery Toolsmith certification. 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 »
Cardboard Space City
An event every week that begins at 11:00 am on Sunday, repeating until September 18, 2016
Work with other museum visitors in Spark!Lab Smithsonian to create a cardboard model of a futuristic space community. This collaborative project will grow and change through Sunday, September 18, 2016, so make plans to visit the museum again to see how it turn out!
Find out more »
Tool Exploration
Visit each exploration station in The Shop to get your hands on a variety of tools. At each station, get your Tool Exploration passport stamped to earn your Discovery Toolsmith certification. 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 »
Cardboard Space City
Work with other museum visitors in Spark!Lab Smithsonian to create a cardboard model of a futuristic space community. This collaborative project will grow and change through Sunday, September 18, 2016, so make plans to visit the museum again to see how it turn out!
Find out more »
Cardboard Space City
An event every day that begins at 9:30 am, repeating until September 17, 2016
Work with other museum visitors in Spark!Lab Smithsonian to create a cardboard model of a futuristic space community. This collaborative project will grow and change through Sunday, September 18, 2016, so make plans to visit the museum again to see how it turn out!
Find out more »
Open Build
In The Shop, hands-on gets serious. During “open build” take your pick of real tools and materials 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.
Find out more »
Open Build
In The Shop, hands-on gets serious. During “open build” take your pick of real tools and materials 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.
Find out more »
Open Build
In The Shop, hands-on gets serious. During “open build” take your pick of real tools and materials 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.
Find out more »
Do-it-yourself Costumes
An event every week that begins at 9:30 am on Saturday, repeating until October 15, 2016
Visit The Shop to get a jump on your costume for Halloween. Choose from a variety of cloth and materials and assemble your scary, silly or scientific costume using hot glue, needle and thread, or knots. And best of all, what your 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 in this…
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Flying UAV’s
An event every week that begins at 9:30 am on Saturday, repeating until October 29, 2016
Inspired by Naval fighter pilot Missy Cummings, test your piloting skills in Spark!Lab Smithsonian when you take The Discovery’s UAV for a test flight through a challenging obstacle course.
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Discover Your Way
On Sunday, October 2nd from 10:00am to 12:00pm, The Discovery is offering exclusive admission to families with children on the Autism Spectrum and with sensory processing disorders. This exclusive event provides an opportunity to enjoy sensory-friendly time at the museum and allows parents to network with one another. Discover Your Way visitors are welcome to stay and play when the museum opens to the general public at noon. For more information about Discover Your Way, please contact Catherine Van Dellen at…
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Do-it-yourself Costumes
An event every week that begins at 11:00 am on Sunday, repeating until October 16, 2016
Visit The Shop to get a jump on your costume for Halloween. Choose from a variety of cloth and materials and assemble your scary, silly or scientific costume using hot glue, needle and thread, or knots. And best of all, what your 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 in this…
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Special Monday Hours
The Discovery will be open 10:00am to 5:00pm on Monday, October 3 in recognition of Washoe Country School District’s fall break. Be sure to check the calendar of events to find out what’s happening at the museum throughout the break.
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Play the Theremin
An event every week that begins at 9:30 am on Tuesday, repeating until November 15, 2016
It may sound like it’s from the future, but it’s actually from the past. The theremin, invented in 1920 by Léon Theremin, is an instrument you play by waiving your hands near two antennas—you never actually touch it! Visit Spark!Lab Smithsonian to try your hand(s) at creating a song of your own on a modern-day theremin!
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