The Discovery

Deck the halls and spread holiday cheer with decorations you make in The Shop. Choose from a variety of materials to create the perfect way to celebrate the spirit of the season. Create unique, handcrafted and festive decor to brighten your home. Best of all, 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 materials…

Dogs are easy to train. Bugs are not. Except for this cute little fella. He always does what you tell him. But can you program him to navigate an obstacle course or perform a specific action? Visit Spark!Lab Smithsonian to find out if you have what it takes to code a bug!

The Discovery will be open 10:00am to 5:00pm on Monday, December 23 and Monday, December 30, 2024 during Washoe County School District’s winter break. Be sure to check out the museum’s calendar of events to find out everything that’s happening at the museum during winter break.

Deck the halls and spread holiday cheer with decorations you make in The Shop. Choose from a variety of materials to create the perfect way to celebrate the spirit of the season. Create unique, handcrafted and festive decor to brighten your home. Best of all, 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 materials…

Deck the halls and spread holiday cheer with decorations you make in The Shop. Choose from a variety of materials to create the perfect way to celebrate the spirit of the season. Create unique, handcrafted and festive decor to brighten your home. Best of all, 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 materials…

The Discovery will be closed on Christmas Day, Wednesday, December 25, 2024. The museum will reopen and resume normal hours on Thursday, December 26 at 10:00am.

Visit The Shop for a unique opportunity to create a classic snow globe. Combine a plastic jar with a variety of festive miniature items to create a classic winter scene. 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 for a unique opportunity to create a classic snow globe. Combine a plastic jar with a variety of festive miniature items to create a classic winter scene. 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.

Work with fellow museum visitors in Spark!Lab Smithsonian to create an expansive cardboard city. Build homes, skyscrapers, churches, parks, stores… whatever you can imagine. This is an ongoing collaborative project that will grow and change throughout the day. 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 in this space.

Visit The Shop for a unique opportunity to create a classic snow globe. Combine a plastic jar with a variety of festive miniature items to create a classic winter scene. 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.

Work with fellow museum visitors in Spark!Lab Smithsonian to create an expansive cardboard city. Build homes, skyscrapers, churches, parks, stores… whatever you can imagine. This is an ongoing collaborative project that will grow and change throughout the day. 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 in this space.

Visit The Shop for a unique opportunity to create a classic snow globe. Combine a plastic jar with a variety of festive miniature items to create a classic winter scene. 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 a classic wooden pull toy. Choose from a variety of materials and go to work with your choice of woodworking tools to create a toy that will dutifully follow you wherever you go! 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 a classic wooden pull toy. Choose from a variety of materials and go to work with your choice of woodworking tools to create a toy that will dutifully follow you wherever you go! 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 a classic wooden pull toy. Choose from a variety of materials and go to work with your choice of woodworking tools to create a toy that will dutifully follow you wherever you go! 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.

Work with fellow museum visitors in Spark!Lab Smithsonian to create an expansive cardboard city. Build homes, skyscrapers, churches, parks, stores… whatever you can imagine. This is an ongoing collaborative project that will grow and change throughout the day. 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 in this space.

Work with fellow museum visitors in Spark!Lab Smithsonian to create an expansive cardboard city. Build homes, skyscrapers, churches, parks, stores… whatever you can imagine. This is an ongoing collaborative project that will grow and change throughout the day. 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 in this space.

Work with fellow museum visitors in Spark!Lab Smithsonian to create an expansive cardboard city. Build homes, skyscrapers, churches, parks, stores… whatever you can imagine. This is an ongoing collaborative project that will grow and change throughout the day. 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 in this space.

Save this date for Science Distilled, The Discovery’s informal lectures series that makes cutting-edge science approachable through presentations on current and curious topics, held at hip locations in a social atmosphere. Started in 2016, speakers at Science Distilled events have covered topics ranging from genetics, to climate, to personal energy independence. Speakers for this Science Distilled event will be announced soon. Please check back.

Wands at the ready? Alohomora! Prepare to explore science inspired by the wizarding world. Create a custom wand, formulate a magic potion, find the golden snitch, play Sonorus Bingo, and a whole lot more. Fear not, Muggles are welcome to attend this Harry Potter inspired event as well. Labs, lectures and experiences at this Social Science will include: Wands at the Ready! Put your magical powers to work when you create a custom wand you can use to cast spells…

Can you outrun a leprechaun? Find out at the 13th Annual Leprechaun Race on Sunday, March 16, 2025. This family-friendly 5K run/walk starts and finishes at The Discovery and will take you on a tour through the streets of the Midtown and Wells Avenue neighborhoods. Don’t despair if the leprechaun beats you to the finish. For every runner, jogger or walker the leprechaun passes, the pot of gold grows in size. Who will benefit from the increased pot of gold?……

Save this date for Science Distilled, The Discovery’s informal lectures series that makes cutting-edge science approachable through presentations on current and curious topics, held at hip locations in a social atmosphere. Started in 2016, speakers at Science Distilled events have covered topics ranging from genetics, to climate, to personal energy independence. Speakers for this Science Distilled event will be announced soon. Please check back.