Smithsonian Affiliate
NASA

Updates

Our Winter hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT through February 28, 2027.
We will be closed on November 26 for Thanksgiving Day.

Spark!Lab

Included with museum admission

a group of kids having fun in the Spark!Lab

Spark!Lab is a hands-on invention workspace where children and their families and friends can learn about and engage in the history and process of invention. It is a space to engage the entire family while presenting challenges ranging from simple to complex and allowing all visitors to recognize their inner Inventor!

  • Invention is a process.
  • Everyone is inventive.
  • Invention and innovation have been – and continue to be – an important part of the American Experience.

History, science, engineering, and art are incorporated throughout the lab.

activities
  • Invent-A-Vehicle: Build a vehicle to be used on another planet. Vehicles are made from reusable materials, and components are on a scale that encourages collaboration and imaginative play.
  • Soundscapes: Use different parts and pieces to create music and pathways for marbles. See what sounds are made with different configurations.
  • Marble Run: Learn about geometric shapes, engineering, physics, magnets, number counting, and architectural and structural design while building a marble run.
  • Hex Bugs and Kapla Blocks: Design a maze for the Hex Bugs. It needs 3 beginning/ending points.
  • Spark!Lab Jr: Reading a book, measuring the distance between two objects, and examining bugs under a magnifying glass are just a few of the activities awaiting our younger guests.
  • STEM Stencils: STEM is everywhere! The Solar System. A Cheese Pizza. Music.  Animals. Using the various stencils provided, create a new game. Draw a Flow Chart to describe your day. Plan your next vacation. The Universe is the limit!

November Spark!Lab History Month Theme: 

S!L Theme: Stars, Space, and Beyond

  • Bulletin Board 1: NASA’s Voyager 1 & 2 Space Probes
  • Bulletin Board 2: Astronaut Spotlight: Dr. Andre Douglas, Artemis III Mission Specialist

Spark!Lab Hands-on Learning Activities

Location/Times: Spark!Lab: Spark!Lab hours of operation 10 a.m. to  4 p.m.

  • Monthly Activity: The Turkey has Landed: Build a flying turkey helicopter to land on the Moon map.
  • Mondays (Hands-on Learning): Voyager I: Celebrating over 15 billion miles of exploration by NASA’s Voyager 1 space probe. 
  • Fridays: Wind Tunnel Science: Learn how helicopters fly by building paper turkey helicopters and testing them in the wind tunnel.
  • November 14: The Day Stars Fell on Alabama (Guided Demonstration): Discover the history of the November 1833 meteor storm and the science behind meteor showers! Spark!Lab Family Demonstration Times: 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m.
  • November 23: Fibonacci Day: Learn about the Fibonacci sequence by using custom 3D-designed stencils to create your own math-inspired artwork.
Space-themed children's books on display at Spark!Lab

STEAM Literature Series (SLS)

Click here for more information about our SLS program.

Join us Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. for stories and hands-on activities!

The content of the schedule is subject to change 

Museum STEM Cart will be here on select dates during the museum being open

Museum STEM Carts

Hands-On Artifacts: Anatomy of a Spacesuit: Explore a genuine spacesuit and space-related artifacts up close! Discover the life-support tech and extreme armor that keeps astronauts safe while working in outer space.

  • Times: Sunday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to  3 p.m. 
  • Location: Museum Main Atrium 

Stars Fell on Alabama: Explore the science of meteor showers and find out what causes falling stars to glow in brilliant colors.

Location: Davidson Center Lobby 

Times: Thursdays 11 a.m. to  3 p.m.