Workshops & Special Events happening this season!
February
Saturday, February 1st-Library Laboratory Outreach Program with Knox County Public Library, 10am-2pm
The team from Hands On! will be in the Knoxville area to kick off Mayor Jacobs’ Read City reading challenges for 2025. Stop by Bridgewater Place, Kingston Ballroom, 205 Bridgewater Rd, Knoxville, TN 37923 for our Jr. Paleontologist program in your in the area. More information can be found on the Knox County Library website at knoxcountylibrary.org/event/library-laboratory-30049
Sunday, February 2nd-Groundhog Day
Join us to recognize Groundhog Day! Learn about the math and science of shadows, create your own shadow puppet, and enjoy Groundhog Day story time. Programs announced periodically throughout the day. FREE with paid general admission.
February Discovery Cart Activities
Stop by our Discovery Cart Tuesdays through Fridays in February to explore something new each week. All activities are self-guided. All cart program components and materials must remain on site unless otherwise noted. Each cart activity may contain small parts not suitable for children 3 and under. FREE with paid general admission.
- 4th-7th: Cubelets
- 11th-14th: Snap Circuits
- 18th-21st: Reverse Engineering for National Engineers Week
- 25th-28th: Lego
Tuesday, February 4th-Sunday, February 16th-For the Love of Science Discovery Lab Program
We may not have a special formula for the science of relationships, but we do have the formula for some fun experiments to help celebrate Valentine’s Day. You won’t believe your eyes with our optical illusion heart, learn about solubility while creating a Sharpie tie dye valentine, and enjoy a show of dancing, bobbing conversation heart candies. Contains small parts and food allergens. The Discovery Lab will be open by announcement periodically throughout each day. FREE with paid general admission.
Tuesday, February 4th-Sunday, March 2nd-February Art Studio Programs
Join us for crayon-resist watercolor valentines, paper animal sculptures, Geoff Slater inspired single-line flower drawings, snowflake plate rubbings, and Alma Thomas inspired mosaics. All activities are self-guided with instructions provided, with facilitated programs announced periodically throughout each day. Stop by and get creative! FREE with paid general admission.
Tuesday, February 11th– Be Electrific Day!
Today only, Tesla Experience tickets are $1 for everyone (with paid general admission-excludes groups) or $3 for the Tesla Experience show only (no admission to exhibit or program spaces). As always, children under 3 are free. Space in shows is limited.
Tuesday, February 11th-Inventors Day
Join us at the maker space in the Art Studio to tinker, make, craft, build, design, learn, and DIY with our array of materials. We provide the materials and tools, you provide the inspiration, creativity, and fun! We will have extra “challenges” throughout the day to test your ingenuity and skill! Self-guided with facilitated activities throughout the day. FREE with paid general admission.
Friday, February 14th-Be Miocene Pop-in Family Workshop, 1:00pm-4:30pm
Stop by anytime between 1:00pm-4:30pm to create your own fossil cast replica out of plaster to paint and take home. Then craft your own Miocene Epoch themed valentine for that someone special in your life. Children under 16 must be supervised by an adult at all times. Materials fee of $5 per person for members, $7 per person for non-members. While supplies last. Contains small parts not suitable for children under 3. General admission fees apply.
Sunday, February 16th-Saturday, February 22nd-National Engineers Week
Join us during National Engineers Week for a variety of engineering challenges in our Make It. Take It., Keva Plank, Imagination Playground, and Everblock exhibit spaces. Programs by announcement throughout each day. FREE with paid general admission.
Tuesday, February 18th-Sunday, March 2nd-Magnificent Magnets Discovery Lab Program
Did you know Earth is considered a giant magnet? Discover the power of magnets as you test various items for magnetism, unbox the magnetic properties of breakfast cereal, and even try out some neodymium magnet challenges. The Discovery Lab will be open by announcement periodically throughout each day. (***Please note that this program contains neodymium magnets which may inhibit the proper function of pacemakers. This program also contains small parts that may not be suitable for children under 3 years of age.) The Discovery Lab will be open by announcement periodically throughout each day. FREE with paid general admission.
Tuesday, February 25th-Home School Day, all day (with exception of workshop)
Join us for this special discount day especially for our loyal home school visitors. Come together to network, explore, play, and learn about upcoming home school workshops! To receive the discounted Home School Day rate of $8 per person for general admission, please bring your photo ID and one of the accepted forms of home school identification listed on the Visit page of our website.
Additional activities for Home School Day include:
- Owl Pellet Dissection (Guided Dissection at 11am)
- Owl pellets are first come, first serve and are an additional $5 per pellet. Supplies are limited and not guaranteed. Tickets for owl pellets are available at the front desk and pellets will be distributed during the guided dissection program.
- Tesla Experience Show
- Additional $2 per person ages 4+. Tickets available at the front desk.
- Paleo Tour
- Additional $2 per person ages 4+. Tickets available at the front desk.
March
OPEN ON MONDAYS IN MARCH!
Sunday, March 2nd-Read Across America Day
Join us for story time as our staff shares some of their favorite children’s books and book themed STEM/STEAM activities. Programs by announcement throughout the day. FREE with paid general admission.
Tuesday, March 4th-Sunday, March 16th-Can You Hear Me Now? Discovery Lab Program
Discover some of the smallest bones in our bodies – the ones in our ear! Celebrate Alexander Graham Bell’s birthday by learning about sound and how Mr. Bell used sound in many of his inventions. Play a song on our palm pipes, listen to our singing crystal water glasses, and even try out our Boomwhackers! The Discovery Lab will be open by announcement periodically throughout each day. FREE with paid general admission.
Tuesday, March 4th-Sunday, March 30th-March Art Studio Programs
Join us for a 3-D rainbow paper sculpture, crayon-resist watercolor Starry Night inspired paintings, optical illusion line drawings, Piet Mondrian inspired collages, and pattern plate rubbings. All activities are self-guided with instructions provided, with facilitated programs announced periodically throughout each day. Stop by and get creative! FREE with paid general admission.
March Discovery Cart Activities
Stop by our Discovery Cart Tuesdays through Thursdays in March to explore something new each week. All activities are self-guided. All cart program components and materials must remain on site unless otherwise noted. Each cart activity may contain small parts not suitable for children 3 and under. FREE with paid general admission.
- 4th-6th: K’nex
- 11th-13th: Cubelets
- 18th-20th: Snap Circuits
- 25th-27th: Legos
Friday, March 14th-Pi Day
Join us to celebrate the mathematical constant pi (π). Programs and activities by announcement throughout day. Free with paid general admission.
Sunday, March 16th-St. Patrick’s Day Pop-in Family Workshop, 1:30pm-4:00pm
Stop in anytime between 1:30pm-4:00pm to expose some Leprechaun secrets! Make Leprechaun slime, create your own UV reacting, color-changing Leprechaun bead bracelet, and grow Leprechaun “eggs” that emerge and vanish in a blink of an eye. Children under 16 must be supervised by an adult at all times. Materials fee of $5 per person for members, $7 per person for non-members. While supplies last. Contains small parts not suitable for children under 3. General admission fees apply.
Tuesday, March 18th-Sunday, March 30th-EnviroScape 3-D Watershed Discovery Lab Program
Learn about keeping our planet and water beautiful in recognition of World Water Week. Get a firsthand look at what happens to water in our environment with our 3-dimensional EnviroScape watershed. Pollution and runoff are colorfully evident when falling rain carries mock versions of soil, chemicals, and oil through a watershed to a body of water. Can you help save the watershed community and our planet? The Discovery Lab will be open by announcement periodically throughout each day. FREE with paid general admission.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR NEXT MONTH!
Friday, April 18th-Dino Egg Hunt-9am to Noon
Join us for some egg-cellent dinosaur and fossil themed experiments, crafts, games, and egg hunting in a prehistoric forest. Activities and egg hunting are on-going, so stop by anytime during the event. Be sure to bring your own basket.
(*Contains small parts and food allergens. While supplies last.) Check out our social media and website for updates and reminders!
Pricing
- FREE for ages 0-3
- $5 for members ages 4+ (must have current membership card/membership app and photo ID) (includes event and exhibit play)
- $11 per person for non-members ages 4+ (includes event and exhibit play)
- $2 Tesla Experience tickets for members and non-members
For more information about a specific workshop or program please contact: reservations@visithandson.org.
Workshop Guidelines – Please read carefully:
- Space is limited and varies based on the workshop.
- Payment in full and a completed registration form is required to secure place in workshop.
- A full refund will be provided if you cancel a minimum of two weeks in advance. If a cancellation is made less than two weeks in advance, any payments will not be refunded or transferred.
- Museum admission is an additional cost and is not included in any workshop fees.
- All attendees must be within the age ranges specified for each workshop. Proof of age may be requested. If staff has been misinformed of a child’s age, all fees paid will be forfeited and the attendee will be dismissed.
- All attendees must be fully toilet trained. Attendees not fully toilet trained will be dismissed.
- Hands On! reserves the right to cancel any workshop and fully refund payments in the event a workshop is cancelled based on low attendance/registration or unforeseen circumstances.
- Parents/guardians must sign each attendee in and out of the workshop.
- We are unable to accommodate early arrivals, or late pickups. Failure to comply with pick-up times may result in your attendee being unable to register for future workshops.
- Keep toys, books, and all other personal belongings at home. Hands On! is not responsible for lost/ stolen/ damaged items.
- To ensure a fun, effective, consistent, and safe experience, parents/guardians/siblings may not be present in the workshop, however, they are welcome to visit HODC during the duration of the workshop (General admission costs apply).
- We reserve the right to dismiss an attendee based on behavior issues, aggression, foul language, or failure to follow rules.
- All fees paid will be forfeited in the event of dismissal for any reason.
- Coupons and special offers are not applicable with any workshop fees.
