Workshops & Special Events happening this season!
March
OPEN on Mondays in March!
Tuesday, March 3rd – Sunday, March 22nd: Can You Hear Me Now? Discovery Lab Program
Discover some of the smallest bones in our bodies – the ones in our ears! 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.
Monday, March 2nd – Sunday, March 29th: 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. Stop by and get creative! FREE with paid general admission.
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.
- March 3rd – 5th : Legos
- 10th – 12th : Cubelets
- 17th – 19th : K’nex
- 24th – 26th : Snap Circuits
- 31st – April 2nd : Legos
Tuesday, March 17th: Home School Day
Join us for this special discount day, especially for our loyal homeschool visitors. Come together to network, explore, play, and learn! 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 homeschool identification listed on the Visit page of our website.
Monday, March 23rd – Sunday, April 26th: 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.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR NEXT MONTH!
Friday, April 3rd: Dino Egg Hunt, 9:00am to Noon
Join us for some EGG-cellent dinosaur and fossil themed experiments, crafts, games, and egg hunting in a prehistoric forest. Sign up for our email newsletter and stay tuned to our social media and website for updates, pricing, and more information!
April
NOW OPEN FOR REGISTRATION
Hands On! Summer Camps
STEAM Camp (ages 5-13) and Paleontology Camp (ages 6-13) are officially live! To learn more and register, visit https://visithandson.org/summer-camp/. Space is limited. HODC member discounts available!
Monday, March 23rd – Sunday, April 26th: 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. FREE with paid general admission. (***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 suitable for children 3 and under.)
Tuesdays through Thursdays in April: Discovery Cart Activities
Stop by our Discovery Cart 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 general paid admission.
- March 31st – April 2nd : Legos
- 7th – 9th : Cubelets
- 14th – 16th : K’nex
- 21st – 23rd : Snap Circuits
- 28th – 30th : Legos
Tuesday, March 31st – Sunday, May 3rd: April Art Studio Programs
Stop by for Leonardo da Vinci inspired invention sketches, springtime animal drawings in the style of Picasso, Earth Day upcycled paper collages, floral pattern rubbing plates, and April showers crayon-resist watercolor paintings. All activities are self-guided with instructions provided, with facilitated programs announced periodically throughout each day. FREE with paid general admission.
Friday, April 3rd: 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. Don’t forget to bring your own basket, and be sure to purchase your membership prior to your visit, as they will not be sold at our front desk. Check out our social media and website for updates and reminders!
**Contains small parts and food allergens. While supplies last.
Pricing
- FREE for ages 0-3
- FREE for Hands On! Discovery Center members
- Must have current membership app and photo ID (includes event and exhibit play)
- $13 per person for non-members ages 4+ (includes event and exhibit play)
- $2 Tesla Experience and Paleo Tour tickets for members and non-members
Every Saturday in April: Solar-Scope Program
Take a turn using our Celestron EclipSmart solar safe finder telescope, which allows the scope to align to the sun without directly viewing it. Weather permitting, stay tuned to social media for updates regarding weather. Program by announcement periodically throughout the day, visit the front desk for viewing times. Limited access to scope based on participants. FREE with paid general admission.
Wednesday, April 8th: Fossil and Artifact ID Night, 4pm – 6pm
Tuesday, April 14th: Home School Day, all day
Join us for this special discount day especially for our loyal home school visitors. Come together to network, explore, play, and learn! 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.
Wednesday, April 22nd: Earth Day EnviroScape Simulation
Stop by to learn all about keeping our planet beautiful for years to come in honor of Earth Day. Get a firsthand look at what happens to water in our environment with our 3-dimensional EnviroScape. 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? Program by announcement periodically throughout the day, visit the front desk for program times. Adult supervision is required at all times. FREE with paid general admission.
Tuesday, April 28th: Superhero Science Family Pop-in Workshop, 1:30pm-4:30pm
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Superhero Science! Stop by anytime between 1:30-4:30 to unmask the science behind some of your favorite superheroes and their superpowers in honor of tomorrow being Superhero Day! Test your superhuman strength and knowledge while exploring flight, magnetism, nanotechnology, and more. Then, stop by the Tesla Theater for a Tesla Experience show full of superhero songs. General admission fees apply in addition to workshop fees. One Tesla Experience ticket provided for each paying workshop guest. Adult supervision is required at all times.
Pricing
- $5 per participant for members
- $7 per participant for non-members
Tuesday, April 28th – Sunday, May 3rd: Springtime Science Discovery Lab Program
Ring in spring with some fun and silly springtime science experiments. You won’t believe your eyes in our growing marshmallow Peeps experiment, test out an EGG-cellent floating egg experiment, and even try out some candy chromatography. Contains small parts and food allergens. The Discovery Lab is open by announcement periodically throughout each day. FREE with general paid admission.
May
NOW OPEN FOR REGISTRATION
Hands On! Summer Camps
STEAM Camp (ages 5-13) and Paleontology Camp (ages 6-13) are officially live! To learn more and register, visit https://visithandson.org/summer-camp/. Space is limited. HODC member discounts available!
Tuesday, April 28th – Sunday, May 3rd: Springtime Science Discovery Lab Program
Ring in spring with some fun and silly springtime science experiments. You won’t believe your eyes in our growing marshmallow Peeps experiment, test out an EGG-cellent floating egg experiment, and even try out some candy chromatography. Contains small parts and food allergens. The Discovery Lab is open by announcement periodically throughout each day. FREE with general paid admission.
Tuesday, May 5th: Home School Day, all day
Join us for this special discount day especially for our loyal home school visitors. Come together to network, explore, play, and learn! 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.
Tuesdays through Thursdays in May: Discovery Cart Activities
Stop by our Discovery Cart 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 general paid admission.
- 5th – 7th : Cubelets
- 12th – 14th : K’nex
- 19th – 21st : Snap Circuits
- 26th – 28th : Legos
Tuesday, May 5th – Sunday, May 31st: May Art Studio Programs
Stop by for a Salvador Dali inspired paper collage, Mary Cassat inspired stacked teacup drawings, Henri Rousseau inspired jungle oil pastel masterpieces, floral pattern rubbing plates, and May flowers wax-resist watercolor paintings. All activities are self-guided with instructions provided, with facilitated programs announced periodically throughout each day. FREE with paid general admission.
Tuesday, May 5th – Sunday, June 7th: Sink or Swim? Discovery Lab Program
Stop by to learn about density, salinity, and ocean life in recognition of World Oceans Day. Try out some sink or float challenges, test out density cubes, and learn about convection currents with a demo using a split tank. The Discovery Lab is open by announcement periodically throughout each day. FREE with paid general admission.
Monday, May 18th: Sensory Night, 4-6pm
This event is designed for individuals with sensory integration needs. Lighting and sound are adjusted as well as many other environmental elements. Hands On! is closed to the public during this event. Sensory Nights are FREE, and space is very limited and only available for immediate family. Pre-registration is required. To register, go to visithandson.org.
Monday, May 25th
CLOSED for Memorial Day holiday.
June
OPEN on Mondays in June and July!
SPACE STILL AVAILABLE
Hands On! Summer Camps
STEAM Camp (ages 5-13) and Paleontology Camp (ages 6-13) are officially live! To learn more and register, visit https://visithandson.org/summer-camp/. Space is limited. HODC member discounts available!
Tuesday, May 5th – Sunday, June 7th: Sink or Swim? Discovery Lab Program
Stop by to learn about density, salinity, and ocean life in recognition of World Oceans Day. Try out some sink or float challenges, test out density cubes, and learn about convection currents with a demo using a split tank. The Discovery Lab is open by announcement periodically throughout each day. FREE with paid general admission.
Monday, June 1st – Sunday, June 28th: June Art Studio Programs
Stop by for Katsushika Hokusai inspired wave paintings, Sea-scape paper collages, make your own M.C. Escher inspired tessellations, geometric pattern rubbing plates, and radial word art. All activities are self-guided with instructions provided, with facilitated programs announced periodically throughout each day. FREE with paid general admission.
Tuesdays through Thursdays in June: Discovery Cart Activities
Stop by our Discovery Cart 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.
- 2nd – 4th: Cubelets
- 9th – 11th: K’nex
- 16th – 18th: Snap Circuits
- 23rd – 25th: Legos
- 30th – July 2nd: Cubelets
Monday, June 8th – Sunday, July 5th: Star Spangled Science Discovery Lab Program
We want YOU to love science! Join us in celebrating Independence Day with effervescent “rockets”. Then, help create liquid fireworks in a jar and watch our famous apple launcher send apple pieces flying into the air! The Discovery Lab will be open by announcement periodically throughout each day. FREE with paid general admission.
Saturday, June 20th – Sunday, June 21st: Solar-scope Summer Celebration
Join us for some star gazing of our Sun to celebrate the first official days of summer! Take a turn using our Celestron EclipSmart solar safe finder telescope, which allows the scope to align to the sun without directly viewing it. Programs by announcement periodically throughout the day. Weather permitting, stay tuned to social media for updates regarding weather. Program by announcement periodically throughout the day. Limited access to scope based on participants. FREE with paid general admission.
Friday, June 26th
Hands On! Discovery Center will close at 1pm in preparation for our Bourbon, Bones, & the Big Bang fundraising event. Are you interested in sponsoring and/or attending this stellar event? More details at visithandson.org/fundraisers/.
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.
