• Visit
    • Calendar
    • After Dark Thursdays
    • Buy Tickets
    • Exhibits
    • Museum Galleries
    • Artworks on View
    • Hours
    • Getting Here
    • Visitor FAQ
    • Event Rentals
  • Education
    • Professional Development Programs
    • Free Educator Workshops
    • Tools for Teaching and Learning
    • Learning About Learning
    • Community Programs
    • Educator Newsletter
  • Explore
    • Browse by Subject
    • Activities
    • Video
    • Exhibits
    • Apps
    • Blogs
    • Websites
  • About Us
    • Our Story
    • Partnerships
    • Global Collaborations
    • Explore Our Reach
    • Arts at the Exploratorium
    • Contact Us
  • Join + Support
    • Donate Today!
    • Membership
    • Join Our Donor Community
    • Engage Your Business
    • Attend a Fundraiser
    • Explore Our Reach
    • Thank You to Our Supporters
    • Donor & Corporate Member FAQ
    • Host Your Event
    • Volunteer
  • Store
  • Visit
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Calendar
      • Today
      • This Week
      • Online
      • After Dark Thursday Nights
      • Arts
      • Conferences
      • Cinema Arts
      • Free + Community Events
      • Fundraising Events
      • Kids + Families
      • Members
      • Highlighted Artworks + Exhibits
      • Special Hours
      • Private Event Closures
    • Prices
    • Hours
    • Getting Here
    • Museum Map
    • Reduced Rates & Community Day
    • Accessibility
    • Tips for Visiting with Kids
    • How to Exploratorium
    • Exhibits
    • Tactile Dome
    • Artworks on View
    • Cinema Arts
    • Kanbar Forum
    • Black Box
    • Museum Galleries
      • Bernard and Barbro Osher Gallery 1: Human Phenomena
        • Tactile Dome
          • 1971 Press Release
        • Black Box
        • Curator Statement
      • Gallery 2: Tinkering
        • Curator Statement
      • Bechtel Gallery 3: Seeing & Reflections
        • Curator Statement
      • Gordon and Betty Moore Gallery 4: Living Systems
        • Curator Statement
      • Gallery 5: Outdoor Exhibits
        • Curator Statement
      • Fisher Bay Observatory Gallery 6: Observing Landscapes
        • Wired Pier Environmental Field Station
        • Curator Statement
    • Restaurant & Café
    • School Field Trips
      • Getting Here
        • Bus Routes for Field Trips and Other Groups
      • Admission and Tickets
      • Planning Guide
      • Reservations
        • Field Trip Request Form
      • Resources
    • Event Rentals
      • Full Facility & Gallery Bundles
      • Fisher Bay Observatory Gallery & Terrace
      • Moore East Gallery
      • Bechtel Central Gallery & Outdoor Gallery
      • Osher West Gallery
      • Kanbar Forum

      • Weddings
      • Proms and School Events
      • Daytime Meetings, Events, & Filmings

      • Rentals FAQ
      • Event Planning Resources
      • Rental Request Form
      • Download Brochure (pdf)
    • Exploratorium Store
    • Contact Us
  • Education
    • Black Teachers and Students Matter
    • Professional Development Programs
      • Free Educator Workshops
      • Professional Learning Partnerships
      • Teacher Institute
        • About the Teacher Institute
        • Summer Institute for Teachers
        • Teacher Induction Program
        • Leadership Program
        • Teacher Institute Research
        • CA NGSS STEM Conferences
          • NGSS STEM Conference 2020
        • Science Snacks
          • Browse by Subject
          • Special Collections
          • Science Snacks A-Z
          • NGSS Planning Tools
          • Frequently Asked Questions
        • Digital Teaching Boxes
        • Meet the Teacher Institute Staff
        • Resources for Supporting Science Teachers
      • Institute for Inquiry
        • What Is Inquiry?
        • Watch and Do Science
        • Inquiry-based Science and English Language Development
          • Educators Guide
            • Conceptual Overview
              • Science Talk
              • Science Writing
            • Classroom Video Gallery
              • Magnet Investigation
              • Snail Investigation
            • Teacher Professional Development
            • Project Studies
            • Acknowledgments
          • Conference: Exploring Science and English Language Development
            • Interviews with Participants
            • Plenary Sessions
            • Synthesis, Documentation, and Resources
        • Workshops
          • Participant Portal
          • Fundamentals of Inquiry
            • Summary Schedule
          • BaySci Science Champions Academy
          • Facilitators Guides
          • Commissioned Workshops
        • Resource Library
        • Meet the IFI Staff
      • Resources for California Educators
      • K-12 Science Leader Network
      • Resources for Supporting Science Teachers
      • Field Trip Explainer Program
      • Cambio
    • Tools for Teaching and Learning
      • Learning Toolbox
      • Science Snacks
      • Digital Teaching Boxes
      • Science Activities
      • Tinkering Projects
      • Recursos gratuitos para aprender ciencias
      • Videos
      • Exhibits
      • Publications
      • Apps
      • Educator Newsletter
      • Exploratorium Websites
    • Educator Newsletter
    • Advancing Ideas about Learning
      • Visitor Research and Evaluation
        • What we do
        • Reports & Publications
        • Projects
        • Who we are
      • Center for Informal Learning in Schools
    • Community Programs
      • High School Explainer Program
      • Xtech
      • Community Educational Engagement
      • California Tinkering Afterschool Network
        • About
        • Partners
        • Resources
        • News & Updates
        • Further Reading
  • Explore
    • Browse by Subject
      • Arts
      • Astronomy & Space Sciences
        • Planetary Science
        • Space Exploration
      • Biology
        • Anatomy & Physiology
        • Ecology
        • Evolution
        • Genetics
        • Molecular & Cellular Biology
        • Neuroscience
      • Chemistry
        • Combining Matter
        • Food & Cooking
        • Materials & Matter
        • States of Matter
      • Data
        • Data Collection & Analysis
        • Modeling & Simulations
        • Visualization
      • Earth Science
        • Atmosphere
        • Geology
        • Oceans & Water
      • Engineering & Technology
        • Design & Tinkering
        • Real-World Problems & Solutions
      • Environmental Science
        • Global Systems & Cycles
        • Human Impacts
      • History
      • Mathematics
      • Nature of Science
        • Measurement
        • Science as a Process
        • Size & Scale
        • Time
      • Perception
        • Light, Color & Seeing
        • Listening & Hearing
        • Optical Illusions
        • Scent, Smell & Taste
        • Tactile & Touch
      • Physics
        • Electricity & Magnetism
        • Energy
        • Heat & Temperature
        • Light
        • Mechanics
        • Quantum
        • Sound
        • Waves
      • Social Science
        • Culture
        • Language
        • Psychology
        • Sociology
    • Browse by Content Type
      • Activities
      • Blogs
        • Spectrum
          • Arts
          • Behind the Scenes
          • News
          • Education
          • Community & Collaborations
          • Science
        • Eclipse
        • Studio for Public Spaces
        • Tangents
        • Resonance See & Hear Blog
        • Fabricated Realities
        • Tinkering Studio: Sketchpad
        • Exploratorium on Tumblr
      • Exhibits
      • Video
      • Websites
      • Apps
        • Total Solar Eclipse
  • About Us
    • Our Story
    • Land Acknowledgment
    • Explore Our Reach
    • Impact Report
    • Fact Sheet
    • Awards
    • Our History
      • 50 Years 1969–2019

    • Senior Leadership
    • Board of Trustees
    • Board of Trustees Alumni
    • Staff Scientists
    • Staff Artists

    • Arts at the Exploratorium
      • Artworks on View
      • Artist-in-Residence Program
      • Cinema Arts
        • History and Collection
        • Cinema Artists-in-Residence
        • Resources and Collaborating Organizations
        • Kanbar Forum
      • Center for Art & Inquiry
        • Begin Here
          • Lessons
            • Bob Miller/Light Walk
            • Ruth Asawa/Milk Carton Sculpture
          • Workshops
      • Resonance
        • About the Series
        • See & Hear
        • Past Seasons
      • Over the Water
      • Black Box
      • Upcoming Events
      • Temporary Exhibitions
      • Arts Program Staff
    • Teacher Institute
    • Institute for Inquiry
    • Explainer Programs
    • Studio for Public Spaces
    • Exhibit Making
    • Partnerships
      • Building Global Connections
        • Global Collaborations
          • Projects
          • Approach
          • People
          • Impact
      • Partnering with Science Agencies
        • NASA
        • NOAA
      • Partnering with Educational Institutions
      • Osher Fellows

    • Job Opportunities
    • Become a Volunteer

    • Contact Info
    • Newsletter
    • Educator Newsletter
    • Blogs
    • Follow & Share
    • Press Office

    • FY20 Audit Report
    • 990 FY19 Tax Return
    • Use Policy
      • Privacy Policy
      • Intellectual Property Policy
  • Join + Support
    • Donate Today!
    • Membership
      • Membership FAQ
      • Member Benefits
      • After Dark Membership
      • Member Events
      • May Is for Members
    • Join Our Donor Community
    • Engage Your Business
      • Corporate Membership
      • Luminary Partnerships
    • Attend a Fundraiser
      • Wonder Funday
      • Science of Cocktails
      • Party at the Piers
        • Event Leadership and Host Committee
    • Explore Our Reach
    • Thank You to Our Supporters
    • Donor & Corporate Member FAQ
    • Volunteer
      • How to Apply
      • Application for Internships
      • Our Contract
      • Application for Individuals
  • Press Office
    • Press Releases
    • News Coverage
    • Events Calendar
    • Fact Sheet
    • Photographs
    • Press Video
    • Press Kits
    • Press Visits
    • Exploratorium Logos
    • Recent Awards
    • Praise for the Exploratorium
    • Join Our Press List
  • Store

Masks are required for all visitors 2+. Vaccines recommended. Plan your visit  

Visitor FAQ Buy Tickets Donate Today
Exploratorium
Exploratorium
  • Visit
    • Calendar
    • After Dark Thursdays
    • Buy Tickets
    • Exhibits
    • Museum Galleries
    • Artworks on View
    • Hours
    • Getting Here
    • Visitor FAQ
    • Event Rentals
  • Education
    • Professional Development Programs
    • Free Educator Workshops
    • Tools for Teaching and Learning
    • Learning About Learning
    • Community Programs
    • Educator Newsletter
  • Explore
    • Browse by Subject
    • Activities
    • Video
    • Exhibits
    • Apps
    • Blogs
    • Websites
  • About Us
    • Our Story
    • Partnerships
    • Global Collaborations
    • Explore Our Reach
    • Arts at the Exploratorium
    • Contact Us
  • Join + Support
    • Donate Today!
    • Membership
    • Join Our Donor Community
    • Engage Your Business
    • Attend a Fundraiser
    • Explore Our Reach
    • Thank You to Our Supporters
    • Donor & Corporate Member FAQ
    • Host Your Event
    • Volunteer
  • Store
  • Tinkering at Home

    Try this collection of prompts for tinkering at home.

  • Learning Toolbox: Engage in activities about the science of coronavirus and explore our online resources for learning at home.

  • Explore water's crucial role in food and cooking.

    Science of Water: Food   Explore water's crucial role in food and cooking.

  • Shadow Box exhibit

    Browse our growing online collection of interactive exhibits.

  • Global Climate Change Explorer • Discover how researchers study climate change and examine the latest scientific data.

  • Science Snacks

    Low-cost, teacher-tested activities for the classroom and the curious.

  • Wired Pier Environmental Field Station • Explore weather, air quality, and water conditions from San Francisco Bay

Explore, Play, Discover: Websites, Activities, and More

Dive into websites, activities, apps, and more.

Pájaro en una jaula
Pájaro en una jaula
Imaging Station Classroom Explorations
Imaging Station Classroom Explorations

Introduce students to unique life science activities that let them work with our research-quality microscopic images and videos.

Using the Wired Pier Web App

by Mary Miller • April 19, 2017

Launch our new web app to explore environmental data. 

An Artist Looks at Life on an Undersea Volcano
What's a painter doing on this scientific research ship?
Evidence: How Do We Know What We Know?
Evidence: How Do We Know What We Know?

For most of us, science arrives in our lives packaged neatly as fact. But how did it get that way?

Make Your Own Petroglyph
Make Your Own Petroglyph

Try your hand at explaining symbols both modern and ancient, and then make your own.

Outdoor Exploratorium at Fort Mason
Outdoor Exploratorium at Fort Mason

Visit the Outdoor Exploratorium at Fort Mason to explore the science behind wind, waves, and more.

Rolling Feet
Rolling Feet

Your worn shoe soles reveal whether your feet roll excessively from side to side as you walk.

Exploring Paper
Exploring Paper

Learn about origami, make your own paper, and find out the best way to fold a paper airplane.

Knowing North

Stand outside on a sunny day with a watch in your hand, and you can tell which way is north.

Do Your Own Dissection
Do Your Own Dissection

Download a PDF file with step-by-step instructions for doing your own cow's eye dissection.

Color Chromatography
Color Chromatography

Discover the secret colors hidden in black ink. With a paper towel, a black marker, and a cup of water, create a rainbow of colors while exploring capillary action and chromatography.

Camera Obscura

Step inside San Francisco's landmark camera obscura with operator Robert Tacchetto.

Energy from Death
Energy from Death

Learn how living things get energy from dead ones in this interactive exhibit.

Sound Sensations
Sound Sensations

Ever notice how noisy people are?

Lost and Found
Dig up the truth about archaeology in the Presidio.
Pi Day
Pi Day

Activities and History

Arctic Whales
Arctic Whales

Learn about the giants of the polar seas.

Sparkling Science: Champagne
Sparkling Science: Champagne

Learn how sparkling wine is made, what makes it different from still wine, and where all those little bubbles come from!

Other Solar Eclipses
Science of Coffee
Science of Coffee

What's in that cup of coffee anyway? Find out about the history and chemistry of coffee.

Sunspots
Sunspots

Map sunspots and build an apparatus for safe sunspot viewing!

Supercooled Water Drops
Supercooled Water Drops

Touch supercooled water drops with an ice crystal and trigger them to freeze instantly.

The Residents | Live Performance

Rock out with renowned San Francisco band The Residents.

“I'm Alright, Jack, Keep Your Hands Off My Stack”

Consider decision-making for an aging population and its implications.

Gluten Balls
Gluten Balls

Play with the stuff that makes dough stretchy.

The DNA Files: Hands-on Workshops
The DNA Files: Hands-on Workshops

Four downloadable workshop guides for teaching introductory genetics in a museum or other informal education setting.

Big Chair, Little Chair

How far away ARE those chairs?

Self-Portrait Silhouettes
Self-Portrait Silhouettes

Make a photographic image without a camera!

Altamont Wind Farms

Learn how wind energy is generated and stored at Altamont Pass.

The New Buchanan Mall

Follow the process of revitalizing the Buchanan Mall in the Western Addition.

Tic-Tac-Toe
Tic-Tac-Toe

Playing games is a great way to exercise your brain. Even a simple game like Tic-Tac-Toe can teach you about strategy.

Drawing Conclusions
Drawing Conclusions

Meet David Goodsell, a molecular biologist and artist who finds beauty in the molecules of cells.

Wissenschaft des Fahrradfahrens
Wissenschaft des Fahrradfahrens
Can You Find the Highest Note?
Can You Find the Highest Note?

Three auditory illusions created by students from the Center for Electronic Art.

I M O K. U R O K.
I M O K. U R O K.

You can make sentences without words!

Since 1906
Since 1906

The 1906 earthquake jolted geologists into focusing on how and why faults break loose.

Output of a Solar Cell

Learn to measure the efficiency of a solar cell.

Kitchen Sink-o-Pation
Kitchen Sink-o-Pation

Vsit a quirky kitchen where you can compose music with ordinary (and not-so-ordinary) objects.

Hands Up!
Hands Up!

A rock-climbing physicist explores the mechanics of his hands.

Scratch Film (pdf)
Scratch Film (pdf)

Scratch Film, also known as Direct Animation, is the process of drawing and scratching designs directly onto film.

Bread Worldwide
Bread Worldwide

Tour the Breads of the World

The Tinkering Studio Blog
The Tinkering Studio Blog

Get a behind-the-scenes look at activities and ideas we’re exploring.

The Domino Effect
The Domino Effect (pdf)

Use dominoes to model a nerve cell's transmission of a signal

Make Your Own Telescope
Make Your Own Telescope

Make your own refracting telescope from a pair of reading glasses.

Your Body in Your Mind's Eye
Your Body in Your Mind's Eye

Can you take a sip of water from a cup with your eyes closed?

Jem Finer: Interview

Join us for an interview with UK-based artist Jem Finer. 

Origins
Origins

Explore the places, people, tools, and ideas behind the origins of matter, the universe, and life itself.

Fruitful DNA Extraction
Fruitful DNA Extraction (pdf)

Think you have a lot in common with a kiwi fruit? Genetically speaking, you do.

Strandbeest: Animaris Suspendisse

Explore the idiosyncrasies of strandbeest motion as one traverses the beach.

The Sun-Eating Dragon: Eclipse Stories, Myths, and Legends
The Sun-Eating Dragon: Eclipse Stories, Myths, and Legends
Zebrafish

A model for heart development

Tundra and Permafrost
Tundra and Permafrost

If you want to dig a ditch in the Arctic, you'd better bring more than a shovel.

Strandbeest: Animaris Ordis

Observe Theo Jansen and a strandbeest strolling on a sunny beach.

How Old Is It?
How Old Is It?

How do scientists establish the age of artifacts, rocks, and settlements?

Spiedini e Bastoncini da Giardinaggio
Spiedini e Bastoncini da Giardinaggio
Seeing
Seeing

What do you really know about what you see?

Mars in a Minute: Are There Quakes on Mars?

Are there earthquakes on Mars? Or rather, “marsquakes?" 

Color Chromatography
Color Chromatography

Discover the secret colors hidden in black ink. With a paper towel, a black marker, and a cup of water, create a rainbow of colors while exploring capillary action and chromatography.

Bubbularium
Bubbularium

Make an observatory to see the amazing colors in bubbles!

Pages

  • « first
  • ‹ previous
  • …
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • …
  • next ›
  • last »

Explore

  • Browse by Subject
    • Arts
    • Astronomy & Space Sciences
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Data
    • Earth Science
    • Engineering & Technology
    • Environmental Science
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nature of Science
    • Perception
    • Physics
    • Social Science
  • Browse by Content Type
    • Activities
    • Blogs
    • Exhibits
    • Video
    • Websites
    • Apps
      • Total Solar Eclipse
Exploratorium
Visit
Join
Give

Pier 15
(Embarcadero at Green Street)
San Francisco, CA 94111
415.528.4444

Contact Us

  • Plan Your Visit
  • Calendar
  • Buy Tickets
  • Getting Here
  • Store
  • Event Rentals
  • About Us
  • Become a Member
  • Donate
  • Jobs
  • Volunteer
  • Press Office
  • Land Acknowledgment

Get at-home activities and learning tools delivered straight to your inbox

The Exploratorium is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our tax ID #: 94-1696494
© 2022 Exploratorium | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Your California Privacy Rights |