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

An introduction to the concepts and theories that contribute to contemporary complexity research.

An introduction to the concepts and theories that contribute to contemporary complexity research.

Most paper airplanes are flat, but these paper hoops can really fly!

Four times over 100-plus years, major initiatives have brought together scientists from around the globe to collaboratively study the poles.

Decorate your white walls with rainbow colors!

Scientific knowledge and a few chemical concoctions can get you through a Bad Hair Day.

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

How has imagery changed the way we look at our bodies—over time and in different cultures?

Technological developments have changed how we view Earth. See LandSat images and learn more about our home planet.

Teeth are the most common fossils found. What can they tell us?

A drop of water makes a fine magnifying lens.

Visit Las Cuevas Research Station in Belize and the Natural History Museum in London to learn about the study of biodiversity.

Learn how you too can enjoy our activities in your kitchen, garage, classroom, and community.

Interact with the Cafe Wall Illusion.

High energy prices got you down? Discover how pickles can ease your troubles.

We can't predict when an earthquake will occur, but we can avoid some potential disasters.

"Mac Town," the first stop for many scientists in Antarctica, is the same as any town–only different.

Learn about bike gears using thread spools and a rubber band.

Visit Las Cuevas Research Station in Belize and the Natural History Museum in London to learn about the study of biodiversity.

A physicist, a scientist, and a musician experiment with sound, music, and acoustics using instruments both real and found.

Specialized cells have a common origin. What sets them on separate paths?

How do you stop and steer a bicycle? What forces keep the bicycle from falling over?

Take an animated tour of Antarctica's variety of ice formations, which give it a beauty unrivaled anywhere on Earth.

Meet a kinetic sculptor.

Here's how you can model the use of X rays for medical examinations with some sand and a piece of screen.

A trash-filled median blossoms into a community oasis.

Each webcast, the Exploratorium staff and teachers demonstrate their science projects and compete for the title of IRON SCIENCE TEACHER!

Show yourself how a pinch of salt can take the bitter taste away.

The more astronomy changes, the more it stays the same. This series of images juxtaposes ancient and modern study of the celestial bodies.

What does it take to block gamma radiation?

Listen to the sound of a rainstorm – anytime, anywhere.

If you're a patient gardener, you can grow your own hybrid flowers.

Why do wintergreen LifeSavers spark in the dark?

Using baking soda and vinegar, you can pop a plastic bag with the power of fizz.

An introduction to spectra and to the space-based telescopes. The site includes a number of hands-on activities.

The three most densely populated cities on the planet where seismologists expect major earthquakes are San Francisco, Tokyo, and Istanbul. Find out why the effects in each city will be very different.

The earth moves in mysterious ways

Measure your reaction time with just a meter stick and some help from a friend.

The lure of Terra Australis Incognita begins with the Ancient Greeks and ends with modern cruise ships.

Watch tiny blue, green, and white molds grow on leftover food.

What does it take to block gamma radiation?