exploratorium

Kids + Families Activities and Programs

Experience new ways to discover the world with your family. Check out our unique events and programs for visitors of all ages and explore the intersection between learning and fun. 

Upcoming Events
Curious Contraptions Activities

Wednesday, November 20–Sunday, January 26, 2020

Come and play with motion and mechanisms. Explore the intersection of art and engineering, and tell playful stories building a contraption made with everyday materials.

Pegusus
Curious Contraptions: Flights of Fancy

Thursday, November 21, 2019–Sunday, January 26, 2020

Explore fantastical, often amusing mechanical sculptures known as automata. These small, handmade flying, sailing, and cycling machines bring whimsical dramas to life through low-tech mechanisms, inviting you to investigate how they work.

At Home: Prelinger Archives Home Movie Collection

Tuesday, January 7–Sunday, February 2, 2020

These selections showcase personal stories with universal appeal. From families traveling to far-flung landscapes to birthday parties for toddlers, these intimate films made by strangers feel quite familiar.

Jan
26
Full-Spectrum Science: Radioactivity

Sunday, January 26, 2020 • 2:00 p.m.

What's going on inside the nucleus of an atom? Why does it spit out radiation? Did you know that you are exposed to radioactivity every day? Learn the facts about this somewhat controversial topic.

Feb
1
Storytime Science for Kids

Saturday, February 1, 2020 • 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

Join us the first full weekend of every month for Storytime Science! Enjoy a science-themed storybook read aloud followed by a simple related activity geared toward very young children.

Feb
1
Cinema Arts: Color Visions

Saturday, February 1, 2020 • Noon and 2:00 p.m.

In this collection of shorts, watch vibrant colors pop off the screen that reflect the pigments of the natural world, conjure saturated landscapes, and creatively display the rainbow spectrum. 

Feb
2
Storytime Science for Kids

Sunday, February 2, 2020 • 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

Join us the first full weekend of every month for Storytime Science! Enjoy a science-themed storybook read aloud followed by a simple related activity geared toward very young children.

Feb
2
Cinema Arts: Color Visions

Sunday, February 2, 2020 • Noon and 2:00 p.m.

In this collection of shorts, watch vibrant colors pop off the screen that reflect the pigments of the natural world, conjure saturated landscapes, and creatively display the rainbow spectrum. 

Feb
8
All Hands On Science: Color

Saturday, February 8, 2020 • 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

Join us on the second weekend of every month for All Hands on Science, a family-oriented make-and-take activity. This month, chase the rainbow and investigate color.

Feb
9
All Hands On Science: Color

Sunday, February 9, 2020 • 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

Join us on the second weekend of every month for All Hands on Science, a family-oriented make-and-take activity. This month, chase the rainbow and investigate color.

Feb
21
Aperture Lucida

Friday, February 21–Sunday, May 3, 2020
Preview on Thursday, February 20, 2010 • 7:00–10:00 p.m. (Ages 18+)

Experience the delight of illusion in this new work by artist and inventor Tristan Duke. Upon first encounter, Aperture Lucida presents as a blank, monolithic cube centered in a large white space. As you approach, a holographic ball of light appears, unexpectedly exploding and dissolving as you walk into it. 

Feb
23
Full-Spectrum Science: The Last Doubling

Sunday, February 23, 2020 • 2:00 p.m.

Is growth always good? The biggest threat to our existence on planet Earth isn’t asteroids—it’s us. Why can’t our population continue to grow? Learn about the exponential function and the conclusions we can draw from it.

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