On July 1, we re-opened the doors to Draper Spark!Lab, our home base here at the National Museum of American history. Like all Spark!Lab National Network site openings I’ve attended, there was a mixture of nerves, excitement, organized chaos, and pure fun.
And like all Network sites, the magic of Spark!Lab activities was immediately evident. In every activity I facilitated, parents were working with kids, kids were exploring their own ideas, and everyone was either inventing or using skills that inventors use. Collaboration, problem solving, and flexibility are always apparent, and they showed up right away in our Spark!Lab.
The most exciting part of the day, for me, was connecting our Network members to the re-opening experience. I used Google’s Hangouts on Air to broadcast Spark!Lab’s ribbon cutting ceremony, the space in action, and impromptu interviews with staff and volunteers to see how things were going. It felt great to be able to provide this Network-only window into our space.
So now that we’re open again here in Washington, DC, I’m looking forward to connecting our Network members even more closely to our home site. Like them, we will continue to learn more about how to best operate our space. We’ll learn more about how to best serve our visitors. And I’m sure we’ll learn more about how to best participate in the Spark!Lab National Network, now that we’re back in action!
