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Found 50 Stories
Cover for book Not a Box showing a line drawing of a rabbit standing next to a box
Blog

My Favorite Invention Books

We’ve filled the Spark!Lab Thinking Spot with children’s books that promote inventive creativity.

An older woman and a very young boy work together on a hands-on activity
Blog

What Does It Take to Make a Spark!Lab?

Looking at your world through the lens of invention.

A young girl works on the Invent a Skate Park activity
Spark!Lab

Current Spark!Lab Activities

Draper Spark!Lab visitors can enjoy inventing while exploring the history and process of invention.

A yellow comment card completed by an eight year old Spark Lab visitor. The card prompts the visitor to fill out responses to what they invented, what they learned, what they loved, and what they didn't like. This visitor invented a new kind of top, learned that when they spin something it stays up straight, they loved inventing it, and they didn't like all the work.
Blog

Evaluation in Spark!Lab

We iterate our process not just by doing the job, but also by improving how we do it each time.

An adult man is working with a young girl on an activity in SparkLab
Spark!Lab

About Spark!Lab

Draper Spark!Lab is where museum visitors become inventors.

SparkLab and Smithsonian logos on the window looking into the Holland Museum SparkLab space. Five children and one adult woman can be seen through the window, working at tables, but the people are out of focus.
Spark!Lab Network

Holland Museum Joins Spark!Lab National Network

Spark!Lab opens in a Michigan town with a rich history of invention.

A sign reads CD STEM Fair Teacher Seminar, Grab Bag Inventing, Session 1: 8:30am, Session 2: 10:00am. Black letters on white background.
Blog

Grab Bag Inventing at the DC STEM Fair

This workshop offered Washington, DC-area teachers the opportunity to learn how to adapt a simple, inventive, skill-building activity for their students.

A pink square on the left and a green square on the right with a black arrow connecting the boxes and pointing from left to right.
Blog

Then and Now

An outwardly seamless shift in Spark!Lab from one set of activities to another.

SparkLab facilitator Zach Etsch standing in SparkLab, wearing his yellow staff apron and a funny hat made from a propeller beanie and brightly-patterned paper cones over each ear.
Spark!Lab

Spark!Lab Staff Spotlight: Zach Etsch

Our veteran Spark!Lab Lead Facilitator loves to educate, engage, and empower our museum visitors.

Think It Graphic with lightbulb
DO Try This at Home!

The Spark!Lab Dr. InBae Yoon Invent It Challenge

It's time for the 7th annual Invent It Challenge! Get all the details about the 2018 challenge.

One woman works on an activity as 3 others look on. A sign on the vertical board in front of her reads Try It!
Spark!Lab Network

The Spark!Lab National Network Comes to Washington

Network members discussed challenges, brainstormed new ideas, and, of course, networked!

An array of parts from which a creature can be made; includes blue polyester fur, hinged aluminum rods, miscellaneous Lego bits and 3D-printed parts, and small balls made into eyes.
Blog

Blue Fur, Aluminum, 3D-Printed Parts, and Some Legos

Prototyping an easy method for creating Muppet-like characters in Spark!Lab

A very crowded overview of Spark!Lab, taken from the rear of the room and looking towards the entrance. This photo was taken on opening day, July 1, 2015, and visitors are wearing the propeller beanies that they received as gifts from the museum.
Blog

What Does Happiness Look Like in Spark!Lab?

A reflection on visitor types and needs, and why this room is so much fun.

Sparky
Spark!Lab

Spark!Lab Accessibility Resources

We want to ensure that everyone who visits Spark!Lab can feel and be inventive.

Frances Gabe pointing to model of her self-cleaning house, 1979
Blog

You Don’t Have Time to Clean Your House—Now What?

Frances Gabe called cleaning a “thankless, unending job, a nerve-twangling bore.” She set out to change that.

Mary Kate Robbett at blackboard writing Can you Sketch an Invention?
Spark!Lab

Spark!Lab Staff Spotlight: Mary Kate Robbett

The most recent addition to the Spark!Lab crew, this former NMAH ambassador has already brought her enthusiasm and museum experience to thousands of young visitors.

Cover of book Awesome Dawson by Chris Gall
Blog

Inventive Summer Reading for Kids

Summer's here and the reading is . . . inventive!

Screen shot of CNC software
Blog

Designing with a New Tool

Spark!Lab's "Thinking Spot" inspired me to put our new CNC router to a creative yet practical test.

Close-up of Spark!Lab Lead Facilitator Nyssa Buning
Spark!Lab

Spark!Lab Staff Spotlight: Nyssa Buning

Having been involved with Spark!Lab in several capacities, this Lead Facilitator continually strives to enhance the visitor experience.

Two young visitors explore the Electrify a Room in Your Home activity in Draper Spark!Lab
Blog

Inventing for the Home in Spark!Lab

Every four months, we change all of the activities in the Draper Spark!Lab exhibit. With each transition, we introduce a new theme and challenge our visitors to solve a new set of invention challenges.

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