Organizations that promote hands-on learning

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By Laura Cochrane
Posted 2009/10/01 @ 12:18 pm
Category Education

In the upcoming issue of MAKE, we have a feature in which teachers share their favorite classroom and science fair projects. As an additional online resource for this article, we want to compile a list of organizations that promote hands-on learning.

Photo from the Museum of Science and Industry website

The Exploratorium, the Museum of Science and Industry, TechShop… these are the sorts of places we want to include. So please help us out! Comment on this post with the name, URL, and location of organizations near you that belong on this list.

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33 Responses to Organizations that promote hands-on learning

Pat on October 1st, 2009 at 1:44 pm said:

One of my favorites has always been COSI in Columbus, OH. http://www.cosi.org/

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frenzy on October 1st, 2009 at 1:44 pm said:

Bay Area Kids Discovery Museum: http://www.baykidsmuseum.org/

i used to go there all the time when i was younger.

and http://www.habitot.org/ in berkeley

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neko68k on October 1st, 2009 at 1:51 pm said:

Explora:
http://www.explora.us

1701 Mountain Rd NW
Albuquerque, NM 87104-1396
(505) 224-8300

Last time I was there with the kiddo we made silly putty and green slime, a good time was had by all.

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Richard on October 1st, 2009 at 1:54 pm said:

Possibly the best children’s museum anywhere. Lots of stuff to touch, a large water table on the top floor, digging for dino bones, etc.
http://childrensmuseum.org/

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Lisa on October 1st, 2009 at 2:06 pm said:

http://www.cdm.org/index.asp?f=1

What I love about this place is all exhibits in the museum promote and encourage kids to “test, crank, listen, prod and tinker” as mentioned on the website.

I used to go here as during school field trips when I was younger, and now occasionally volunteer my time with the museum.

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Ev Quink on October 1st, 2009 at 2:44 pm said:

This place has the coolest art and technology classes for kids: http://www.leonardosbasement.org

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Emily on October 1st, 2009 at 3:20 pm said:

One of my favorite museums to go to is the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, down the street from the Children’s Discovery Museum. Definitely a hands-on museum!

http://www.thetech.org/

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Ben on October 1st, 2009 at 3:47 pm said:

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is the organization that does Lego League and the FIRST Robotics Competition, both very hands-on.

usfirst.org

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Ed on October 1st, 2009 at 3:52 pm said:

http://astrocamp.org/ The camp focuses on astronomy and physics. It is located in Idyllwild, CA. The camp runs programs during the school year for field trips, and also runs a summer camp program.

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Isaac Laughlin on October 1st, 2009 at 7:50 pm said:

Iridescent is a Los Angeles area non-profit that trains engineers to develop curricula based on their research and present it to underserved groups in LA.

http://www.iridescentlearning.org/

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Peter Kropf on October 1st, 2009 at 9:09 pm said:

There’s also http://thecrucible.org!

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Bill Doorley on October 2nd, 2009 at 5:35 am said:

Pittsburgh is fortunate to have two hands-on institutions:

The Pittsburgh Children’s Museum completed a major expansion recently:

http://www.pittsburghkids.org

The Carnegie Science Center:

http://www.carnegiesciencecenter.org

Both are on Pittsburgh’s North Side.

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Phil on October 2nd, 2009 at 6:07 am said:

http://www.hightechhigh.org is a project based school in San Diego, CA that promotes hands on learning throughout its curriculum.

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AndyL on October 2nd, 2009 at 6:12 am said:

I can recomend the Centre for Life (www.life.org.uk), in Newcastle upon Tyne (& host of the first UK Maker Faire) – but I’m probably biased as I work there! For a full list of UK science centres you could visit the British Interactive Group’s site: http://www.big.uk.com

Cheers

Andy

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Mark on October 2nd, 2009 at 7:26 am said:

Texas’ premier technology museum – 50 miles SW of Houston
20th Century Technology Museum
231 S. Fulton St.
Wharton, Texas
http://www.20thcenturytech.org/

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Nina on October 2nd, 2009 at 7:27 am said:

There’s also the UK’s national children’s museum, Eureka! in Halifax, West Yorkshire http://www.eureka.org.uk

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Dave Ansell on October 2nd, 2009 at 7:35 am said:

A couple of UK based projects (which I have to admit I am involved with):

Cambridge Hands On Science – students taking hands on experiments to schools town halls etc. There are demonstrator resources in the demonstrators section of the site.

http://www.chaosscience.org.uk

The Naked Scientists – science radio and podcast with a large Kitchen (and Garage) Science section.

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/kitchenscience/

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Melia on October 2nd, 2009 at 7:57 am said:

One of the best kept secrets right off I-80 in Nebraska. The Edgerton center is a favourite field trip of any kid (and adult) around here. It was founded by Dr. Harold Edgerton who is known as the father of flash photography and developer of the strobe light and side scan sonar.

http://www.edgerton.org/

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Gilberti on October 2nd, 2009 at 8:25 am said:

Operation Catapult. It’s a summer camp at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana. High school juniors spend three weeks on the campus, working on engineering-style projects of their own design. Unfortunately, its expensive and only open to high school juniors in excellent academic standing. Still, its a lot of fun.

http://www.rose-hulman.edu/catapult/

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Kyle on October 2nd, 2009 at 8:37 am said:

I did this in middle school way back when. It’s like poor man’s Space Camp (or perhaps I should say not rich man’s space camp). Located in Alamogordo, New Mexico (close to White Sands).
http://www.nmspacemuseum.org/shuttlecamp/

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Anonymous on October 2nd, 2009 at 1:22 pm said:

Botball!

http://www.botball.org

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Mateo on October 3rd, 2009 at 1:20 am said:

Pacific Science Center in Seattle rules!!

http://www.pacsci.org

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PyroPenguin on October 3rd, 2009 at 10:01 am said:

http://www.omsi.edu/

A fun, hands-on museum for all ages.

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Jill Tucker on October 3rd, 2009 at 5:24 pm said:

MESA (Math, Science, Engineering Achievement) afterschool education programs in 8 states, primarily Title I schools.

Saturday Academy in Oregon offers a full range of science exploration classes.

WGBH’s Design Squad television show, the website for which has a host of hands-on activities, engineering and design games, etc.

WGBH’s new Time to Invent afterschool programs in Boston and Indianapolis.

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James Hutchby on October 4th, 2009 at 11:42 am said:

We’ve been running hands-on electronics workshops for kids for over 10 years now in the UK and elsewhere.

See http://www.madlab.org

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Sai Pathmanathan on October 5th, 2009 at 1:57 am said:

Ignition*: http://www.ignitefutures.org.uk/ignition/ and in particular Lab_13: http://www.ignitefutures.org.uk/ignition/lab-13/

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Thomas on October 6th, 2009 at 12:20 pm said:

Here in western North Carolina, there are a few great places that encourage hands on learning:

Hands On! A Child’s Gallery in Hendersonville, North Carolina.
http://www.handsonwnc.org/

The Health Adventure in Asheville, North Carolina.
http://www.thehealthadventure.org/

Also, don’t overlook some important national organizations that encourage experiential learning, such as the National Association of Rocketry, the Girl Scouts and the Boy Scouts.

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Jenny on October 7th, 2009 at 6:16 am said:

Winchester, UK. Lots of hands-on exhibits, workshops and shows.

http://www.intech-uk.com

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Dan on October 7th, 2009 at 2:59 pm said:

Sci-port Discovery Center
http://www.sciport.org/

Idea Place
http://www.latech.edu/ideaplace/

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-SLN- on October 7th, 2009 at 4:52 pm said:

Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh, NC
http://www.marbleskidsmuseum.org/

and the incredibly badass Museum of Life & Science in Durham, NC (home of one of the TechShops)
http://www.ncmls.org/

as well as, to some degree, the Scrap Exchange (also in Durham, NC), which has regular hands-on workshops and encourages creative reuse in general.
http://www.scrapexchange.org/

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C on October 10th, 2009 at 8:55 am said:

Science City in Kansas City, MO is an interactive day of fun!

http://www.sciencecity.com/

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phinneus on October 30th, 2009 at 7:40 pm said:

9,000 square foot facility of hands-on training and makerspace for industrial arts, robotics & mechatronics, neon, woodworking and more.

http://www.willoughbybaltic.com

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Jamie on November 2nd, 2009 at 3:37 pm said:

4-H isn’t anyone one organization but it is instead a nation-wide youth club network that encourages hands on learning and allows the youth to decide what topic areas to pursue. 4-H is organized in each state the the particular states land grant University. For instance, in New York, Cornell University helps fund and structure 4-H offices in each NY county. The offices in turn organize, recruit and support the 4-H youth clubs in the county.

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