On this page you'll find a partial list of our exhibits. Select a specific exhibit for instructions and parts lists. You can also sort the exhibit list by topic, by cost, by build complexity, or alphabetically.

Most of our exhibits are built around the aesthetic of low cost, high impact. This means that they are accessible; some of them can be made out of materials that you already have, or that you could easily pick up at your local hardware store or online. Some exhibits involve a fair bit of construction, but some exhibits are items that can be purchased pre-made and don't involve any assembly or construction at all.

If you want to build your own exhibits, you should have some basic supplies in your toolkit:

• duct tape
• string or yarn
• hot glue gun, and glue sticks for it
• power drill/screwdriver
• printer, and cardstock
• laminator, with 5 mil plastic sleeves
• pliers
• kid-safe disinfectant spray
• hand sanitizer

It's important to have signs for your exhibits, to guide students (and teachers) in their exploration. Also, since students are supposed to pick up the exhibit, you'll find that they will also walk off with it and leave it in random spots. The sign offers a clear home base marker where the exhibit lives, so you can gently remind the student to put it back and they will know where it goes.

Each exhibit page has a link for you to download a pdf document for the sign, in English and in Spanish. There are best printed double-sided on light cardstock, then laminated in a 5 mil plastic sleeve. (We've experimented with different combinations, and this makes for the most sturdy combination.)

To make a base for the sign, cut a 2 by 4 into 4 inch lengths, so you get a lot of 2 x 4 x 4 blocks. Optionally, paint them. (We color code the blocks by topic.) Next, on a square face of the block, mark three spots along a line, about an inch apart. Get some 3 inch nails, hammer one into each spot, about an inch deep so that there's a couple inches of the nail sticking out. Then you can thread the laminated sign between the nails, and it will stand up quite nicely.

Of course, you can also just lay the sign flat on the table without a base and that's fine too.

Even when there isn't a pandemic going on, let's face it: hands-on exhibits that are being handled by a lot of kids offer ample opportunity to spread germs. Kids will have their hands in their mouths and then touch the exhibits. Sometimes a kid will think an exhibit is a wind instrument.

So, it's important to sanitize. We use a spray that is designed for kids' toys, so it is safe and nontoxic. We also wash or sanitize our own hands frequently during an event. You'll probably want to ask your students to wash or sanitize their hands before handling the exhibits as well.