Education Programs at the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum

Young children explore science and music through pitch, tempo, beat and dynamics and learn how these blend to create music. Register today!

Learn about magnets as we sort materials into magnetic and non-magnetic groups. Explore whether all metals are magnetic, make magnets attract and repel, even get them to float in mid-air! Register today!

Explore light and optics as we learn how light travels, the difference between reflection and refraction. Discover what color light really is using flashlights, lenses, special glasses and more. Register today!

Look beyond the four stages of the water cycle and get a first-hand look at the many paths of a water molecule. Where does the rain come from and where does it go after it hits the ground? With activities and movement, students begin to answer these and other questions about water. Register today!

Students will be “wired” after this electrifying introduction to circuits. Explore the two types of circuits and the parts that make them work. Build a burglar alarm and more with our safe, interlocking electronic components. Register today!

Explore the science of flight by designing and creating flying toys. Participants will learn all about flying while making a variety of airborne toys.  Register today!

Invite the whole school to an evening of fantastic, science-based fun! We mix Natural and Physical Sciences to give you a unique look into how the world works. You provide 20 volunteers and we’ll fill 20 of your tables with creative hands-on activities. Educators and families love this casual, self-directed evening of fun science activities. All activities are linked to the Michigan Science Standards. Discount coupons for a visit to the Museum for all participants! Register today!

Get your preschoolers engaged in science. This collection of 15 activities is great for the youngest of scientists. Activities include measurement, animal adaptations, mixing colors, magnets and more.  Register today!

Meld your science and literacy curriculum together with this new Premium Family Night! We'll bring a series of interactive, dynamic activities that can serve your whole school population. To integrate writing and literacy, students will also receive an Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum pencil and Scientist Journal with writing prompts that will link to each of the twenty science and math-centered activities. Students will be able to take these journals home with them or use them in the classroom to extend their Family Night Experience long after we leave. Register today!

The classic egg drop experiment! Students are given credits to purchase materials to protect their egg from damage in freefall. Concepts in this workshop range from gravity to economics.  Register today!

Awaken the chemist in you. Students explore states of matter and what happens when you go between them. They’ll learn the difference between a physical and a chemical change.  Register today!

Introduces information on the principles of electricity and circuits. Test these principles by using interlocking components to build your own circuits.  Register today!

Learn all about flying in this aerodynamic workshop! Participants will make a variety of airborne toys and explore the physics of flight.  Register today!

Students are immersed in the intriguing world of forensics as they work together to solve a mock crime.  Register today!

You provide the floor space and we’ll provide the excitement and learning. What better way to learn about the physics of energy, force and motion than through hands-on science?  Register today!

The program begins with an astronomy "orientation" that features lively demonstrations to illustrate the concepts that are important to understanding the study of the stars and ends inside our portable, inflatable planetarium known as StarLab.  Register today!

Discover how wind can be harnessed to make electricity and build a working wind turbine! Experiment with blade design and other variables to find the most efficient design for a wind power generator. Register today!

Push and pull your way through this interactive workshop about Force and Motion. We'll talk about a force's strength, direction, and how things act when they collide. Your students can also discover how a simple machine makes work easier by experimenting with our giant fulcrum. Register today!

Is it a solid? A liquid? A gas? Your students will discover the properties of each state of matter by making our ooey, gooey slime. We’ll also discuss how molecules look and act when changing between states of matter. Students will get to take home their slime as well as a recipe to make it again at home. Register today!

This new workshop is designed just for your youngest learners. Using the story Balancing Act by Ellen Stoll Walsh, students will discover the joys of balance. We’ll use levers and fulcrums to see if we can find the perfect balance. Each 30-minute workshop will include an interactive story-time, an explorative hands-on activity, and group reflection time. Register today!

Experience the alien world of arthropods through this special, interactive workshop. Fun activities and lively demonstrations give students a first-hand look at insects, arachnids and more with plenty to touch!  Register today!

We’ll take a look at actual fossils and find clues hidden within that will help us learn something about life millions of years ago. Students will get to invent their own prehistoric animals, follow along in the story of fossilization, and learn about our planet’s various biologic and geologic processes.  Register today!

Includes activities from biology, ecology, physics, chemistry, math. We can customize this to fit your needs.  Register today!

We’ll showcase interactive, try-this-at-home activities in an auditorium setting. We’ll also bring along a few demonstrations involving dry ice and liquid nitrogen!  Register today!

Ever wonder why you can smell, hear, taste, see, and feel? Come find out how your senses help you to discover the world around you. Students will explore their senses with 5 hands-on activities. Register today!

We will explore our smoky cauldron and mysterious concoctions as we make two types of slime with students. Younger students use their slime to investigate three states of matter. Older students investigate the properties of polymers. Gooey concoctions are perfect for Halloween fun!    Award-winning program! Register today!

Students will learn about animal adaptations to extreme weather with hands-on experiments and even take a virtual trip to Antarctica. Join us as we learn how animals such as penguins live and have babies during extreme weather.    Award-winning program! Register today!

Together we’ll take a look at actual fossils and discuss how you can find the clues that they hide and how to interpret their stories that unfolded millions of years ago. Invent your own prehistoric animals, follow along in the story of fossilization, and discuss fossil finds like real paleontologists.    Award-winning program! Register today!

Get up close to owls as an avian expert from Leslie Science & Nature Center (Ann Arbor, MI) uses live birds to compare and contrast the characteristics of different owl species. Learn how owls have adapted to a predatory way of life. Dissect real owl pellets to investigate the diet of a barn owl. Learn about food chains and the role of avian predators in an ecosystem. Gain an introduction to skeletal anatomy and prey identification.    Award-winning program! Register today!

Launch a rocket, experiment with circuits and learn about famous scientists. Plus enjoy a museum scavenger hunt! Scouts will complete their Adventures in Science badge during this workshop.

Become a special agent at the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum. Examine fingerprints, learn about chromatography, extract DNA, and analyze evidence to eliminate or include suspects and crack the case! Cadettes will complete their Special Agent badge during this workshop.

Observe alternative energy in action as you discover how wind can be harnessed to make electricity.

Examine fingerprints, learn about chromatography, analyze evidence and immerse yourself in the intriguing world of forensic science. Scouts will complete their Forensics badge during this workshop.

Art and science have more in common than you would think! Scouts will complete their Stories in Shapes badge during this workshop.