“Scientists are real people who do amazing things,” said Nick Whites, WonderLab Elementary Education and Outreach Director. “In fact, anyone with a little curiosity can be a scientist.”

On Monday, January 15, WonderLab will open be open to the public from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration of Science. Special, one-day-only, activities will be available from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. and are free with the price of admission.

According to Whites, anyone, at any age, who is asking questions, inquiring why, and searching for answers is conducting an experiment on some level. In fact, this is one of the key principles of the WonderLab educational philosophy: real people are scientists and scientists are real people. Science is not out of reach. “We want to showcase activities inspired by real life scientists – both historical and current – on a day that recognizes diversity and inclusion,” said Whites. “Of course, all activities have been created with our unique ‘hands-on’ WonderLab spin.”

The whole family will learn about scientists of past and present while taking part in hands-on science experiments. Special activities include:

  • Pollution Slime and the work of Mexican chemist Mario Molina;
  • Fashion a Fossil inspired by the work of English fossil collector, dealer, and paleantologist Mary Anning;
  • Rocket Building inspired by the work of engineer, physician and NASA astronaut Mae Jemison;
  • Seed Bombs inspired by the work of botanist and inventor George Washington Carver
  • …and many more!

Visitors are invited to check out the Invention Station and bring their own ideas to life as they solve one (or more) of the WonderLab’s Inventing Challenges.

“The museum is generally closed on Mondays,” said Whites, “but we wanted to do something to honor this important day. After all, our mission is to inspire creative thinking and what better day to do that than on the day honoring Martin Luther King?”