Exhibits

Bugtopia

The Making of Bugtopia! Why bugs? Family Talk Tips Get your child talking to accelerate their science learning! Encourage observation […]

A girl and an adult playing a ball-launching game in the Well Played exhibit at The Lawrence

Well Played!

You don’t have to be a pro to know that math and science can help improve your game. Experiment with force, angles, and trajectory to get the highest scores you can with classic arcade games such as Skee-ball, pinball, minigolf, and basketball.

Celebrating Nature's Diversity Photo Wall exhibit

Celebrating Nature’s Diversity

From African Elephants to Whooping Cranes, the diversity of animals that call our planet home is breathtaking. This permanent installation features stunning photography from the National Geographic Photo Ark by renowned photographer Joel Sartore. His intimate photos aim to forge connections to these animals and inspire action to save them. Join us in Celebrating Nature’s Diversity!

A pair of hands are about to launch a paper airplane

Fold & Fly

Explore the dynamics of flight by designing, building, and testing your own paper airplanes. Use one of our easy-to-follow “flight plans” or experiment with your own custom airplane designs, then test your aircraft using our mechanical launchers.

A child builds with blocks.

Build a Better World

What does an ideal community look like to you? How do people get to work, or enjoy their days off? Contribute your ideas to a growing city using LEGO® bricks. Whether you construct a park, a school, a tower, or a vehicle, with your imagination we will Build a Better World—Together.

Children observe a snake in the Animal Discovery Zone at the Lawrence

Animal Ambassadors

Every day from 11:00–11:20 a.m. come learn about animals with the help of one of our very special animal ambassadors that live in the Animal Discovery Zone! You’ll get the chance to make observations and ask questions about one of our live animals and learn about their diet, behavior, adaptations, and more! For the health and safety of our staff, our visitors, and our animals, capacity is limited.

two children examine wildlflowers with hand lenses

The Robert and Elizabeth Karplus Outdoor Nature Lab

From the native vegetation to a range of guided and self-driven experiences, the Robert and Elizabeth Karplus Outdoor Nature Lab provides a unique space where all visitors will make close observations of, and deepen their connection with, the natural environment.

A child looking through a microscope with two children looking on

Pandemic Detectives

Dive into the science behind the COVID19 pandemic using hands-on activity stations. Test different mask materials, inspect them under a microscope, build model antibodies, discuss with your group what kinds of risks certain activities pose, and more!

A row of children sitting on top of Pheena the Fin Whale

Pheena the Fin Whale

Climb on a life-sized replica of a teenage fin whale—the second largest whale in the world!

Optical Illusion challenge

Optical Illusions

Design, build, and test your own optical illusion while learning about the human eye as part of our newest Ingenuity challenge. Observe and compare how optical illusions work as you create fun and unique designs.

Sunstones at The Lawrence

Marble Machines

Use ramps, lifts, tubes, and jumps to design, build, and test your own creative marble machine. Get your marble from Point A to Point B, all while following some surprising paths in between.

A volunteer and a child work together on a science project

Connect

This series on mental health was created through a partnership of the Greater Good Science Center, Bay Area Community Resources, and The Lawrence, with an aim of connecting youth with professionals and providing a resource for their community.

People sitting in a theater with 3D glasses watching a film

3D Theater

Experience science on the big screen in our dynamic 3D Theater. Watch as stunning visuals from popular science films pop out and make a BIG impact.

A young child setting a ball at the top of a ramp

Ramps and Rollers

Ramps are one of the basic mechanical devices that allow humans to do work more easily. We use ramps as tools to do ordinary things like loading a truck, or pushing a wheelchair up to an entrance while avoiding the stairs. We also employ ramps for really fun engineering, like designing roller coasters!

A child creating a Stop-Motion Story

Stop-Motion Stories

See your own stories and ideas come to life using stop-motion. Stop-motion is an animation technique that has been used by filmmakers for over 100 years to create movement, using still objects and even drawings. Now’s your chance to get creative with our new stop-motion stations.

Paper sculptures of creatures from the Cambrian era

Cambrian Explosion

The paper sculptures in this exhibit may look like aliens from another planet, but they are actually “time travelers” from some 540 million years ago. Long before the dinosaurs appeared, Earth’s ocean was filled with amazing life forms like these.

A young girl putting lightweight fabric into an air tube

Young Explorers Area

Join in the exploration as you and your child experiment with our colorful gear wall, see what flies the highest in our wind tube, and investigate motion on our gravity wall. Start discovering science, get creative, and develop new skills in this area designed specially for your little explorers.

A Lawrence educator teaches a child how to use a pipette

Hands-on Biotech

Hands-on Biotech focuses on discovering the microscopic worlds inside all living things and sparking curiosity about how life’s processes can help us answer questions and solve problems.

A child climbing on the DNA sculpture exhibit at The Lawrence

DNA Sculpture

Experience the shape of a double helix firsthand by climbing inside our massive DNA sculpture. DNA in your trillions of cells carries the genetic messages that make you you. Climb through the “horizontal ladder” of the supersize DNA sculpture on the Hall’s plaza. Experience the twists and turns of DNA’s double helix shape, and get inspired to learn more about the biology of life.

Two children and two adults looking at the Sunstones II exhibit at The Lawrence

Sunstones II

Peer through and climb on to explore this 18-foot high granite, outdoor astronomical sculpture. Sunstones II links science with art, and even offers special viewing of astronomical events.

A group of people sitting in the planetarium and looking up at the stars

Planetarium

Explore the universe and survey the night sky, all from your seat. Our planetarium programs are live and interactive, so bring your questions and curiosity.

A child building with KEVA planks

Keva

Any visitor of any age can be an architect, a builder, an engineer, or a designer with KEVA planks. See how high, how intricate, and how stable you can make your structure as you work with form and balance.

A child and an adult participating in the Ingenuity Challenges exhibit

Ingenuity Challenges

Flex Your Design Muscles. It’s fun to use your ingenuity to solve problems and meet challenges! By approaching things in creative ways, and by applying your own talents and skills, you can discover solutions that are uniquely you.

A child creating her own invention at the Make Station exhibit

Make Station

Creativity combined with engineering helps us prepare for the future by developing inventions that enable us to both survive and thrive in environments like space, the deep ocean, and our ever-changing Earth.

A child catches a scarf flying in the air.

Fly High

Engineers use their knowledge of air to do things like land safely with a parachute, fly planes, stabilize helicopters, and much more. Can you do the same with our wind tubes and hover table?

Two happy young people experimenting at the Wind Works station

Wind Works

Engineers, especially those in the Bay Area, are working toward sustainable energy solutions by using the power of the wind to generate electricity. The need for wind power is continually growing.

Two children exploring a science exhibit

Rocket Launch

Launching a rocket into space is a difficult task because of various factors. The efficiency, reliability, and safety of a rocket all depend on the quality of engineering design.

A youth experiments with the eartquake-safe structure.

Shake & Rattle

Design, build, and test your own earthquake-safe structures. Explore how buildings behave when the earth starts to shake, and how engineers use science to build safer homes & offices.

Two children at the Design Quest exhibit

Design Quest

Design Quest inspires kids to come up with their own ideas, build prototypes, and test their designs to see if they can rise to the challenge. Check out what you can do in Design Quest today.

Five children digging in sand in the Forces that Shape the Bay exhibit

Forces That Shape the Bay

Step into our interactive, outdoor science park to learn how water erosion, earthquakes, weather, and other geologic forces have worked together to create the Bay Area landscape.