Thinkery Rolls Out Fall Events, Programs & Hours

Posted: Aug 19, 2022 / 12:09 PM CDT

Updated: Aug 19, 2022 / 12:09 PM CDT

School is back in session for many Central Texas kids, but that doesn’t mean that Thinkery, which aims to be the hub of STEAM learning for kids in our area, is slowing down! CEO Andy Bell joined Studio 512 to talk about fall programming and events.

Good news, preschool parents! Little Thinkers Preschool still has a couple of open slots this fall.

Andy says, “We continue to have scholarship opportunities to host preschoolers and community support allows for that. PNC Bank donated school supplies to help our Little Thinkers be prepared to start their journey to becoming our community’s creative problem solvers. We’re so thankful for their support!”

Fall programs at Thinkery:

Field trips for Title 1 schools – “We serve thousands of students via field trips each year and have scholarships and discounted rates available for Title 1 schools to help ensure all Central Texas students have access to Thinkery and STEAM.”
C.R.E.A.T.E. – “In collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club of the Austin Area and NI, C.R.E.A.T.E. is an afterschool program we’re very excited to grow. C.R.E.A.T.E. supplies hands-on, interactive engineering design experiences for underrepresented BGCAA youth throughout Austin.
Baby Bloomers – “Have a little one under the age of 3? Bring them out to Baby Bloomers on Saturday mornings from 8-10 a.m. for them to explore Thinkery with special programming geared towards our earliest learners.”

Fall events at Thinkery:

Community Spotlight: Latino/Latina/Latinx Heritage on Sunday, September 4th from 3-5 p.m.
Vaccination clinic on Sunday, September 25th from 1-5 p.m.
Spark After Dark on Tuesday, October 18th from 7-10 p.m.

How parents can maximize their Thinkery visit:

Community hours: “Visit us for free! During our Community Hours on Tuesday 3-7 p.m. and Sunday 3-5 p.m., admission to the museum is free thanks to our Open Door Initiative! We invite our community to come play with us! Expanding community hours to two days a week.”
Professional Development – “We’re helping to bring learning outside of the school day. In fact, your student might already be experiencing Thinkery’s play-based, STEAM learning in the classroom through our partnerships with local school districts. A tip – bring your kids to Thinkery to help connect the dots between what they’re learning at school and what’s at the museum; it’s a great way to connect with your kids and have some fun talking about their experiences at school.”
Canteen – “Food is back! We are excited to have Canteen located just outside the museum.”
Tickets/membership – “Purchase your tickets ahead of time to expediate the check-in process. And if you’re planning to attend Thinkery more than once or twice per year, consider a family membership – it’s ultimately more cost effective AND supports our Open Door initiative.”
Water exhibits – “Currents – our exhibit that explores the connection between water and sound – can be a really wet exhibit. While we provide smocks, Crocs and hand dryers in this exhibit, visitors are also encouraged to bring extra clothes or towels.”
Strategy for seeing the entire museum: “There is an upstairs AND downstairs area. We recommend you start upstairs and work your way down so you don’t miss a thing!”

Thinkery Fall Hours start next week: