FAMILY SCIENCE FUN IN STATE COLLEGE
I can’t believe it’s been about a year and a half since I started working at Discovery Space! I figured it’s about time I share a little more about where I work.
Discovery Space is a nonprofit science center located on Atherton Street in State College, PA.
EXHIBIT FLOOR
Our exhibit floor is packed with science — all within a relatively small space! From color science and medical science to the science of sound, there’s something for everyone. Of course, my favorite part is the meteorology exhibits. I especially love our tornado simulator! We also have a green screen, so when I’m feeling nostalgic I can go stand in front of it (haha).
The exhibit floor is best suited for kids from PreK up to about 10 years old. For our littlest visitors, the Beehive (featured in the article photo) is an adorable space to play and learn.
MARINE LIFE CENTER
We have a Marine Life Center, home to Pearl, a California round ray! You can visit Pearl and meet all of our other fascinating marine creatures here. My personal favorite is the pin cushion urchins, who love to “wear” different 3D-printed hats, it’s so funny to see!
My coworker Kendra does amazing work with these creatures and makes sure they feel right at home in Central PA!
DISCOVERY SPACE INFO
Discovery Space is open
Wednesday & Thursday, 9 AM – 1 PM
Friday – Sunday, 9 AM – 5 PM
- Admission: $8 per child (ages 3–17), $7 per adult.
- Kids under 3 get in free!
- If you have SNAP benefits, admission is just $2 per person.
- Many local libraries also offer free Discovery Space passes you can borrow!
We also offer memberships, which give you free admission during our business hours. Even better — we’re part of the ASTC Passport Program, meaning your membership gets you free entry to places like the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, and over 100 other museums across the country! (We actually used my membership to get into the aquarium when visiting Maui earlier this month!)
Bonus: You can rent our classrooms for birthday parties! During the school year, we also host PreK programs Wednesday–Saturday, free with admission or membership.
In the summer, we will have Waterplay Wednesdays, and throughout the year, Penn State student groups and other community partners often host free drop-in programs on the weekends.
THE RIVET
On the other side of our building is The Rivet, a makerspace where people of all ages can take classes in woodworking, 3D printing, pottery, welding, and more!
I’ll save a full post for The Rivet — it definitely deserves its own spotlight!
WHAT I DO
At Discovery Space, I’m a Science Educator and the MRSEC Partnership Lead, so you won’t see me on the exhibit floor too often.
My role involves:
- Leading field trips
- Lesson planning and teaching during summer camps
- Attending outreach events and STEM nights in the community
- Bringing STEM programs to local libraries
- Partnering with Penn State’s Materials Science researchers to develop STEM activities for kids
I’m lucky to work with a fantastic team of educators — we take turns leading all these activities!
If you have kids or grandkids, Discovery Space is definitely worth a stop, especially on a rainy day!
Wx Shield 
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