Science and smiles: Discovery Space grows into regional hub of childhood STEM education
August 09, 2024
Sisters Olivia (left), 4, and Caroline Goss, 7, of Warriors Mark discover sound and light activity. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
STATE COLLEGE — After opening on Kids Day of Arts Fest in 2011, the Discovery Space has grown to become a regional hub of childhood STEM education and adult handicraft training through its Rivet workshop.
While the Science Center visible through the Discovery Space’s sweeping front windows may look like a playground at first glance, it is anything but a mindless arcade.
Instead, the colorful stations complete with gaggles of excited kids within are carefully designed to provide an educational, and entertaining, experience.
Many of the exhibits are designed in collaboration with Penn State STEM faculty, who offer expert input on the center’s programming, chief of staff Madison Flaherty said.
A lot of the collaboration is born from Penn State professors whose young children attend Discovery Space events and they have an experience of “I didn’t have this growing up, how cool would it be to have this in my community,” Flaherty said.
Sarah Lucas of State College marks her pottery before glazing and baking in The Rivet makerspace. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
According to Flaherty, before Discovery Space there was a “missing piece” in the State College education community, a piece that was needed to engage the next generation of science learners.
“Every year we work with (Penn State faculty) to come up with ‘What are some STEM philosophies that you can communicate through these sort of hands-on exhibits?’ and how we can make that come to life,” Flaherty said.
Discovery Space also has help from several science-related student groups and high school interns to help design and build the exhibits, Flaherty said.
“A lot of (the Science Center exhibits) are hand made, they’re not these big extravagant exhibits, but you don’t necessarily need that to teach the science,” Flaherty said.
Discovery Space has worked with “every college on campus,” Flaherty said, whether it was on direct exhibit design or in helping to promote and market the nonprofit’s mission in the community.
The Discovery Space is at 1224 N Atherton St., State College. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
History
In the 2000s, a motivated group of community members came together to launch a dedicated “childrens’ museum and learning space” to keep kids active after school and on weekends, according to executive director Michele Crowl.
“A lot of communities have these spaces, but State College didn’t,” Crowl said.
The original design concept and mission statement positioned Discovery Space as a hybrid kids museum and science center, allowing children to get hands-on experience with a rotating selection of fun exhibits that demonstrate scientific concepts from gravity to marine biology.
With a 4,000-square-foot facility on West Foster Avenue secured, Discovery Space began to make inroads with the Centre County community.
Izzy Shukan, 7, of State College looks at a slide of nematodes at the "Once Upon A Microscope" camp. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
“Families were learning how to use our space,” Crowl said, which included birthday parties and programs tailored for preschoolers.
The following summer, Discovery Space launched its first summer camps in two, one-week offerings.
“We were just starting to get our feet wet in that sort of operation,” Crowl said. “We’ve just been in an upward trajectory since then, every year we’ve increased the number of summer camps we can offer.”
In 2024, Discovery Space ran more than 15 camps for elementary and middle schoolers with themes ranging from Culinary Chemistry to Let’s Go With Lego. These camps offer a more focused exploration of many of the same concepts that are featured in the Science Center area.
The continued growth of Discovery Space is shaped, in large part, by the changing demographics of its clientele, Crowl said.
Latecia McCaulley hands her son, Meyer, 3, both of Bellwood, a steel ball to run through the "Build a Rollercoaster" activity. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
“As kids have started in our Pre-K programs, and then they come in during elementary school … they start to age out of those elementary programs and they look at us like, ‘So what’s next?'” Crowl said. “So we added middle school programs.”
The rapidly expanding needs of Discovery Space had outgrown the West Foster location by 2016, prompting a move to the current larger facility on North Atherton Street the following year.
The new building allowed Discovery Space to host more exhibits and hire more paid staff, which in turn enabled the center to begin serving as a regional destination for entertaining science education, Crowl said.
Discovery Space has increasingly carried its mission beyond the State College building, often sending teams of educators to host programs in elementary schools and libraries across central Pennsylvania.
“We have people coming from 26 counties to visit us, so having a location that is easy for people to get to is important,” Crowl said.
Lee Ellenberger of State College prepares his pottery for glazing in The Rivet makerspace. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
The Rivet
The next big development came in 2019, when the landlord of their North Atherton property gave Discovery Space the option to take over the remainder of the property, which included a large garage and attached workshop area.
This expanded capacity gave Discovery Space leadership a chance to rethink their program offerings, which led to the launch of a new venture.
“In 2020, we opened the Rivet, and that really helped us extend the learning for middle schoolers, highschoolers and adults. The Rivet was the first time we started doing adult programs,” Crowl said.
According to Crowl, the Rivet is a multi-discipline, publicly available workshop that allows adult “makers” to learn new skills and collaborate on creative projects.
This expansion filled a gap in Discovery Space’s initial mission, which has grown to become a “lifelong learning institution,” Crowl said.
The Rivet has dedicated space for pottery, glasswork, welding, 3D printing, fabric weaving and a full woodshop, among other workstations.
Use of many machines in the Rivet requires prior clearance, which is earned through a safety clearance system that is free for members. The Rivet also offers a wide variety of skill-building classes designed to help amateurs improve their abilities in a respective discipline.
A small computer lab adjoins the main workshop area, so members can take classes on creative design software like Adobe Illustrator.
These classes are often taught by volunteer instructors, who are typically professionals in their field who teach classes in their free time.
“There are all sorts of classes, but during open workshop hours people can just come in and use the space,” Maria Barton, director of strategic initiatives, said.
“There’s really an organic community that has formed,” Barton said.
According to Barton, the Rivet serves as a “third space,” for many members, a term denoting a communal area besides the primary spaces of home and work where people can spend time in a carefree social atmosphere.
“It’s a really supportive environment, there’s always people here, not only our staff but other makers who are always willing to share their knowledge and help,” Barton said. “If you come here during our open workshop hours, you’ll see people walking around asking each other what they’re working on.”
This free-flowing exchange of ideas and skills helps foster creative endeavors, Barton said.
“A lot of our members have their own small businesses, so this is a resource that allows them to access all these tools that they may not be able to afford themselves,” Barton said.
A professional-grade laser engraving or CNC machine may be out of budget for many startup owners, but a $40 a month membership to access the same equipment is much more attainable, Barton noted.
“It’s really a one-stop shop for small business owners,” Barton explained.
There is even a small gift shop area for members to sell the wares they made in the Rivet. The shop features everything from handmade mugs and textiles to 3D printed crow skulls.
“This is where I do all my gift shopping,” Flaherty said. “I like buying local and I don’t have to go far.”
According to Crowl, the Rivet has led to a crop of “accidental entrepreneurs” who have stumbled upon previously unknown interests and have used that passion to fuel their career.
Another primary aspect of the Rivet, Barton said, is informal workplace development.
Since there are so many different tools and advice-offering members available in the workshop, it allows people to “dip their toes in” a discipline where they may not have any previous experience, Barton said.
While a full semester course at a community college or trade school may be out of the question for many working adults due to financial or schedule concerns, Barton said, the learning opportunity available at the Rivet is typically more accessible.
“We’re having people learn laser cutting or woodworking who never fathomed that would be a thing,” Crowl said.
Vision and growth
After several years of sustained growth, the staff at Discovery Space are looking to increase the reach of the educational programs.
“What we haven’t fully realized but have started doing is, we’re shop class for a lot of cyber schooled or homeschooled groups in town, and there’s more work to be done there,” Crowl said.
Since students typically get their first exposure to many trade school skills in a traditional school format, Crowl said, Discovery Space hopes to expand its educational mission to these students who may not have access to a typical, in-person education.
“Not a lot of students have access to welding, but we have welding,” Crowl said.
According to Crowl, since many of these trade skills offer stable employment and wages “better than I make,” making sure they are available to a growing pool of potential students is important.
“If I can do anything to help kids and families, why not,” Crowl asked.
If you go
What: Discovery Space
Where: 1224 N. Atherton St., State College
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday
Cost: General admission is $7 for those 3 years old and older; free to children under 3 years of age; memberships available.
The Rivet at Discovery Space: $15 for a day pass; $40 for a Maker membership; $85 a month for Maker Plus membership. Yearly memberships also available.
More information: Visit discoveryspace.org or therivet.org.
People create in The Rivet makerspace, a 5,000-square-foot community workshop. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
Amelia Valdez and Dale Zhu, both 6 and of State College, cut out drawings of mythical creatures to fly in the "Once Upon A Microscope" camp. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
Science Educator and Marine Life Coordinator Kendra Adkins watches Tyler Aten, 9, of Bellefonte create a model of a mythical creature to fly in the "Once Upon A Microscope" camp. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
Caroline Goss, 7, of Warriors Mark plays future weather forecaster in front of a green screen. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
