Discovery Station facts for kids

The exterior of Discovery Station at Hagerstown, Inc.

Discovery Station is a fun, hands-on museum for families in downtown Hagerstown, Maryland, United States. It first opened its doors to the public in 2005. The museum wants to make a place where kids can be curious and love to discover new things.

It does this through exhibits and programs that focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM). Discovery Station is part of important groups like the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) and the NASA Museum Alliance.

The museum is in an old bank building right across from the Washington County Courthouse. This bank was once a special place for money during the American Civil War. Visitors can even go inside the big old vault and see its huge door. The building itself is very beautiful with its white marble outside and tall windows.

Thousands of people visit Discovery Station every year. It is especially popular with children who love to explore and learn. In 2019, the museum welcomed 25,380 visitors.

Exciting Exhibits to Explore

Discovery Station has many cool exhibits where you can learn by doing.

Robotics and Coding

This exhibit lets you build and program robots using LEGO MINDSTORMS® Education EV3s. You can even compete against others in LEGO MINDSTORMS® challenges. There's also a part that shows how robots are used in the real world. The museum also uses Botley robots to help kids learn how to code.

Dinosaur Exhibit

Step back in time with a full-size model of a Triceratops skull. This exhibit also has fossil tracings, books, and other fun activities. You can get hands-on with dinosaur history.

Space and Beyond

See a smaller model of the NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft. This exhibit also looks at the future of space travel. It even talks about the idea of people living on Mars someday.

Discovery Station Race Car Derby

This exhibit has a big race car track for toy cars. It's a fun way to learn about how energy works. You can see how kinetic energy (energy of motion) and potential energy (stored energy) make the cars go.

Builder's Nook

In this interactive area, you can build all sorts of structures. Use special blocks to create bridges, towers, and anything else you can imagine.

Hagerstown Aviation

Learn about airplanes and flying in this exhibit. It has real equipment and electronics from planes. You can see an experimental Papoose airplane built right in Washington County. There's also a child-friendly Cessna 150 cockpit. You can sit inside and try out the controls!

A 1/5 scale model of the famous PT-19 trainer is also on display. It was built by Jack Garrott, who flew a PT-19 during World War II.

The Titanic Exhibit

See an exact model of the RMS Titanic at Discovery Station. This is one of the biggest models of the famous ship ever made. It took ten years to build! The model is over fifteen feet long and weighs 500 pounds. It even has over a thousand tiny portholes.

The model has real-looking details, stained glass, and tiny passenger figures. This amazing Titanic model has been on TV, in newspapers, and on magazine covers. It can even float and has been sailed by remote control.

Sustainability

This exhibit opened in late 2016. It helps visitors learn how to live in ways that protect our planet. You can explore how to use renewable energy in your daily life. This exhibit helps you become a future expert in sustainable living.

It has hands-on features about:

• Recycling
• Solar Energy
• Waste Management
• Food Production
• Weather Forecasting

STEAM Machine Art Exhibit

Opened in 2017, this exhibit combines Science, Technology, Engineering, ART, and Math (STEAM). It helps visitors be creative and use their imaginations. In the Crafter-space, you can make crafts from recycled materials. You can also draw on a chalkboard wall. There's an Art-space where you can paint and use markers too!

Imagination Station

This exhibit opened in 2018. It has a library full of books for kids of all ages. You can also find puzzles and other fun activities that help with reading and learning.

Discovery Town

Opened in 2019, Discovery Town helps young children grow in many ways. It focuses on how they get along with others, stay healthy and safe, and develop their thinking and movement skills. This exhibit helps families get ready for school.

It features different areas like:

• Doctor's Office
• Veterinarian Office
• Dentist Office
• Fire Department
• Playground and Sensory-room

There is also the "Thomas Powell Construction Corner." It is named after Thomas Powell, a volunteer who built many of the museum's exhibits.

Little Sprouts Grocery Store

This exhibit opened in late 2019. It teaches kids about healthy eating and how important good food is for their bodies and brains. It also helps them learn early math skills and how to manage money.

The exhibit has realistic examples of fruits, vegetables, dairy, and other foods. There are two check-out lanes with cash registers. A "farm-to-table" section shows local products. The "Discover Savings" area helps children learn about banking and budgeting.

As kids play in the grocery store, parents can read signs that explain what skills their children are learning. These signs also give ideas for continuing the learning at home. The name "Little Sprouts Grocery Store" was chosen through a contest where kids submitted their ideas.

Fun Programs and Events

Discovery Station offers many programs throughout the year.

Regular Programs

The museum often holds science experiments and STEAM activities, usually on Saturdays. These "STEAM-Saturday Programs" are included with your admission ticket. They are often hands-on and very engaging.

During the week, Discovery Station also has "Animal Encounters." These are hosted by Wonderfully-wild and let you get close to different animals.

Discovery Station has worked with The Hub at UMSH on programs like "The Botley Coding Challenge." The museum also hosts "Story-Time" programs, which usually happen on Wednesdays.

Virtual Programs during COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Discovery Station created its own online programs. It also worked with local groups to offer virtual activities.

Discovery Station teamed up with the Judy Center of Washington County, Washington County Free Library, The Hub at USMH, and Washington County Reads. Together, they made and gave out 3,000 STEAM kits to families in the community. These kits were given out during the summer of 2020 at Meals on Wheels locations.

As part of this effort, Discovery Station went "Live" on its Facebook page every Wednesday at 11 a.m. They would review the week's kit and have a special story-time with Ms. Abigail from the Washington County Free Library.

Fundraisers

Discovery Station holds several events each year to raise money. These events help pay for the museum's daily operations, new programs, and creating new exhibits.

• Taste of Vegas, Casino Night: This event is an evening of casino games held every year in Hagerstown, MD, at the Maryland Theater.
• Surgeons vs. Chefs: This is a pumpkin carving contest between local surgeons and chefs. It takes place at the Springfield Barn in Williamsport, MD.