Tennessee Kids Get Free STEAM Day at Fossil Museum

Children across Tennessee will turn fossils into fun this weekend when two science centers join forces for their first-ever STEAM Day.

Hands On! Discovery Center and Gray Fossil Site and Museum are hosting the free event Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. More than 15 local organizations will teach kids about science, technology, engineering, art, and math through interactive experiments and activities.

"We are just excited to bring STEAM to life for all ages in the region," said Krissy Worth, outreach manager for Hands On! Discovery Center. The event welcomes families from throughout Northeast Tennessee.

Kids can try their hand at VEX robotics, where they'll learn to build and program small machines. A "Moving & Grooving" station lets children explore music through instruments and dance.

The fossil museum will run presentations on ancient discoveries and teach participants how to make their own fossil casts. The Gray Fossil Site houses some of the most important prehistoric finds in North America, including extinct species of rhinos and red pandas.

Washington County libraries will show families how to get library cards and check out STEAM kits for home learning. The Johnson City Railroad Experience brings train science to life, while several state parks will share ways kids can explore nature.

Worth believes community events like this one make science less intimidating and more memorable. When children connect hands-on experiences with scientific concepts, learning becomes natural and exciting.

The Ripple Effect

The event does more than teach science facts. It introduces families to organizations they might not know about, building connections that last beyond Saturday.

Many local groups struggle to reach new audiences, and parents often miss out on free resources right in their neighborhoods. STEAM Day solves both problems by bringing everyone together in one place.

Worth calls it "informal learning," where education happens through play and exploration rather than textbooks. Research shows this type of hands-on engagement helps concepts stick with young minds far longer than traditional classroom methods.

The event requires general admission to the center and museum, but all STEAM activities are free once inside. Families can spend the entire day moving between stations, trying everything from fossil casting to robot building.

Community collaboration like this shows how sharing resources creates opportunities no single organization could provide alone.