For centuries, spies, armies, and diplomats have used codes to transmit secret messages. In the present day, with so much of our data stored on computers, encryption of information has become even more important. Cryptography is the study of writing and breaking codes. Modern cryptography draws from mathematics and computer science to create more security.

Let’s learn about different encryption methods and use them to create an escape room in this all-ages activity!

This chemistry experiment uses an acid, vinegar, and, a base, salt, in one bowl to clean copper pennies, and in another bowl, just vinegar to turn a penny green! When dirty pennies are placed in vinegar and salt, the copper oxide on and some of the copper on the penny dissolve in the water and is removed from the pennies surface. When the penny is rinsed off and wiped clean, it looks brand new! When a penny is soaked in just vinegar, it speeds up the process of oxidation and over a few hours the penny will be greener.

Make your own bouncy ball with this easy at-home recipe

A fun all-ages activity, with adult supervision required for younger learners (mess potential!)

There are plenty of ways to crush a can using your own strength, but you can give your muscles a break and let physics do the work for you. Let’s collapse a can using only water, heat, and a physical phenomenon!

Adult supervision is a must for this activity!

I remember as a kid celebrating the Winter Solstice in my 2nd grade class. Leading up to the event, my teacher prepared us by learning the phases of the moon. We drew and colored in the cycles of the moon and learned why the moon looks the way it does throughout the month. While students are learning from home, I thought this fun and yummy activity would be a great addition to the blog to get kids at home interested in the learning the phases of the moon.

Join one of our museum educators as she reads the children’s book There Once Was a Sky Full of Stars by Bob Crelin, with illustrations by Amie Ziner!

Have you seen the wave pendulum at the Discovery Center? It features golf balls hung from different length strings, and when you pull all the balls back at the same time, they swing back and forth at different rates. As they swing, they seems to form a wave shape. The way it works is almost like magic, but there’s no witchcraft involved—just physics! Since we can’t go to the Discovery Center’s wave pendulum right now, let’s make our own to play with at home!

This activity takes a bit of finesse and care to get right—good for older learners!

Join one of our educators for an at-home science demonstration about invisibility!

Erosion is a geologic process that wears down and moves rocks and soil. Most erosion is caused by wind, water, and ice, often in the form of glaciers. The surface of the earth is constantly changing due to erosion.

This activity is good for younger learners, and there is some mess potential!

In November 2008, the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center erected a life sized Redstone Rocket in front of the new Discovery Center building changing the landscape of the campus forever. Check out the article below to learn a little bit more about the Redstone Rocket, its significance in the history of space travel and how this replica made its way to Concord, NH!

Make your own celestial “dirty snowball” with common household materials!

a simple all-ages activity

Rock and soil samples reveal a lot about the chemistry, physical structure, and ability to support life on a planet, moon, or asteroid.

Can you complete this engineering challenge to design a device that takes core samples of a potato “asteroid”? This activity is geared toward upper-elementary and middle-school students.

An endothermic reaction is the absorption of energy, usually heat, that changes the chemical structure of a compound. One example of an endothermic reaction is cooking! In a recipe, how each ingredient reacts to heat affects the final product. Let’s see what certain ingredients in a cupcake contribute to the baked good by omitting them!

Good for all ages with adult supervision—oven use and mess potential!

Can you make Space Goo strong enough to protect an egg? Find out with this simple at-home activity! Hands-on fun for all ages, with adult supervision (mess potential!)

The combined photos, letters, and first hand accounts help piece together an importance puzzle. Alan Shepard’s rowboat survives as a unique piece of history in the life of America’s first astronaut and will be treasured by the Discovery Center for years to come!

Join one of our educators for a series of at-home science demonstrations on atmospheric pressure!

Learn about the chemical reaction of decomposition while making a sweet treat!

Adult supervision is strongly recommended for this activity—hot sugar can leave a pretty nasty burn.