Families and visitors of all ages are invited to learn about the American West in the Briscoe’s new education series, “Full STEAM Ahead”. Learners of all ages will work together and learn about the American West by engaging in hands-on, STEAM learning experiences. Sharing the American West through STEAM – Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics – each of the activities ties back to the Briscoe’s art and artifacts, bringing the West to life in a new way. From transportation and weather to animals, astronomy and engineering, each program explores an aspect of life in the West to engage and inspire learning.
FREE with museum admission
(Children 12 and under are always FREE)
The development and invention of the railroad was one of the most important technological movements in human history. It allowed for rapid travel and delivery of materials and goods across the country. Families will put on their railroad engineer hats as they work together to create a railroad map involving numerous engineering challenges and learn about the development of the U.S. Railroad System.
In this session, guests will learn about the lunar eclipse, and the significance the moon had on the people of the American West. Guests will also learn and practice in perspective and contrast in creating art.
Full STEAM Ahead kicked off with a day of building when “This town isn’t big enough for the both of us!” gets literal as visitors were challenged to design their own Wild West town using cardboard, recyclable material and other found natural material. We transported back to the days when cattle roamed the streets to learn about how the different parts of a town that were essential to survival. Upon completion, visitors brought their pieces together to create one giant town.
Images of the American West have been defined by the sky as much as it has by the land. Guests learned about the science behind clouds through experiments and then created their own 3-D Cloudscape using watercolor paints and paper!
California and the West Coast are known for their earthquakes. How do you think settlers and inhabitants of California reacted and prepared for earthquakes? Families will create their own home, and test it to see if it can survive an earthquake!
Sunsets are some of the most prominent images and depictions of the West, preserved with paintings of brilliant colors, but why do sunsets have so many pretty colors? Why does the American West have so many beautiful sunsets? Guests will learn about the science behind sunsets and then create their own sunset skyscape.
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Governor Dolph Briscoe and his wife Janey envisioned a Museum that would preserve the stories and traditions of the American West.
