12 Days of STEM Gifts

Looking for unique holiday gifts? We’ve got over a dozen ideas to engage and delight the future scientists in your life! The 12 Days of STEM Gifts come recommended by our staff and are inspired by favorite Science Mill exhibits. Everything is available from the museum’s Science Store on site (open during museum hours) or online, with shipping to anywhere in the U.S. Plus, these gifts give back: your purchases help to fund our science programs for Texas youth.

DAY 1

Chemistry C500 Kit

Colleen, a Science Mill STEM Education Specialist, loves making chemical reactions and explosions at the museum’s Chemical Reaction exhibit. She recommends the Chemistry C500 kit, with 28 classic experiments. This hands-on kit reveals that chemistry isn’t just for laboratories; it helps explain the chemistry behind everyday events all around us.

DAY 2

DIY Bubble Blower

Sherry, our Visitor Services Manager, is proof that our new Bubble Station is truly fun for all ages. “I’m always available to ‘test’ the bubble mix,” she says. “Who doesn’t love bubbles?” For the bubble fans in your life, Sherry recommends the Bubble Blower: it lets you build your own bubble-blowing machine using an electric motor, fan, gearbox and soap bubble wheel.

DAY 3

Ginormous Grow Lizard

Animal-lover Ryan, our Animal Care Technician, is especially fond of the colorful panther chameleon in the Masters of Disguise exhibit. Now you can grow your own lizard, with the Ginormous Grow Lizard! Place them in water and they grow from 12½” to up to 36” in length.

DAY 4

365 Science Activities Book

The 365 Science Activities Book gives you a year's worth of science fun! There's a new scientific discovery to be made each day in this inspiring book full of easy and exciting experiments—for example, split light into different colors using glass and white paper. (Our Family Memberships are another great way to share a year of science fun!)

DAY 5

Mini Fairy Garden + Thirsty Plant Kit

Emilee, our STEM Outreach Specialist, loves walking through the Mill’s Aquaponics Greenhouse. If you have a budding gardener in your life, check out the Mini Fairy Garden for younger kids or the Thirsty Plant Kit, which allows kids 8+ to build their own solar-powered moisture sensor.

DAY 6

Makey Makey GO

The Banana Piano is a visitor favorite at the Science Mill. You can recreate it at home—or anywhere else—with Makey Makey GO! With the snap of an alligator clip, the tinkerer in your life can transform everyday objects into Internet touchpads and invent anytime and anywhere!

DAY 7

Kids First Stepping Into Science Kit

Rachel, our STEM Education Specialist, loves seeing the look of wonder on kids’ faces when they’re really engaged in an exhibit. Foster that same sense of curiosity at home with Rachel’s gift pick: the Kids First Stepping into Science Kit! With 25 fun, hands-on experiments and a 48-page guidebook, this kit introduces the scientific method through five topics: nature, physics, chemistry, air and water.

DAY 8

Galileoscope + Astronaut snacks

Know an aspiring astronaut? After checking out our display of NASA Student Launch Initiative Rockets for inspiration, pick up the Galileoscope—a build-your-own telescope kit! View the night sky just as Galileo did 400 years with this high-quality kit, developed by leading astronomers, optical engineers and science educators. For a great stocking stuffer, grab some freeze-dried astronaut fruit, too.

DAY 9

Make a FLINGER BOT Kit

Mary, the Science Mill’s Assistant Director of Education, believes the best way to learn is to play! That’s why her top gift pick is the Make a FLINGER BOT kit. This kit has everything from hydraulics to propellers, similar to our Incredible Ball Machine exhibit. Now you can make your own Rube Goldberg-like contraption to fling objects with abandon!

DAY 10

Plush poison dart frog

Since their debut in Masters of Disguise this summer, the poison dart frogs have become a new staff and visitor favorite. Take home these cute-but-deadly creatures in plush frog form—and check out the huggable axolotl and turtle plushies, too!

DAY 11

Motorized Robot Hand

Bradley, the Science Mill’s Exhibit Design Technician loves the hands-on, robotic elements of the Mill’s Robotic Marionette. For kids who dream of creating their own robot, the Science Store offers a variety of DIY robotic toys and kits, including the Motorized Robot Hand.

DAY 12

Dinosaur hand puppet + Dino-themed pencil bag and putty

Our Fossil Dig is always a big hit with young visitors. Did you know we have a plethora of prehistoric presents for potential paleontologists in the Science Store? From a dinosaur pencil bag to a dino hand puppet to dinosaur putty, these stocking stuffers will have them roaring with delight!

For more ideas, see our Science Outside Gift Guide.

Science Outside Gift Guide

Welcome to the Science Mill’s STEM gift guide, focused on enjoying science outside! Inspired by the outdoor exhibits in our Science & Art Park, we’ve selected some of our favorite toys, kits and books that spark kids’ love of nature and wonder for the world around them. There are options for a variety of ages (3+ to teens) and price points (starting at $4). You’ll find these gifts and more in our Science Store, both at the museum and online, with shipping available anywhere in the U.S. An added bonus: all purchases support the Science Mill’s STEM programs for Texas youth and help inspire the next generation of scientists.

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For Backyard Biologists

Welcome birds to your backyard! The Build a Bird Bungalow kit includes all the materials to construct and paint a colorful hanging bird house. Nurture a green thumb and imagination with the Mini Fairy Garden. Kids can grow their own garden inside a tiny terrarium with a magical twist.

 For a closer look at your tiniest neighbors, try the magnifying Bug Viewer or one of the Nature Explorer Sets—options include a multi-lens magnifying glass, net and bug habitat. Wish you could go “behind the scenes” of an insect’s life? The clear-walled Interactive Ant Habitat lets kids see into ant tunnels. It has everything you need to care for a colony—just add ants!

Science Mill inspiration: Butterfly Garden, African Spurred Tortoises, Aquaponics Greenhouse

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For Stargazers & Storm Chasers

Not only is the Galileoscope powerful enough to view Saturn’s rings and the moon’s craters, kids get to build it themselves! Experiment with lenses and learn about optics as you complete the kit, then head outside to explore the skies. Bring along the Pocket Star Finder to help identify constellations.  

Go from asking “What’s the weather?” to explaining, how it works with the Climate and Weather Kit. Build a model Earth and use it to recreate our planet’s atmosphere, wind systems and air currents; track your local weather with a DIY barometer and rain gauge.

Science Mill inspiration: Bubble Station, Story of Water, NASA Rockets

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For Engineers & Experimenters

With the Solar Mechanics Kit, kids can build race cars, windmills, robots and more—all powered by the sun! Follow the 20 suggested projects or create your own using the kit’s solar motor. For more fun with the sun, check out the Physics Solar Workshop: it has everything young engineers need to experiment with solar cells, motors and simple machines. Use the sun to fuel kids’ artistry, too: Capture shapes and create patterns on sun-sensitive paper with the Solar Print Kit + Solar Print Paper refills.

Look out below—these kits turn physics into high-flying fun! Make a Flinger Bot from a wacky Rube Goldburg-style mix of gears, propellers and hydraulics. Or Make a Catapult following a wooden design inspired by Leonardo da Vinci. Turn it into a team sport: Stack the Wooden Toppling Towers together, then take turns trying to remove a piece without causing a crash! 

Science Mill inspiration: Incredible Ball Machine, Wave Pendulum, Colossal Robotic Hand

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For Coders & Puzzlers

Turn your yard into a technology lab with Makey Makey GO. Compatible with USB-port devices, this portable circuitry tool lets kids turn everyday objects into digital touchpads. Create a swing set counter or a soccer scorekeeper!

Perplexus Mini is a hand-held 3D puzzle that takes mental focus and physical coordination (aka a perfect brain break to get the wiggles out!). Flip, twist and spin as you guide a marble through a miniature maze. Create your own dizzying mazes with Sidewalk Spiral Art. The stencils interlock like gears, letting kids create intricate chalk design—it’s art and math combined.

Science Mill inspiration: Banana Piano (powered by Makey Makey!) Labyrinth, Wondergraph

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For Everyone Stocking Stuffers

Don’t mistake this stocking stuffer for a lump of coal! Smashable Geodes look like bumpy brown rocks on the outside, but a hammer’s whack reveals sparkling crystals inside. For a different take on geology, try the Magic Sand Kit: silicone oil coats each grain of sand, creating a unique material you can squish, shape and pour (and clean up with ease).

Books are always a great way to spark curiosity and creativity. The Science Store’s Book section  has everything from board books for babies to activity guides for aspiring architects, astronauts and scientists. Here are just a few of our favorites:

• 365 Science Activities

• Extremely Curious Questions and Answers

• The World is Waiting for You

• Look Inside How Things Work

Of course, you can’t go wrong with a gift card or a Family Membership! Our Science Store also has fun ways to make a celebratory contribution in honor of a loved one—such as donations to help feed the tortoises or plant seeds in our Aquaponics Greenhouse. 

It’s Outdoor Science Season! Fall activities in Johnson City

It’s Outdoor Science Season!
Fall activities in Johnson City

Fall’s blue skies and mild temps have finally arrived, so we’re making the most of time outdoors with family. Here are some of our favorite ways to explore at the Science Mill and the surrounding Johnson City area!

This fall, trade your backyard for ours

The Science & Art Park—the Science Mill’s big backyard—has over a dozen outdoor experiments and science experiences your group will love. Celebrate a special day or make it your outdoor classroom, like this group did:

(Courtesy Growing Up Childcare)

“As we sat down for lunch, the sun welcomed us. We were finally exploring in a space that wasn't home or a hiking trail. As we sat down near an enormous robotic hand overlooking a fossil dig site, the kiddos reminded me of how school-like it all was. We snickered over failed field trips and were reminded of all the friends we missed!! The Science Mill did a fantastic job ensuring our safety while inside the building and out. They were prepared and ready to over compensate for all our mask malfunctions! Many thanks for all the fun!! We're excited to come back.”
– Growing Up Childcare, via Facebook 

Helpful tips for your Science & Art Park visit:

• Bring a picnic or enjoy farm-to-table take-out from our neighbor, Lady Bird Lane Café (Wed-Sat 10:30am-2:30pm). We have outdoor tables available for lunch or a snack. 

• The Butterfly Garden, pecan grove and creek are prime spots for spying local wildlife. Download an app like iNaturalist or Seek to help identify your finds.

• Speaking of “I Spy”—look for Scavenger Hunt signs sprinkled throughout the Science & Art Park. Can you solve all 10 clues?

• For a speedy, contact-free entry, buy tickets online in advance. When you arrive, simply provide the purchaser’s name—no need to print out tickets. (To keep your journey just as speedy and simple, check out our driving directions and parking info.)

• Plan ahead for group discounts and special programs! Groups of 15 or more who pre-register at least 2 weeks before their visit get a discounted rate of $8 per person. Homeschool and learning pod groups can also add a staff-led Learning Lab. Click for more details and to start your registration.

Our visit guide has more resources for planning your day, including “play safe” options like our hands-free experiences—several of which can be found in the Science & Art Park, along with the Mill’s signature hands-on exhibits:

Minds-on, Hands-free favorites:

African Spurred Tortoise

Incredible Ball Machine

Butterfly Garden

Labyrinth

Hands-on Highlights:

Remarkable Reflectors (NEW)

Colossal Robotic Hand

Giant Bubbles Station

Fossil Dig

Johnson City’s fall attractions & Halloween events

October and November are the Hill Country’s “second spring,” with fall wildflower blooms that attract a host of local and migratory butterflies and other pollinators. Prairie land, restored to its wild beauty, blooms along the Settlement Trail at Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park. Make the short trek (<1 mile) at this neighboring attraction before or after your Science Mill adventure.

A fall calf recently born at LBJ Ranch
(Courtesy of National Park Services)

For some of the area’s best fall colors, travel 14 miles west from the Science Mill to LBJ Ranch. As you take the driving tour or bike the road through the Ranch, spot vivid leaves on oaks, sumacs and possum-haw hollies and scan the pastures for the “nursery herd” with newborn fall calves! Restrooms in Hangar Visitor Center are open for those that need a pit stop. Check online to confirm current hours.

Johnson City is also circled by a remarkable ring of state parks, including Pedernales Falls State Park, Blanco State Park, Lyndon B. Johnson State Park, Old Tunnel State Park, and Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. Most are a 20-minute drive from the Science Mill; Enchanted Rock is just under an hour away and well worth the trip. Many parks currently require day passes, so be sure to plan ahead at Texas Parks and Wildlife.

A Black Swallowtail visits a Shrubby Boneset
(Courtesy of Enchanted Rock State Natural Area)

Zebra crossing at Exotic Restort Zoo
(Courtesy of Exotic Resort Zoo)

And if really wild critters are your thing—think camels, ostriches and zebras!—take a drive-thru safari at Johnson City’s Exotic Resort Zoo. They recently relaunched their guided tours and petting zoo on weekdays (weekends and holidays excluded).

We’d love to see how you celebrate outdoor science season! Share photos from your favorite fall destinations and tag the Science Mill on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. 

What is the future of science?

What is the future of science?

Insights from my interviews with leading scientists and visionaries

Holly Barton, Director of Strategic Alignment

I have a fun job. As a staff member at the Science Mill, “work” includes lots of surprises. After all, this is a place where my colleagues drop parachutes designed by kids from the tops of towering silos, to see which can safely cradle an egg. And build a 30-foot steel hand with moving fingers because…well, why not?!

As we prepare for the Science Mill’s 6th Annual Benefit, Navigating the In-Between: The Future of Science, my “work” has been the unique privilege of speaking with 11 amazing scientists, artists and visionaries (oh, and one MacArthur Fellow!). In watching their short presentations recorded exclusively for the Science Mill, here’s what I learned about the future of science:

Coding, programming and data analysis skills are key

Not all scientists wear a white coat, hold a beaker and work in a lab! This theme echoed loudly across fields—from neuroscience to astrophysics to biomedical engineering to virology. Kids who want to pursue a STEM career need to be skilled in coding, programming, data analysis and statistics. In his talk about artificial intelligence, Matthew Stepka acknowledges that, while we may be on the edge of Moore’s Law, the amount of new scientific data being collected is massive—there’s so much waiting to be analyzed and understood.

Collaboration between disciplines is the future

A number of scientists discussed the need for “cross talk” between areas of science, design, technology and art to propel innovation. What if, as Dr. Emilie Snell-Rood proposes, we took biology’s basic body of knowledge across millions of species and applied that knowledge to solve problems? Perhaps a solution comes from making a robot with gecko feet, or studying caterpillars’ adaptations to toxins to create new cancer medications. Technology now provides opportunities for innovators to collaborate on a global scale. It’s an exciting time to be scientist!

Diversity matters

Dr. G. David Tilman describes how, in an experiment with 170 plots of prairie land, research shows that the greater the number of species, the greater the ecosystem’s productivity and stability. Just as diversity matters in nature, diversity in education and the workforce matters, too. Many of the scientists shared how having diverse voices at the table improves the efficiency and quality of scientific research. 

Yet too many voices remain absent or silenced. Dr. Snell-Rood shares a study showing empirical proof that demographically underrepresented students innovate at a higher rate than majority students, but their contributions are discounted and less likely to earn them academic advancements. 

Susan Orr illustrates the “funnel effect” in engineering: over the course of college and into the workforce, women’s representation in the field gradually—but significantly—drops. To understand why, she interviewed 350 female STEM professionals to uncover barriers to gender diversity in the workplace. Her talk lays out seven key issues, several of which impact men, too.

We must continue to support underrepresented students, including minorities, first-generation students, and girls, in their pursuit of a STEM career. Which leads to our final point: 

We need to nurture kids’ interest in STEM

Some of these scientists knew from an early age exactly what they wanted to pursue as a career. (Be sure to listen to Dr. Keith Hawkins’s talk to hear how a crush on a girl in elementary school led him to astrophysics!) One constant in finding their paths was the encouragement of parents, teachers or professors. We know that not all students have that support in their lives. How can we, as a community, help support these students, who are often the diverse voices that science needs? One area discussed was financial support, such as sponsoring paid research positions, so students don’t need to choose between summer jobs and unpaid internships. Here at the Science Mill, that support starts with STEM Career Immersion Camps that introduce students to a world of future possibilities.

Ten-year predictions: The Future of Science 

I couldn’t resist asking our experts for a few specific predictions about the next decade:

• According to astronaut Tom Henricks, NASA will put a woman on the moon within five years. Within 10 years, humans will walk on Mars!

• Dr. Hawkins predicts that the Gaia spacecraft, also known as the Billion Star Surveyor, will provide the most precise 3D star map of the galaxy ever attempted—mapping about 1 billion stars (or 1% of our galaxy) at a cost of €1 billion.

• Matthew Stepka expects superhuman capabilities from computers and machine learning that will make a real impact on our everyday lives (beyond facial recognition and translation, for example).

• Dr. Mark Thomas is already exploring optogenetics, or the use of light to activate or inactivate specific pathways in the brain. This cutting-edge technology will be expanded in the next decade to make advances in treating addiction.

Should we hold our scientists to these predictions? No flying cars, so I’d say it’s safe to check in again in 10 years. Until then, I’d like to leave you with my two favorite quotes from the talks:

“Void the warranty. Bust things open and figure out how they work.” – Leo Villareal, Artist

“There is only one answer: it’s science!” – Vincent Racaniello, Virologist

I hope you’ll take the opportunity to watch one or all of these enlightening talks during this special event and learn how you can help support the next generation in the Future of Science.