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The Tinkering Studio is located inside the Exploratorium, the museum of science, art and human perception. Location & Directions
Hours & Admissions
Current Event
We’re open! »
@ Pier 15
The Tinkering Studio opened its doors, along with the rest of the Exploratorium, on April 17, 2013! After three years of prototyping at the Palace of Fine Arts, and three months of construction at Pier 15, we are proud to open our doors to the visiting public.
One of the first things you will notice as you come into the South Gallery, where the Tinkering Studio is located, is Tim Hunkin’s mechanical clock. Don’t miss its spectacular show,…
The Tinkering Studio opened its doors, along with the rest of the Exploratorium, on April 17, 2013! After three years of prototyping at the Palace of Fine Arts, and three months of construction at Pier 15, we are proud to open our doors to the visiting public.
One of the first things you will notice as you come into the South Gallery, where the Tinkering Studio is located, is Tim Hunkin’s mechanical clock. Don’t miss its spectacular show,…
See all upcoming events »
Past Events
Open MAKE: Trash »
Saturday, Apr 21, 2012
A collaboration between the Exploratorium, MAKE Magazine, and Pixar Animation Studios, Open MAKE is a monthly program highlighting the…
A collaboration between the Exploratorium, MAKE Magazine, and Pixar Animation Studios, Open MAKE is a monthly program highlighting the…
Open MAKE: Tools »
Saturday, Mar 17, 2012
A collaboration between the Exploratorium, MAKE Magazine, and Pixar Animation Studios, Open MAKE is a monthly program highlighting the…
A collaboration between the Exploratorium, MAKE Magazine, and Pixar Animation Studios, Open MAKE is a monthly program highlighting the…
Tools »
Tools are near and dear to every maker’s heart: often prized possessions, whether they are obsessively chosen and lovingly cared…
Tools are near and dear to every maker’s heart: often prized possessions, whether they are obsessively chosen and lovingly cared…
Open MAKE: Time »
Saturday, Feb 18, 2012
A collaboration between the Exploratorium, MAKE Magazine, and Pixar Animation Studios, Open MAKE is a monthly program highlighting the…
A collaboration between the Exploratorium, MAKE Magazine, and Pixar Animation Studios, Open MAKE is a monthly program highlighting the…
Time »
Feb 6 - Mar 5
Time is what keeps all tinkering from happening at once! Our fourth dimension, this elusive and mind-boggling constant presence in…
Time is what keeps all tinkering from happening at once! Our fourth dimension, this elusive and mind-boggling constant presence in…
Open MAKE: Toys »
Saturday, Jan 21, 2012
A collaboration between the Exploratorium, MAKE Magazine, and Pixar Animation Studios, Open MAKE is a monthly program highlighting the…
A collaboration between the Exploratorium, MAKE Magazine, and Pixar Animation Studios, Open MAKE is a monthly program highlighting the…
Toys »
Jan 5 - Feb 1, 2012
Join us this month as we literally play with toys! Toys are probably the first experience any of us has with tinkering: we all know how to play with toys, and perhaps more than any other material they free us to explore and mess about without wondering whether we are "doing it right."
Join us this month as we literally play with toys! Toys are probably the first experience any of us has with tinkering: we all know how to play with toys, and perhaps more than any other material they free us to explore and mess about without wondering whether we are "doing it right."
Fall for Tinkering »
All over again
Join us for a autumnal exploration of some core Tinkering Studio activities, and play with some of our favorite exhibits.…
Join us for a autumnal exploration of some core Tinkering Studio activities, and play with some of our favorite exhibits.…
Maker Faire 2011 »
May 21 & 22, 2011
This year, once again, the Tinkering Studio organized the Exploratorium’s booth at Maker Faire. Throngs of people joined us at…
This year, once again, the Tinkering Studio organized the Exploratorium’s booth at Maker Faire. Throngs of people joined us at…
Open MAKE: wood »
April 16, 2011
A collaboration between the Exploratorium, MAKE Magazine, and Pixar Animation Studios, Open MAKE is a monthly program highlighting the…
A collaboration between the Exploratorium, MAKE Magazine, and Pixar Animation Studios, Open MAKE is a monthly program highlighting the…
Materiality: Wood »
April 5 - June 30, 2011
Each month between January and May we’ll explore a different theme, centering activities, exhibits, and artists around a new material.…
Each month between January and May we’ll explore a different theme, centering activities, exhibits, and artists around a new material.…
Open MAKE: Metal/Wire »
March 19, 2011
A collaboration between the Exploratorium, MAKE Magazine, and Pixar Animation Studios, Open MAKE is a monthly program highlighting the…
A collaboration between the Exploratorium, MAKE Magazine, and Pixar Animation Studios, Open MAKE is a monthly program highlighting the…
Materiality: Metal/Wire »
March 11 - April 4, 2011
Each month between January and May we’ll explore a different theme, centering activities, exhibits, and artists around a new material.…
Each month between January and May we’ll explore a different theme, centering activities, exhibits, and artists around a new material.…
Open MAKE: Cardboard »
February 19, 2011
A collaboration between the Exploratorium, MAKE Magazine, and Pixar Animation Studios, Open MAKE is a monthly program highlighting the…
A collaboration between the Exploratorium, MAKE Magazine, and Pixar Animation Studios, Open MAKE is a monthly program highlighting the…
Materiality: Cardboard »
February 7-March 7, 2011
Each month between January and May we’ll explore a different theme, centering activities, exhibits, and artists around a new material.…
Each month between January and May we’ll explore a different theme, centering activities, exhibits, and artists around a new material.…
Open MAKE: Plastic »
January 15, 2011
A collaboration between the Exploratorium, MAKE Magazine, and Pixar Animation Studios, Open MAKE is a monthly program highlighting the…
A collaboration between the Exploratorium, MAKE Magazine, and Pixar Animation Studios, Open MAKE is a monthly program highlighting the…
Materiality: Plastic »
January 3 - February 6, 2011
Each month between January and May we’ll explore a different theme, centering activities, exhibits, and artists around a new material.…
Each month between January and May we’ll explore a different theme, centering activities, exhibits, and artists around a new material.…
10-10-10 Celebration »
October 10, 2010
In honor of the film Powers of Ten by Ray and Charles Eames, the Exploratorium hosted a museum-wide celebration on…
In honor of the film Powers of Ten by Ray and Charles Eames, the Exploratorium hosted a museum-wide celebration on…
Toy Misfits »
June 5, 2010
On the heels of Twisted Toys, an event in which 22 hand-picked creative individuals repurposed identical toys, we offered another…
On the heels of Twisted Toys, an event in which 22 hand-picked creative individuals repurposed identical toys, we offered another…
Maker Faire 2010 »
May 22–23, 2010
In the 2010 edition of Maker Faire, we brought some of our favorite activities: we did table top activities like…
In the 2010 edition of Maker Faire, we brought some of our favorite activities: we did table top activities like…
Mechanical Mischief: Twisted Toys »
May 8, 2010
Artist in residence Michael Brown and the Tinkering Studio hosted the first annual, invitation-only Mechanical Mischief: Twisted Toys workshop on…
Artist in residence Michael Brown and the Tinkering Studio hosted the first annual, invitation-only Mechanical Mischief: Twisted Toys workshop on…
Open MAKE: Motions and Mechanisms »
April 24–June 27, 2010
Join us for an exploration of things that move, and ways to make them move!
Join us for an exploration of things that move, and ways to make them move!
Open MAKE: Sound »
March 27–April 23, 2010
During April we explored sound and music. The featured makers for this month were Krys Bobrowski, Walter Kitundu, and Ge…
During April we explored sound and music. The featured makers for this month were Krys Bobrowski, Walter Kitundu, and Ge…
Open MAKE: Wearables »
February 27–March 26, 2010
The theme for the second Open MAKE event was wearables and soft circuitry, and we hosted works by the High/Low…
The theme for the second Open MAKE event was wearables and soft circuitry, and we hosted works by the High/Low…
Sex toys take-apart »
February 4, 2010
This is an event we put together for one of the Exploratorium’s After Dark series of adult-centered nights. The overall…
This is an event we put together for one of the Exploratorium’s After Dark series of adult-centered nights. The overall…
Mod Your Own »
February 2010
Mod your own was a small, impromptu workshop in the Tinkering Studio, inspired by a larger three-day event called Rods…
Mod your own was a small, impromptu workshop in the Tinkering Studio, inspired by a larger three-day event called Rods…
Open MAKE: Circuits »
January 30–February 26, 2010
This was our first Open MAKE event, in which we explored electrical circuits, through activities, exhibits, and works of art.…
This was our first Open MAKE event, in which we explored electrical circuits, through activities, exhibits, and works of art.…
Reflections Workshop »
July 2009
Reflections was a collaboration between artist Chris Bell and the Learning Studio. Chris Bell has done amazing work with light…
Reflections was a collaboration between artist Chris Bell and the Learning Studio. Chris Bell has done amazing work with light…
Maker Faire 2009 »
May 23–24, 2009
Maker Faire is a chance for the public to meet the makers at the Exploratorium, and a chance for those…
Maker Faire is a chance for the public to meet the makers at the Exploratorium, and a chance for those…
Science For Monks »
January 9–23, 2009
A group of educators from the Learning Studio traveled to Sarnath, India, to teach science inquiry to a group of…
A group of educators from the Learning Studio traveled to Sarnath, India, to teach science inquiry to a group of…
Light Distractions »
August 2008
Light Distractions was an experiment: we spent two weeks experimenting, playing, and prototyping with light, reflections, and shadows in a…
Light Distractions was an experiment: we spent two weeks experimenting, playing, and prototyping with light, reflections, and shadows in a…
