Science

Workshop: STEM Fun

Presented by Mad Science Lab of the Bay Area
Saturday, 1/10/2026
11:00 - 12:00
Children's Creative Center - 2nd Fl
Main Library

100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
United States

415-557-4400

Learn various science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) concepts with hands on projects from Mad Science Lab of the Bay Area.

For children ages 8–12. Space limited. Seats available first come, first served.

Saturdays starting January 3–March 7:

January 3: Cells - Get under your own skin and take a journey into your body. Discover the microworld of cells and how they compare to your city. Make your very own model cell to take home.

January 10: Heredity - Learn the basic principles of heredity: inheritance of traits, the principle of dominance and how genotypes represent phenotype. Put critical thinking skills to work by assembling creatures with unique phenotypes and genotypes.

January 17: Electricity - Don’t insulate yourself from this electrifying class. Visit the circuit circus and discover its positives and negatives. Apply your knowledge and build your own static tube.

January 24: Great Gravity - Step into the shoes of Sir Isaac Newton and recreate some famous experiments that explore the force of gravity, the center of gravity and even defy gravity. Make your own Da Vinci parachute.

January 31: Earthworks - Take a voyage to the center of the Earth. Investigate the powerful process that shapes our planet and forms remarkable rocks, magnificent minerals and glittering gems. Build and take-home density stackers.

February 7: Detective Science - Discover how science is used to solve real crimes, in the library, as it's transformed into a crime lab for an exciting exploration of the fundamentals of forensics. Take home a fingerprint chart. It's so much fun, it's criminal.

February 14: FUNdamental Forces - Gravity, inertia and centripetal force. Who could ever imagine that an introduction to physics could be so much fun? Experience these awesome forces and build some cool devices to watch them at work.

February 21: Che-Mystery - Eliminate the mystery in chemistry. Explore one of the most exciting and fundamental sciences as you watch water turn into juice and liquids turn into solids. Explore physical and chemical reactions and take home a dynamic dish.

February 28: Up, Up and Away - See the amazing power of buoyancy and pressure. Make your own sea diver that will float or sink at your command.

March 7: Radical Reactions - Experiment with substances that create really radical reactions. Take home a Mad Science Super Ball.

Science

Gain a new perspective on and understanding of the world through programs on the sciences.

Spotlight

This program is sponsored by Friends of the San Francisco Public Library.

Attending Programs

All programs are drop-in (no registration necessary) unless otherwise noted. All SFPL locations are wheelchair accessible. For accommodations (such as ASL), call (415) 557-4557 or contact accessibility@sfpl.org. Requesting at least 3 business days in advance will help ensure availability.

This program will be conducted in English unless otherwise noted.

Notice: This event may be filmed or photographed. By participating in this event, you consent to have your likeness used for the Library’s archival purposes and promotional materials. If you do not want to be photographed, please inform a staff person or the photographer. A sticker will be provided to help identify you so that we can avoid capturing your image.

Public Notice and Disclaimer

This program uses a third-party website link. By clicking on the third-party website link, you will leave SFPL's website and enter a website not operated by SFPL. This service may collect personally identifying information about you, such as name, username, email address, and password. This service will treat the information it collects about you pursuant to its own privacy policy. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of each third-party website or service that you visit or use, including those third parties with whom you interact through our Library services. For more information about these third-party links, please see the section of SFPL’s Privacy Policy describing Links to Other Sites.

The views and opinions expressed in programs presented by groups unaffiliated with SFPL do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SFPL or the City.