Design, Build, Test, & Repeat!

Experiment and innovate in Tinker Tank, our hands-on makerspace. There are no correct answers and every day features something different. Try engineering and design challenges through hands-on activities, while learning new skills to make something from nothing and then turn that creation into something better.

PacSci provides the tools you need to persevere through roadblocks, discover new approaches, and solve fun engineering tasks. Celebrate new approaches to creating and making, and take pleasure in knowing that no two design solutions are the same.

Each day at Tinker Tank features new challenges to solve through different activities. One day you may build rockets with rocket scientists, while others you may design spinning tops with ex-surgeons, experiment with hydraulics, or experience the power of earthquakes on the shake table.

About Tinker Tank

Tinker Tank is PacSci’s hands-on tinkering space located in Upper Building 3. Guests can expect to see a variety of areas for tinkering with paper airplanes, LEGO, wooden architecture, and more. Tinker Tank has a staffed drop-in activity every day, as well as many different unfacilitated activities that guests can explore on their own. We encourage guests to design, test, and redesign their creations as we work together to solve fun engineering tasks.

our Philosophy

In Tinker Tank there are no right answers, only different ways of approaching a problem. We strongly believe that testing and redesigning are key features in the scientific design process, and failures are a learning opportunity. Our staff and volunteers are eager to help visitors puzzle through design problems and explore new ideas. We want to give guests the tools they need to persevere through roadblocks, discover new approaches, and to be proud of their work at the end of the day.

Drop-In Activities

Tinker Tank offers both staffed and unstaffed activities all day! Come tinker with thousands of LEGO bricks, or build the next Colosseum out of wooden Keva blocks. Our LEGO bricks, Keva blocks, vertical wind tables, origami tables, and gravity walls are always available for exploration.

Additionally, our engaged and knowledgeable staff host a variety of activities that change once or twice a week. We design activities that are hands-on, open ended and require thinking outside the box. We believe that everyone has the ability to innovate and create something amazing!

On any given day you could see one of these challenges:

• Hydraulics
• Circuit Blocks
• Hootitats
• Earthquake table
• Crash test
• Scribble-bots
• Lego Dominoes
• Lego City
• Paper Rockets
• Mechanical Limbs
• Egg Drop, Pringle Drop
• Duck Regatta
• Stop on a Dime
• Air Foils

Tinker Tank is made possible in part by:

Additional support comes from more than 1,500 individuals, companies and foundations that donate to Pacific Science Center each year, as well as more than 13,000 member households from every corner of Washington State and around the country. Learn more about ways you can support Tinker Tank and Pacific Science Center.