Montana Makers Exhibition

Montana Makers logo

Montana Makers is a mobile, hands-on STEM exhibition created through spectrUM’s Making Across Montana project funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The exhibition engages learners in the design thinking process at interactive stations that highlight making and tinkering in our everyday lives. spectrUM’s Bitterroot STEAM Advisory Group and SciNation advisory group on the Flathead Reservation co-designed the exhibition to be relevant to all Montanans, including in rural and tribal communities.

Exhibits

  • Two children at the builder station exhibit

    Builder Station

    Collaborate to make intricate, functional structures with our Rigamajig building set, dowels, and Sticklets building connectors. 

  • Child doing coding activity

    Coding Station

    Create code, explore circuitry with our Makey Makey exhibit, and check out a large, analog model of a computer. 

  • light play studio

    Light Play Studio

    Transform everyday objects into colorful, creative scenes projected onto a screen. Work in groups to create a narrative and perform it for an audience.

  • Children playing with Strawbees

    Maker Hub

    Gather at the center of the exhibition for a rotation of educator-led activities that include: quilting and weaving, Ozobots and Cubelets, Strawbees, felting, circuits, drum making, beading, dye making, build your own seed starter, and more.

  • Two children playing with Pixel Pegs exhibit

    Pixel Pegs Light Table and Magnet Wall

    Explore patterns and shapes using a large version of the popular Lite Brite toy. On the other side of the exhibit, design and build structures with Magformers on our magnetic wall.

  • Child exploring a sewing exhibit

    Quilting and Sewing Station

    Peer into a translucent sewing machine to see how it works inside. Zoom in to textures and examine different quilting patterns with a Dinolite handheld microscope. Add your own design to our community quilt.

  • Sound maker exhibit

    Sound Maker Studio

    Make your own instrument (and some noise!) at our Sound Maker Studio. Create and play a drum, hook it up to a looper guitar pedal station to create some beats and sing along, and make a digital recording to take home.