The opportunity to invent is at your fingertips when you walk into Spark!Lab. The Holland Historical Trust received a $40,000 grant from our Community’s Endowment in 2018 to bring this Smithsonian Institution activity-based, innovation program to our community.

The revolving Spark!Lab activities are designed around common themes that connect with existing museum collections in a hands-on workspace. Children and their families engage in the process of creation and discovery while exploring topics ranging from science and technology, to engineering and math, to art and history.

“This region has such a rich history of invention and innovation,” said Ricki Levine, Executive Director of the Holland Museum. “Spark!Lab has allowed us to showcase a variety of new and different items in our collection. We are able to not only teach the process of invention, but we can teach the history at the same time.”

You won’t find a step-by-step manual in the workspace. Instead, participants are asked to identify problems and challenges they find in their day-to-day lives, and are asked to put their own ideas into action. All the while, they are practicing 21st century learning skills like collaboration, problem-solving, and critical thinking.

Spark!Lab has also allowed the museum to showcase more of the 90,000 historical artifacts in its collection that people might not have seen before. Spark!Lab links these artifacts and their stories to a present day challenge. This connection between past and present is at the heart of the museum’s mission.

The addition of Spark!Lab has had a significant positive impact on the museum, and the community. In the first six months since opening, attendance to the museum increased by 58%. Family membership also grew by 25%. “While we can’t attribute all of our growth to Spark!Lab, certainly a good amount can,” Ricki said.

The Holland Museum is home to one of only three Spark!Labs in the state of Michigan. Science, technology, engineering, and math educators have begun to include Spark!Lab as a part of their curriculum. In addition to local classrooms, the Holland Museum has partnered up with other community organizations such as the Meet Up and Eat Up program, the Boys and Girls Club, makers groups and more.

“It’s offering the community a different experience of the Museum. Something people of all ages can enjoy together,” said Connie Locker VerHulst, Education and Outreach Manager. “It feels like the opportunities are endless.”

Originally featured in the Community Foundation’s 2018 Annual Report.