The museum was founded by a professional engineer to provide children with a tangible understanding of how things work.
The facility emphasizes open-ended building materials rather than static, one-way displays.
The Works Museum hosts specific programs focused on girl-centered STEM initiatives to bridge the gender gap in engineering fields.
The museum floor utilizes a 'Design-Build-Test' methodology derived from real-world engineering project lifecycles.
Exhibits frequently utilize repurposed industrial materials to demonstrate engineering principles.
The Works Museum is a hands-on engineering and design center specifically tailored for children and their families. Located in Bloomington, Minnesota, the facility focuses on STEM-based learning through tactile exhibits and interactive building stations. Visitors engage with concepts such as structural integrity, circuitry, and machine mechanics. The exhibits are designed to be non-prescriptive, allowing children to design, build, and test their own creations. Frequent rotating exhibits focus on topics like renewable energy, simple machines, and architectural modeling. The museum serves as a primary educational hub for elementary-aged children to explore practical applications of science and math.
The large-scale LEGO building area and the hydraulic robotic arm stations.
Check the website for 'open build' event themes before visiting to see if your child’s interests align with specific engineering challenges.
Wear comfortable clothing, as the museum involves significant physical movement and time spent on the floor at building stations.
Avoid arriving during peak weekend afternoons if you prefer a quieter environment, as the interactive nature of the exhibits can become very loud and crowded.
Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Supervision is required at all times; closed-toe shoes are recommended for safety in building zones.
