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EIGHTH annual Tennessee STEAM Festival brings science to life

Variety of statewide events and activities for all ages, Oct. 11-27, 2024

Science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) will come to life at events and activities across the state during the 8th annual Tennessee STEAM Festival, taking place Oct. 11-27.

The Festival was founded by the Discovery Center at Murfree Spring and incorporates events hosted by a wide range of museums, schools, community centers, and other attractions. More information is available at TNsteam.org.

The Festival’s popular “STEAM-a-Palooza” returns this year on Saturday, Oct. 12, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Discovery Center. This free outdoor event (rain or shine) features local artists, scientists, and engineers for all-ages, hands-on fun. In addition, Discovery Center’s general admission for indoor exhibits will be half-price from noon to 4 p.m. on Oct. 12.

“Where else can curious kids and adults navigate using the stars, hunt for bugs with an entomologist, engage with scientists, engineers, tech-industry experts and artists in a 2-week celebration across the state?,” said Discovery Center CEO Tara MacDougall. “The Festival wouldn’t be possible without the many organizations and businesses that are participating this year. Each one offers a very special opportunity to experience how important science, technology, engineering, art, and math are in our everyday lives.”

Featured events include:

  • Interactive Science Experiments and Demonstrations at Wonderworks - Oct. 11

  • Muse Robotics Festival - Oct. 11

  • "Wheels on the Bus" at the Nashville Children's Theatre - Oct. 12 to 27

  • Master the Four Elements with the Science of Bending at the Washington County Library - Oct. 15

  • MoSH STEAMFEST Days - Oct. 16 to 18

  • Meet the Astronomer Evening at Vanderbilt University Dyer Observatory - Oct. 17

  • The Boys and Girls Club of Rutherford County STEAM Fest - Oct. 17

  • STEAM Day at Nashville Zoo - Oct. 18

  • Reelfoot Lake State Park Pelican Festival - Oct. 18 to 20

  • Early Math + Appalachia: It All Adds Up with the Appalachian Association for Children's Early Education - Oct 19

  • Yoga at Lichterman Nature Center - Oct. 19

  • Airport STEAM Festival at the Murfreesboro Municipal Airport - Oct. 19

  • Leonardo Youth Maker Mixer with Nashville PBS - Oct. 19

  • STEAM Day with the American Museum of Science and Energy - Oct. 22

  • National Weather Service Memphis Office Tour - Oct. 25

  • ...and much more!

2024 event partners include:

  • Adventure Science Center

  • American Museum of Science and Energy, Oak Ridge

  • Antioch Middle School

  • Appalachian Association for Children's Early Education

  • Bays Mountain Park and Planetarium, Kingsport

  • Beaman Nature Center

  • Boys and Girls Club of Rutherford County

  • Bricks 4 Kids, Knoxville

  • Cason Lane Academy

  • Challenger STEM Learning Center (UTKC)

  • CH Nash Museum at Chucalissa

  • Cleveland Bradley County Library

  • Country Music Hall of Fame

  • Creative Discovery Museum

  • Customs House Museum, Clarksville

  • Discovery Park of America

  • Dow Street Community Music School

  • Dyer Observatory - Vanderbilt

  • Earth Experience: Museum of Natural History

  • EC (Early Childhood) STEM Lab

  • Elephant Sanctuary

  • Etowah Carnegie Public Library

  • Everett Horn Public Library

  • FiftyForward

  • Fort Negley

  • Friends of Mill Ridge Park

  • Frist Art Museum

  • Hands On! Discovery Center

  • Hardin County Library

  • Learning Blade

  • Liberty Music Academy

  • Little Learners Lab

  • Lucius E. & Elsie C. Burch, Jr. Library

  • M.D. Anderson Planetarium, Jackson (University of Memphis Lambuth Campus)

  • Memphis Botanic Garden

  • Memphis Museum of Science and History - MOSH and Lichterman Nature Center

  • Metro Water Services (Nashville)

  • Middle Tennessee Sinfonietta

  • MTSU Center for Environmental Education/ Biology

  • MTSU Chemistry

  • Murfreesboro Center for the Arts

  • Murfreesboro Municipal Airport

  • Muse Knoxville

  • Nashville BalletNashville Children's Theater

  • Nashville Public Television NPT/ WNPT, PBS

  • Nashville Section of the American Chemical Society

  • Nashville Zoo

  • National Weather Service (NWS) Memphis

  • Nissan Group of Americas

  • Northview Primary STEM School

  • Pinecrest Camp and Retreat

  • Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge, Union City

  • Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies

  • Rutherford County Library System/ Technology Engagement Center

  • Shelby Bottoms Nature Center

  • Southeast Nashville Homeschool Enrichment

  • Studio Tenn Theatre Company, Franklin

  • South Sudanese Girls Empowerment Front

  • Tennessee Girls Collaborative

  • Tennessee Theatre, Knoxville

  • Tennessee STEM Education Center

  • The Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum

  • The Parthenon

  • Travel and Art Club LLC

  • Union Grove Elementary School

  • UT Space Institute

  • UTSI Observatory

  • Washington County Public Library

  • Wonderworks, Pigeon Forge

Sponsored by Franke, the Nashville Chapter of the American Chemical Society, the Tennessee Academy of Science, and the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce.

About the Discovery Center

The Discovery Center at Murfree Spring is a hands-on, environmental, cultural, and educational museum located in the heart of Middle Tennessee. More than 120,000 children and families visit annually, exploring exhibits and participating in programs that promote STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts & math) education. Adjacent to the Center is the protected Murfree Spring wetlands, a natural habitat for a variety of fish, amphibians, and birds. Located at 502 S.E. Broad Street in Murfreesboro, TN. For more information, visit www.explorethedc.org or call (615) 890-2300.

Engaging Curious Minds to Fuel the Future.