The Don Harrington Discovery Center’s first “Free First Monday” program of 2026 will be on Jan. 5, from 4:30 to 7 p.m., helping families kick off the new year with an affordable way to make discoveries together. Free First Mondays is a monthly program that offers free admission during evening hours at the center.
In addition, 2026 marks a special year for the discovery center. They will begin to celebrate their 50th anniversary with a New Year’s Eve celebration on Wednesday, Dec. 31 during regular business hours, 9:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m. “Ring in the New Year” begins with a storytime at 10:30 a.m. for younger children, followed by science demonstrations, activities, and science-based programs in DHDC’s Space Theater throughout the day. The center will be closed on New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, but will be open for regular business hours after that, as well as the Jan. 5 evening programs.
“Free First Mondays” coincides with DHDC’s “Girls Who Science program,” which also occurs on the first Monday of each month. With their new free evening hours open to the whole community, it also gives entire families the opportunity to attend “Girls Who Science” and learn more about women in different STEM careers, as well as enjoy their state-of-the-art exhibits outside of traditional business hours…