STEAM @ Ten Broeck Mansion: History-Based STEAM Programs for Families
*The event has already taken place on this date: Sat, 09/19/2026
Please help us keep this calendar up to date! If this activity is sold out, canceled, or otherwise needs alteration, email mindy@kidsoutandabout.com so we can update it immediately. If you have a question about the activity itself, please contact the organization administrator listed below.
Join us for free history-inspired STEAM programs with something for the entire family!
STEAM into history in our four acres of gardens and grounds with free hands-on activities, all supplies included. Programs held outdoors (under tent) rain or shine - please dress accordingly.
May 23: STEAM Garden and Planting Day/Horticulture & Agricultural Sciences. Did you know Ten Broeck Mansion was a five-acre estate with gardens? Explore the history of the Ten Broeck Mansion gardens, learn about some of the edible plants in the gardens, and make plant rubbings to explore nature through art. Plus, pick up a free take home seed kit (one per family while supplies last) and create an upcycled mosaic planter. Special Guest: Capital Roots
June 13: Music. Are you ready to rock? Learn about the history of music in Albany County and explore the science behind sound waves. Then, create and decorate your own up-cycled guitar to take home.
June 27: Ceramics: Let's work with clay! Learn how to make a coil pot and learn about the ceramics in the Ten Broeck Mansion, and the world-famous "Albany slip." Special Guest: Potter Linda Allen from the Arts Center of the Capital Region.
July 4: Waterways and Sailing, a special Revolutionary War themed STEAM program. Make a boat from everyday materials and learn about how important waterways were to the Revolutionary War. Plus, be a code breaker! Learn about codes used during the Revolution and beyond to keep messages secret during war. Special Guest: Tyler Warman of the New York State Museum.
July 18: Engineering. Get hands-on and build a brick wall, and learn about the historic bricks in the Ten Broeck Mansion. Plus, try to build a model of the Ten Broeck Mansion using a cereal box! Special Guest: Architect Sophia Lane from Thaler Reilly Wilson Architecture & Preservation.
August 8: Meteorology/Weather. Make your own barometer, and learn about how weather impacted Albany history. Special Guest: News10 ABC meteorologist Kevin Appleby.
September 19: STEAM: Community Tulip Planting/ Horticulture & Agricultural Sciences. Did you know tulips have been planted in our gardens since the 1800s? We will learn about the origins of tulips, how they came to Europe and North America, and how to grow tulips. Plus, free garden activity kits, art projects, and free take-home bulb planting kits. Special Guest: Mark Newbold, cheese monger, will join us to talk about cheese making.
*Times, dates, and prices of any activity posted to our calendars are subject to change. Please be sure to click through directly to the organization’s website to verify.