STEAM Family Day in Balboa Park is the kick-off to the San Diego Science and Engineering Festival and a park-wide event. Enjoy free activities that explore science, technology, engineering, art, and math on the Prado and additional activities inside the park’s many museums. STEAM Family Day activities go from 11am–3pm inside the Fleet and are included with admission.

Outside on the Prado, stop by the Fleet’s booth to test your skills at cleaning the ocean. The Fleet Science Center has challenged young engineers to create devices to collect trash from the sea without harming marine life. The students from the Fleet’s after-school SciTech program will showcase devices they’ve designed for this challenge, and they’ll invite you to try your hand at a simulated ocean clean-up. This activity is free!

Inside the Fleet, you can interact with more than 100 exhibits, including those in GUITAR: The Instrument That Rocked the World. Be sure to step into the Tinkering Studio to explore the science of sound. There, you can explore ways to make your own kind of music using items found around the house.

In the Theater Lobby, you can check out everything from cooking to cars, thanks to San Diego’s Makers.

Solar Cookers: Did you know you can make a solar cooker out of office materials? Learn how you can cook with the sun.
Soldering Demonstration: Local Girl Scouts will be on hand demonstrating their soldering skills.
Music Machines: Explore unique machines that make music. Items include geodesic touch music controllers, a blown up digital music box and old computers making fun, video game-style music.
Nerdy Derby: The Nerdy Derby is a fun miniature car building and racing competition inspired by the Cub Scouts' Pinewood Derby. Make and test your own car with materials we provide. The best part is that you get to keep your car! Supplies are limited; first come, first served.

All activities indoors are included with Fleet exhibit gallery admission, which is free on this day for children 12 and under when accompanied by an adult who has paid for admission. For those who prefer, children 12 and under can receive 20% off admission to an IMAX® film in the Heikoff Giant Dome Theater, such as Journey to the South Pacific or Mysteries of the Unseen World, plus the exhibit galleries.