The Smithsonian Learning Lab is an online platform that provides access to millions of digital museum resources from across the Smithsonian. This platform is designed to make the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex more accessible for educators and students alike. Educators can handpick and combine museum objects, photographs, videos, artworks, specimens, and even articles and websites into interactive learning experiences.
Students can engage with these collections of resources directly on the Learning Lab, and educators can share them with colleagues locally or more broadly by publishing on the Lab. These collections can be as simple as a themed group of items or as complex as a complete lesson plan aligned to standards.
The Learning Lab is not just for classroom teachers. It is now home to thousands of expertly crafted collections published by Smithsonian educators. The number of digital museum resources available on the platform has grown to over six million since the Learning Lab first launched in 2016. The Smithsonian has continued to build new tools for creating interactive collections with museum resources, showcasing and highlighting innovative and creative educational resources from across its 21 museums, the National Zoo, global research centers, and libraries and archives.
The Learning Lab provides students with the opportunity to engage first-hand with authentic museum experiences, promoting curiosity, critical thinking, and discovery. By using the platform, educators can build a culture of learning in their classrooms, promoting a love of learning that can last a lifetime.
Smithsonian Learning Lab is an incredible resource for educators and students. Its mission is to make the treasures of the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex available to everyone, regardless of their location. If you’re an educator, we encourage you to give the Learning Lab a try in your classroom and explore how it can enhance your students’ learning experience.