LAS VEGAS — (Nov. 9, 2026) — DISCOVERY Children’s Museum received a $75,000 grant from Google to expand access to hands-on STEM education for children and families throughout Southern Nevada. The funding will support three initiatives designed to connect children with STEM learning, career exploration and mentors: free K–8 educational field trips, National Robotics Week and DISCOVERY Girls in STEM Day.
While school field trip demand at DISCOVERY has surged by 64 percent from 2023 to 2025, overall museum visitation has dropped by 10 percent, demonstrating that transportation and admission fees create severe equity barriers for local Title I schools. Google’s field trip subsidy directly underwrites admission and classroom resources for 5,500 low-income K-8 students who would otherwise lack access to high-tech learning environments.
“Opening the door to STEM early can change how a young person sees their future, especially when learning feels like play, and we want more kids to have that chance,” said Allyson Eastman, Community and Workforce Development Senior Manager
with Google. “DISCOVERY Children’s Museum has spent over three decades bringing hands-on learning to students across the Las Vegas Valley, and we’re proud to help more of them discover a path in science and technology they may not have imagined before.”
The grant builds on a growing partnership between Google and DISCOVERY Children’s Museum focused on expanding interactive STEM learning and introducing children and teens to emerging technologies and future career opportunities. In 2025, the partnership supported robotics and STEM
programming at the Museum, including activities through DISCOVERY Lab, robotics competitions and expanded DISCOVERY on Wheels programming for middle school students.
“Research and our own experience at DISCOVERY show that meaningful STEM experiences can help children build confidence, spark curiosity and begin to see themselves as future scientists, engineers, innovators and problem-solvers,” said Laura Christian, Interim CEO at DISCOVERY Children’s Museum. “Google has been an important partner in helping us expand these offerings, and this $75,000 grant allows us to reach even more children who may otherwise face financial barriers to accessing these learning resources.”
With school field trip demand surging, Google’s grant is expanding access through:
- Free K–8 educational field trips: Approximately 5,500 students will receive free admission to DISCOVERY Children’s Museum and participate in hands-on STEM experiments and educators also receive classroom resources to continue the learning after their visits.
National Robotics Week: Expanded programming will give approximately 5,000 visitors opportunities to explore robotics through coding, drone piloting, demonstrations and interactive challenges that connect these activities with real-world STEM careers and generate interest in the DISCOVERY Robotics Team program.
DISCOVERY Girls in STEM Day: The grant supported this year’s event, providing approximately 600 girls and community participants with free admission, STEM experiences, mentorship and opportunities to learn from women working in STEM fields
Together, the three initiatives expand opportunities for children to explore STEM in engaging, practical ways while helping them see connections between what they learn today and future education and career possibilities.
For the past 36 years, DISCOVERY Children’s Museum has made STEM education a core part of its programming as Southern Nevada’s only children’s museum, providing children a space to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics through interactive learning exhibits and activities.