Solar Wall,Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Welcome to the

Smithsonian Learning Lab!

Support deep, meaningful learning with an online universe of authentic resources and tools for making them your own.

The Eclipse, Smithsonian American Art Museum

Welcome to the

Smithsonian Learning Lab!

Teach effectively by creating your own interactive learning experiences-or adopt exemplars made by teachers and Smithsonian experts.

  • Using Primary Sources for Teaching, Learning, and Understanding | Cultivating Learning

    In this free webinar, join Anne Helmreich of the Archives of American Art to explore how to use primary sources to engage your students in journeys of discovery, critical thinking, and subject-based active learning. Anne will demonstrate how to elicit transformational experiences while advancing students’ skills in close reading, close listening, and assessing evidence. You will leave with a better understanding of how to access and use the resources of the Archives of American Art, how primary source literacy is applicable to a wide range of subjects, and why engaging students with primary sources in the age of artificial intelligence is so important. This session is designed for teachers of middle-school, high-school, and post-secondary students.


    Everything Under the Sun*

    *Well...maybe not everything... but the Smithsonian Learning Lab puts the treasures of the world's largest museum, education, and research complex within reach. The Lab is a free, interactive platform for discovering millions of authentic digital resources, creating content with online tools, and in the Smithsonian's expansive community of knowledge and learning.


    What will you find in the Smithsonian Learning Lab?

    Discover Resources
    Discover Collection
    Resources

    Millions of Smithsonian digital images, recordings, texts, and videos in history, art and culture, and the sciences

    Discover
    Collections

    Thousands of examples of resources organized and structured for teaching and learning by educators and subject experts

    Discover
    Resources

    Millions of Smithsonian digital images, recordings, texts, and videos in history, art and culture, and the sciences

    Collections

    Thousands of examples of resources organized and structured for teaching and learning by educators and subject experts


    Who uses the Learning Lab?

    In short... it's people like you. We created the Learning Lab so anyone can quickly discover and adapt authoritative subject-relevant resources.


    Create collections of resources to engage learners, or freely adapt ones already made by Learning Lab users like you.

    Create Graphic
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    Right Arrow
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    Graphic Center Image

    Use Learning Lab tools to customize and enhance your collections.

    Copy a Collection

    Adapt exemplars to personalize them for your learners.

    Upload

    Upload aids and resources you already use and value.

    Annotations and Hotspots

    Make a collection student-friendly, with information, focus, and interactivity.

    Quizzes and Assignments

    Build in guidance and supports for students.


    Grow your skills and stay connected with the
    Learning Lab Community

    Grow your skills and stay connected with the Learning Lab Community

    News and Teaching Tips



    Professional Development and Events

    Distance Learning with the Smithsonian

    Distance Learning Resources

    Upcoming Event

    January 22, 2025

    Using Primary Sources for Teaching, Learning, and Understanding | Cultivating Learning

    Join Anne Helmreich of the Archives of American Art to explore how to use primary sources to engage your students in journeys of discovery, critical thinking, and subject-based active learning. Anne will demonstrate how to elicit transformational experiences while advancing students’ skills in close reading, close listening, and assessing evidence. You will leave with a better understanding of how to access and use the resources of the Archives of American Art, how primary source literacy is applicable to a wide range of subjects, and why engaging students with primary sources in the age of artificial intelligence is so important. This session is designed for teachers of middle-school, high-school, and post-secondary students.

    Create a Free Smithsonian Learning Lab Account