Museum Day in Austin, Texas happens on the 2nd to the last Sunday in September.  Weather is still warm and beautiful, but kids are back in school and families are ready to spend a day laughing and learning together.  This year over 35 museums opened their doors offering free admission, special activities and a wonderful day out for the Austin community.

MathHappens participated by providing free activities in three locations and by sponsoring the nonprofit organizing the event, The Austin Museum Partnership.

Museum Day Headquarters was at the Bullock, Texas State History Museum.  Inside, Matt Hertel, Megan Do and Garrett Smith staffed a table with mathematical navigation tools including Mercator maps that relate to La Belle, the 17th Century ship on display in the museum.  Visitors received a wooden compass rose like the ones on the map to embellish and customize and keep.  Love the scorpion on the back!

At the Neill-Cochran House Museum, the home and grounds were alive with music, ice cream making, quilting and mathematics!  Dominic Gonzalez and Holly Tran hosted three tables with Bubble Tiles, Geometiles and 21st Century Pattern Blocks.  All were enjoyed and appreciated in that lovely setting.  The museum is close to UT campus and has been a great partner for MathHappens for many years.

At the Austin Nature and Science Center the Math Room was up and running as usual.  Julie Wu, Alexa Hernandez, Jaiden Suda and Daniel Resendiz featured on the cover image were  on hand for what turned out to be a very busy afternoon!

Many thanks to Melissa Wilkinson, Jordan Varat and Ella Basken who worked behind the scenes to make it all happen.