Data Science Alley

Children playing at the Pom Pom Poll experience in the Data Science Alley exhibit

data science alley

Step through colorful, reactive gateways, send a pom-pom through wind-powered tubes and, in the process, discover how data points are collected and aggregated. Explore figures and statistics through play, and think about the data found in our day-to-day lives.

recommended for ages 5-12

Boy looking up in delight at Pom Pom Poll in the Data Science Alley exhibit

exhibit experiences

Young boy walking through the colorful gateways in the Data Science Alley exhibit

data entry

Enter Data Science Alley through colorful, reactive gateways, and cast your vote in a set of rotating questions. Visitors can also discover how others cast their votes over time.

Two boys at the new heights jump wall experience in the Data Science Alley exhibit

new heights

In this playful version of a scatter plot, visitors use a magnetic disc to track their standing vertical jump height.

Little girl holding a bucket at the Pom Pom Poll experience in the Data Science Alley exhibit

pom pom poll

This playful twist on the classic pneumatic-tube system allows children to see themselves as a data point and contextualize their choices or measurements through the experience of other visitors.

Young girl at the Data Cloud in the Data Science Alley exhibit

data cloud

Using different color strings that correspond to feelings, visitors share how certain things and ideas make them feel.

react!

In this playful twist on a classic whack-a-mole arcade game, visitors are invited to play against each other in a test of their reaction time.

Two boys at Everbrite in the Data Science Alley exhibit

everbrite

This large-scale, modern-day lite brite allows visitors to twist and turn illuminated dials to reveal hundreds of colors. Identify and create patterns—a key data science skill!

what is your child learning?

Experimentation through active play

Probability and statistics

Data exploration (What is data? How does data connect us to our community? How can we tell stories through data?)

Decision-making skills

Father and son at the React experience in the Data Science Alley exhibit

Family at the New Heights jump wall in the Data Science Alley exhibit

Group of children at the Pom Pom Poll experience in the Data Science Alley exhibit

Young girl at the React game in the Data Science Alley exhibit

Group of children at the Everbrite experience in the Data Science Alley exhibit

Young child walking through the Data Science Alley exhibit

where is this exhibit located?

Data Science Alley is located on Floor 1, one level down from the main entrance, next to Art + Tech and Little Movers.

extra Museum resources

STEAMwork videos

STEAM Daydream with National Children’s Museum podcast

meet a STEAM expert!

The IF/THEN® Initiative is a national effort sponsored by Lyda Hill Philanthropies® to inspire young girls to pursue STEM careers while creating a culture shift in how the world perceives women in STEM.

Tiffany Kelly

Tiffany Kelly, sports data scientist

Wondering how data science relates to sports? Check out Tiffany, a sports entrepreneur and data scientist. She breaks down sports games by numbers to understand them better. You will apply these same principles throughout Data Science Alley!