The Learning Lab

Smithsonian Student Travel   |   Our Difference  |   The Learning Lab

Every Smithsonian Student Travel program draws on the Smithsonian Learning Lab, the Institution’s award-winning educational resource. Containing millions of digital images, recordings, texts, and videos from the archives, the Learning Lab helps students uncover the unexpected connections that lie within program themes and destinations.

Prior to departure, students receive access to program-specific Learning Lab collections, uniquely created and curated for their journey. Students are encouraged to browse their collection to learn more about the people, places, languages, cultures, and wildlife they will encounter during their trip. By deepening their knowledge prior to departure, travelers begin the program with a wider context for their exploration that will allow them to fully experience new places from day one.

During the program, students are encouraged to create an independent project of their choosing to further deepen their understanding of a topic through hands-on experiential learning. Projects can take many forms, from presentations to photography, or writing and drawing. No matter the medium, by the end of the program every student will have their own personal Learning Lab collection highlighting their personal journey of understanding and experiences of new places and people.

Every student-created collection remains with the Learning Lab for future travelers to browse summer after summer, adding to the Smithsonian Learning Lab collections and helping to further the Smithsonian’s mission of increasing and diffusing knowledge.