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SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (March 9, 2026) — Stargazing, chemistry lab fun and so much more are waiting for community members of all ages at Santa Barbara City College’s Science Discovery Day, Saturday, March 14, from 1-4 p.m. on SBCC’s East Cliff Campus.
Presented by the SBCC STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Transfer Program, Science Discovery Day is a FREE family event, created by SBCC students and faculty to showcase the wonders of the world, with interactive displays and hands-on activities for the whole family.
By “hands on,” organizers mean things like:
- exploring the sky through solar telescopes and gaze at features of the sun;
- getting your hands in the action with our augmented reality sandbox, where you can shape mountains, carve rivers, and watch landscapes come alive with interactive topography;
- traveling back in time as you examine microfossils under microscopes and come face-to-face with incredible large fossils, including dinosaurs!
- testing your detective skills at our mineral and rock identification stations, and learn how geologists decode Earth’s history; and
- experiencing icy space chemistry in action as we create real “comets” using dry ice
After meeting a host of creatures while wandering through biology classrooms, visitors can walk over to the chemistry stations to conduct fun experiments. Math students will teach visitors how to recognize patterns in order to make predictions.
The High-tech Industry Pavilion — featured in front of the Cafeteria from 1-3 p.m. with hands-on demonstrations from local high-tech companies — is also a big draw, connecting local industry to members of the community, young and old, showcasing some of the cutting-edge science that is developed in the local region.
“This event is family-friendly and showcases the pride our faculty and students have for their academic department as well as their excitement in exploring the world of science here at SBCC,” said Virginia Estrella, STEM Transfer Program coordinator.
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EVENT DETAILS
SBCC Science Discovery Day
Saturday, March 14, 1-4 p.m.
Santa Barbara City College East Cliff Campus, 721 Cliff Drive, Santa Barbara, CA
Parking is free anywhere on campus
Event maps are available at the welcome desk in front of the Campus Store.
About SBCC
Established in 1909, Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) is one of the oldest community colleges in California. The district consists of SBCC’s main campus on Santa Barbara’s beachfront coast, two separate campuses for its School of Extended Learning programs, as well as a Cosmetology school. The college offers a range of associate degree, certificate and transfer programs and is recognized by the Department of Education as an official Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI).
