Olympia families looking for a free weekend outing have a full slate of hands-on science activities waiting at the WET Science Center in downtown Olympia.
The center, located at 500 Adams St. NE inside the Budd Inlet Treatment Plant, is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to the center's website. Admission is always free. The building sits next to the Hands On Children's Museum.
Each Saturday brings a different theme with crafts, games and activities tailored to the topic, the center said in a fall programming announcement. Upcoming Saturday themes on the center's events calendar include candy science experiments on Oct. 24, with costumes welcome. On Oct. 31, visitors can explore Halloween-themed candy activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
November Saturdays include a glow-in-the-dark science day on Nov. 7, autumn nature crafts on Nov. 14 and a toilet-themed day on Nov. 21 with activities like designing a chamber pot and experimenting with flushability. The center will be closed Nov. 26 through Nov. 28 for Thanksgiving.
December programming shifts to Pacific Northwest precipitation on Dec. 5 and winter wildlife on Dec. 12.
WET stands for Water, Education and Technology. The LOTT Clean Water Alliance, a nonprofit that manages wastewater for Lacey, Olympia and Tumwater, owns and operates the facility. The treatment plant processes 13 million gallons of wastewater daily from homes and businesses across the three cities.
Beyond the Saturday themes, the center offers permanent exhibits year-round. Visitors can track their daily water use on a giant calculator and build a reclaimed water pipeline using plastic balls. They can also explore a mini treatment plant and find their home on a map to see how long a flush takes to reach the facility.
Kids can complete a scavenger hunt through the exhibits to earn a prize.
Siri Nelson, LOTT's education program manager, told ThurstonTalk in September that the center hosts more than 120 field trips and interacts with nearly 3,000 students each year. Field trips primarily serve grades five through eight, but the public hours welcome all ages.
Nelson described visitor feedback in the ThurstonTalk interview: "the tour is way more interesting and awesome than they expected. And, it is way less gross than they expected!"
Groups of 10 or more people, ages 10 and up, must arrange visits in advance by filling out a form on the center's website, emailing [email protected] or calling 360-664-2333. Saturday themes are posted on the center's social media pages and at wetsciencecenter.org.
