You can help write the latest chapter in the National MagLab’s storied history as the FSU-headquartered research center celebrates books and literature during its 2026 Open House.
The free, family-friendly science festival is set for Saturday, Feb. 21 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the MagLab at 1800 E. Paul Dirac Drive in Tallahassee’s Innovation Park. Science stories will leap off the page into a library of discovery and fun across the world’s largest and most powerful magnet laboratory, with special literary experiences among dozens of hands-on demonstrations and activities.
Open House marks the one day a year visitors can go behind the scenes to parts of the lab not normally open to the public, engage with one-of-a-kind science demonstrations, and learn about the physics, chemistry, biology, engineering and other research that happens at the lab year-round.
Attractions this year include an “Alice in Wonderland” themed play lab where younger children can don a lab coat and immerse themselves in scientific exploration in research areas from magnet building to MRI. A “Seussical Science” section will explore the magic of magnetic fields and quantum mechanics through hands-on activities inspired by the stories of Dr. Seuss. “Harry Potter’s Chamber of Micro-Secrets” will allow visitors to peer into the incredible power of the lab’s electron microscopes. And Pulitzer-Prize winning author Robert Olen Butler will perform a short-story reading.
Visitors will also have the chance to meet the lab’s many “authors of discovery” — our brilliant scientists, technicians, staff and students. Whether you love comic books, fairy tales, science fiction or classic literature, you’ll find compelling tales everywhere in a day filled with imagination, innovation and inspiration.
“Great books and inspiring science both begin with curiosity and wonder,” said MagLab Director Kathleen Amm, “It’s a perfect combination. We can’t wait to share the joy of learning and discovery with our community through books and stories we all know and love.”
The event will also feature the classic experiences fans come back for year after year, including the smashing Junkyard Magnet, powerful Potato Launcher, incredible Quarter Shrinker, ultra-cool Rocket Cars, and delicious Einstein’s Ice Cream, made right before your eyes using ultra-cold liquid nitrogen.
Community groups, agencies and organizations will join the festival to share their enthusiasm for science, literature and learning, including the Challenger Learning Center, LeMoyne Arts, Gulf Specimen Marine Lab and St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.
Fueling the fun and excitement, food vendors will offer meals and treats from hot dogs, pizza and wings to Italian ice.
Thousands are expected at the science celebration. MagLab Open House regularly draws crowds of up to 10,000 people. The neighboring Resilient Infrastructure & Disaster Response Center will also be open that day for interested visitors.
“Open House is the MagLab’s marquee event where we celebrate our cutting-edge research, amazing staff, and the incredible support of our community, while inspiring the next generation of scientists,” Amm said. “Visitors of all ages will be engrossed, entertained, excited and inspired.”
Funded by the National Science Foundation and the State of Florida, the National MagLab operates the strongest magnets in the world, supported by expert staff, researchers, engineers, and technicians. Nearly 2,000 researchers from across the US and from dozens of countries visit the lab annually to probe fundamental questions about materials, technology, energy, health, the environment and the mysteries of the universe. The lab is headquartered at Florida State University, with satellite facilities at the University of Florida in Gainesville and Los Alamos National Lab in New Mexico.