Home
Located on the campus of Mississippi State University, the Imaginarium is a hands-on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) discovery center designed to ignite imagination and inspire innovation in children, families, and educators across Mississippi.
Whether you're building earthquake-resistant structures on our Shake Table, exploring constellations on the Multi-touch Table, or watching your drawings come alive on the Interactive Wall, the Imaginarium turns wonder into action.
Plan Your Visit Make Your Gift the Imaginarium Explore Exhibits
Imaginarium:
[/ɪˌmæ.d͡ʒɪˈnɛɹi.əm/] (pl.: imaginaria) a place devoted to the imagination
The Imaginarium is more than just a science center—it's a creative laboratory where learners become problem-solvers, makers, and future innovators. With monthly themes, interactive exhibits, and education programs aligned with Mississippi academic standards, we serve:
- K-8 students through field trips and workshops
- Teachers through professional development
- Families through weekend open hours
Housed in the College of Education's Department of Counseling, Higher Education Leadership, Educational Psychology, and Foundations (CHEF)
Featured Exhibits
Plan Your Visit
Hours
Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–3:00 PM (Field Trips)
Location
129 Morgan Ave.
Starkville, MS
To schedule field trips or birthday parties, please contact us at: imaginarium@colled.msstate.edu
Accessibility: Imaginarium facilities are ADA-compliant.
Get Involved
- Volunteer Opportunities (MSU students & community members)
- Graduate Assistant Roles
- Partnership with School Districts
For more information, contact us!
Support the Imaginarium
Make Your Gift
Your gift to the Imaginarium helps spark creativity, curiosity, and confidence in Mississippi’s next generation of thinkers and innovators. With your support, we can expand access to hands-on STEAM learning, grow our exhibit offerings, and reach more K–8 students across the region—both in our center and through mobile outreach.
Every gift, big or small, brings us closer to a future where every child has the opportunity to imagine, build, and explore in a joyful, inspiring environment.
Thank you for helping us power possibility.
Make your gift today and help to empower the next generation of thinkers and tinkerers!
News & Updates
The Imaginarium Journey
- September 2023: Imaginarium Express exhibit at Mississippi Children’s Museum (2023, September 16). Meridian, Mississippi
- November 2023: Renovation plans for the permanent Imaginarium space approved!
- January 2024: Facility renovations begin at the future home of the Imaginarium.
- March 2025: Renovation completed! The space is transformed into a vibrant, flexible learning lab for creativity and STEAM exploration.
- April 2025: Exhibits begin arriving! Assembly begins with the help of our graduate assistants and team members.
- May 2025:
- May 14: First exhibit delivery—Draw Alive and ClassVR headsets.
- May 21: Astro the RoboFox makes his debut!
- May 28: Biggest delivery day yet! Wind Tube, Shake Table, and Creative Coding stations arrive from Science Kinetics.
- June 2025:
- First round of mock field trips tested with volunteer families.
- Furniture begins arriving.
- Educational signage, safety protocols, and activity booklets developed.
- July 2025:
- Team completes first summer of training for facilitators and field trip guides.
- Individual waivers, policies, and creative learning materials developed.
- NSF Smart & Connected Communities grant awarded to a project related to the Imaginarium—our first major external research funding!
- August 2025:
- Field trip curriculum and educator guides finalized.
- Continued testing of guided activities and facilitated experiences.
Designing dreams.
Empowering the next generation.
Affiliates
The Imaginarium is housed in the College of Education's Department of Counseling, Higher Education Leadership, Educational Psychology, and Foundations (CHEF).