Smithsonian Learning Lab

What Smithsonian Learning Lab is

Smithsonian Learning Lab is a free web platform for finding Smithsonian digital materials, building learning activities, and sharing them. Its library includes millions of images, recordings, texts, and videos spanning history, art and culture, and science. Educators and subject experts group resources into collections; users can copy those collections, upload resources, add annotations and hotspots, and create quizzes and assignments. Collections can be shared online, embedded in other websites, or assigned to learners, with responses and progress tracked. Collections begin as private; publishing makes them public and searchable. A guide lists document, image, spreadsheet, presentation, and text uploads, with a 4 MB maximum file size. Assignment and Roster tools are available only for students aged 13 or older, and responding students need Learning Lab accounts. The Lab covers grade levels from PreK-2 through 9-12 and subjects including history, language arts, social studies, engineering, art and culture, and science. Free professional development programs model teaching with digital museum resources.

Who it suits

It suits teachers, students, and lifelong learners looking to use Smithsonian digital resources in learning activities. Educators can organize collections and assign them to learners, subject to the age and account requirements.

Limits

Assignment and Roster tools are restricted to students aged 13 or older, and every student responding to an assignment needs a Learning Lab account. Listed upload formats have a 4 MB maximum file size.

Getting started

1. Visit https://learninglab.si.edu/ in a web browser.
2. Explore Smithsonian resources and collections.
3. Copy a collection or create one with resources and annotations.
4. Upload supported materials, keeping each file within the 4 MB limit.
5. Publish or embed a collection, or assign it to learners aged 13 or older with Learning Lab accounts.

Verdict

Learning Lab combines a large Smithsonian resource library with tools for creating and sharing instructional collections. Its assignment features have age and account requirements, and published collections are public and searchable.