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The Don Harrington Discovery Center’s first “Free First Monday” program of 2026 will be on Jan. 5, from 4:30 to 7 p.m., helping families kick off the new year with an affordable way to make discoveries together. Free First Mondays is a monthly program that offers free admission during evening hours at the center.
In addition, 2026 marks a special year for the discovery center. They will begin to celebrate their 50th anniversary with a New Year’s Eve celebration on Wednesday, Dec. 31 during regular business hours, 9:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m. “Ring in the New Year” begins with a storytime at 10:30 a.m. for younger children, followed by science demonstrations, activities, and science-based programs in DHDC’s Space Theater throughout the day. The center will be closed on New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, but will be open for regular business hours after that, as well as the Jan. 5 evening programs.
“Free First Mondays” coincides with DHDC’s “Girls Who Science program,” which also occurs on the first Monday of each month. With their new free evening hours open to the whole community, it also gives entire families the opportunity to attend “Girls Who Science” and learn more about women in different STEM careers, as well as enjoy their state-of-the-art exhibits outside of traditional business hours.
“Girls Who Science” includes conversations, presentations, and Q&As with esteemed women professionals in the STEM industry each month. This program is intended to inspire girls ages 8-18 to pursue a career in STEM, but family and other interested community members are welcome to attend as well.
Following the presentation and Q&A, DHDC will provide a 30-minute hands-on learning activity for Girls Who Science club members to match the featured speaker’s topic of study.
January’s program will focus on mechanical engineering, education, and computer science with guest speaker Delane McUne, an instructor at Amarillo College.
McUne attended Amarillo College before earning her BS in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin. After working for several years at GE Power Systems, she opened her own business. During that time, she also received an MBA from Eastern New Mexico University.
She began her career in academia in 2004 and has taught in a variety of areas including management, industrial technology, wind energy, engineering, and computer information systems. Currently a CIS Instructor at Amarillo College, McUne enjoys spending time playing games with her family and volunteering with a variety of local organizations.
DHDC offers other accessible admission programs to help families on a budget, such as their quarterly “Discover for a Dollar Days”; participating in “Museums for All” to provide $2 admission for families on SNAP or WIC benefits; providing Family Discovery Memberships to families attending schools with 80% or more students on free or reduced lunch; offering library memberships with the Amarillo Public Library; and providing scholarships for their Discovery Day Camps. Community members can learn more by visiting DHDC.org and navigating to their “Accessibility programs” page under “Visit.”
The Don Harrington Discovery Center is also looking to partner with community-minded businesses or organizations to financially support “Free First Mondays.” For those interested in becoming a fiscal sponsor of the new monthly program, they should reach out to Sophia Britto via email at [email protected]. To learn more about community events and programs at the Discovery Center Collective, visit DHDC.org or follow them on Instagram and Facebook.
