NOTE: Due to concerns regarding COVID-19, Sutter's Fort has made the difficult decision to postpone this event. A new date will be announced in the coming weeks.

Continuing a series of popular, interactive and fun “Hands on History” activities, Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park and Friends of Sutter’s Fort will present a special Hands on History: S.T.E.A.M. at the Fort event.  Fort visitors will spend the day focused on the Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math education curriculum that influences the hands-on activities offered at Sutter’s Fort that day. Special S.T.E.A.M. related activates will encourage guests of all ages to engage in thoughtful, collaborative and creative exploration of what life was like in California during the 1840s. Above and beyond what textbooks offer, this interactive learning experience provides visitors with a captivating series of activities led by knowledgeable docents and dedicated volunteers dressed in period attire. Visitors who successfully participate in at least one activity from each subject category will receive a special ‘S.T.E.A.M Degree’ to take home.

The S.T.E.A.M. activities will answer a variety of questions, such as “How do you design a boat to float?," “What did Sutter do to realize his discovery was, in fact, gold?” or “How do you cook without gas or electricity?” Visitors will become experts at constructing paper boats, identifying genuine gold, how to cook using an open-flame fire (under proper supervision), visual storytelling, and more. Crowd-favorite cannon firings, period games and live music also will be demonstrated throughout the day.