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Makerspaces are collaborative spaces where people come together to get creative with DIY projects, tinker with inventions, and share ideas, all while housing all the tools, big and small, they may need to complete projects complex. In these spaces, members and students are invited to explore topics like welding, sewing, robotics, lasers, electronics and more, while making friends and creating things!
In the spirit of back to school, we’ve put together a list of twenty makerspaces across the United States and Canada to point you in the right direction if you’re looking to expand your horizons (and play with power tools).
Don’t see one of your favorite makerspaces listed below? Make sure to show them some love on Yelp.
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Seattle Creators -Seattle, WA
Their mission is to “provide everyone with the knowledge, tools and space to bring their ideas to life.” Check out their events calendar to learn about community meetups like Queer Crafters and educational opportunities like Woodshop 101.
Craftsmen’s Asylum – Somerville, Massachusetts
This 52,000-square-foot manufacturing wonderland is home to 160 personal studios and 15 member-shared workspaces, including a bike shop, woodshop, and fiber arts studio. Public workshops include kite making, linocut printing, and the S’more-a-Saurus soldering class where students create a fire-breathing steel dinosaur that roasts marshmallows!
Milwaukee Makerspace –Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Check out one of their member affinity groups like the Steel Tigerlillies (a “female-led welding gang”) and the Guardians of the Good Scissors sewing group, or join them for regular board game nights , educational workshops and much more.
DIY mill –Longmont, CO
Tinkermill, the largest makerspace in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region, offers nearly a dozen “boutiques” in specialties including ceramics, textiles, torchwork, robotics and even casting aluminum.
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ACE Creative Space – Oakland, California
Become a member for 24/7 access to 5 areas of tools like laser cutters and 3D printers. You can also sign up for self-guided workshops like journaling with watercolors, repairing visible clothing, creating zines, and even building Lego!
South Side Hackerspace –Chicago, IL
With an emphasis on “cool tools and cool people,” you can find a collaborative environment here while exploring electronics, woodworking, and even helping to grow a community garden in the warmer months.
Free side – Atlanta, Georgia
Completely run by volunteers specializing in areas such as machining, medical equipment, arcade games, etc. Musicians will love their regular “synthesizer meetups” where members come together to talk about synths and electronic music.
1819 Innovation Center –Cincinnati, Ohio
Affiliated with the University of Cincinnati, 1819 Innovation Hub is a 12,000 square foot space filled with equipment ranging from basic hand tools to advanced manufacturing. Members also have access to some of the region’s best academic instructors and researchers.
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Avenue of the craftsman –Brooklyn, New York
Grab your sweetheart or a friend and join them for one of their date or date night workshops where you can weld steel roses, build a barrel to age your own whiskey, or create artwork. stained glass art. Your registration also includes wine and fancy pizza!
757 Creative space – Norfolk, Virginia
At 28,000 square feet, this self-proclaimed “dream factory” provides tools, equipment and space for designers, technologists, innovators, artists and creatives to create and collaborate. Members can access resources such as their photography and video studio, pottery studio, crafting and woodworking tools, and much more.
Creator13 –Jeffersonville, Indiana
Learn a new skill through workshops and certifications in areas like carpentry shop, metal shop, welding, embroidery, sewing, electronics, and more. They also offer a six-month guided business program called “Make Your Move” that helps creative entrepreneurs develop everything from a business plan to production samples.
i3Detroit –Ferndale, Michigan
Metro Detroit’s largest community-run DIY workshop with over 20 tool areas covering ceramics, glass, woodshop, welding, automotive, jewelry making and electronics. Check out their newly expanded space for a sneak peek at their upgraded painting area and new sewing room!
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Make ATX –Austin, TX
Make ATX, founded by women, specializes in laser cutting, offering both guided classes and custom cutters for rent. Their current lineup of workshops includes fun creations like laser-engraved s’mores, mandalas, and tabletop games.
Dallas Makerspace –Dallas, TX
Boasting 36,000 square feet of workshop and laboratory space, Dallas Makerspace offers tools in fiber arts, jewelry making and gem cutting, blacksmithing, automotive, and scientific equipment like microscopes and musical equipment like guitars, keyboards and amps.
ADX –Portland, Oregon
Describing itself as a “hub for Portland creatives,” ADX offers classes such as screen printing, tufting, and fragrance design. Artists can also rent their own dedicated studio to work on their own projects. Looking for inspiration? Discover the work of other ADX members through regular art exhibitions in their Gallery X space.
NextFab – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Photographers, take note! Nextfab offers members a complete photography studio with access to equipment such as high-end Nikon cameras, strobes and backgrounds, as well as large format printers to create prints of all your beautiful photos.
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Social creators –Columbus, Ohio
Makers Social, a self-proclaimed “DIY project bar,” is a place to gather with friends to create unique projects while enjoying delicious drinks. Make a reservation to enjoy a project from their menu of leathercraft projects like bag tags and phone holders, or sign up for unique classes like “Paint Your Pet’s Portrait.”
The foundry –Buffalo, New York
Crafters will love exploring their textile lab with Cricut Makers, sewing machines, and looms, while STEM students will enjoy visiting the Tech Lab to learn 3D printing, laser engraving, circuits, and electronics . One-off workshops include wooden spoon carving, knitting for beginners and handmade pottery.
Vancouver Hackspace – Vancouver, British Columbia
This “community garage for people without a garage” houses tools such as band saws, metal lathes, screen printing equipment, a coal-fired forge and their “franken-printer”, a 3D printer built by members at from additional parts found in hackerspace.
Protospace –Calgary, AB
Protospace houses a community woodworking shop, metalwork shop, sewing room, electronics lab and more. They also offer workshops on topics like soap making, mead making, printmaking, DIY paper making, and even Rubik’s Cube 101, a course dedicated to solving the famous 3D puzzle.
Want more inventive inspiration near you? Do a search for creative spaces on Yelp to start.