Formal education may end when you graduate, but the joys of learning and discovery really are year-round and lifelong. Education can shape generations to come by extending beyond school and into the heart of the community, connecting neighbors, training adults and maintaining a child-like curiosity in all ages.
Whether you’re interested in programs that combine learning and play for children, creative crafts or skill advancement workshops for all ages, Waco is fortunate to have many welcoming and accessible programs dedicated to making learning a core part of being a Wacoan. It’s never too late to engage the mind or your hands in learning something new!
Discover three organizations that encourage curiosity and discovery, no matter your age, and one that goes beyond the classroom to ensure that those with intellectual and developmental disabilities are successful in life.
Carleen Bright Arboretum
9001 Bosque Boulevard B
Learn and relax at the Carleen Bright Arboretum where visitors can connect with nature and learn something along the way.
The 16-acre property opened in 1997 as a place for visitors to connect with nature, learn about the world around them, engage with art and experience local history. It has since grown into a space celebrating nature, conservation, tourism and community gathering.
The Arboretum is home to an array of botanical gardens, native woodlands, the Massey Meditation Grove and the Todd Willis Nature Trail. Its commitment to conservation and education runs deep; there is even a registered monarch waystation, ensuring that these endangered butterflies have a dedicated stopping point in Waco.
“The Carleen Bright Arboretum creates an education experience that encourages curiosity, creativity and a lifelong appreciation for the natural world,” said Lynsie Gomez, the event and tourism superintendent for the city of Woodway.
The award-winning gardens and immersive natural experience make it a popular spot for field trips and educational camps focused on gardening, biology and environmental science. Rather than sitting back and learning from a distance, visitors are encouraged to engage with the world around them — from birds to butterflies to bluebonnets — on self-guided tours. Staff is available for inquisitive minds to ask about specific features.
For young and dedicated learners, the Arboretum Explorers Camp is a chance to form a deeper connection with the science of the Arboretum. Hosted weekly over the summer, campers aged 7 to 12 participate in guided nature walks, science activities, arts and crafts, interactive workshops and presentations from local experts. The camp serves as an encapsulation of the Carleen Bright Arboretum’s philosophy towards learning.
Another important aspect of the Arboretum’s education is art.
“The arts are another way to connect people with nature,” said Gomez.
Throughout the year, the Arboretum offers a variety of programs to encourage artistic expression and development. Creative classes and workshops draw inspiration from the surrounding gardens and landscapes, combining ecology education with art, taught by local artists. Previous workshops include Central Texas Watercolor Society’s Watercolor Camp and the Pressed Flower Class by Remedy Design Shop.
The Carleen Bright Arboretum stands as an example of the importance of community in education. With help from local experts and community leaders, every visitor goes away knowing the importance of Central Texas wildlife and conservation — and sometimes, even a fun craft.
Bledsoe-Miller STEAM Center
300 N MLK Jr. Boulevard
The Bledsoe-Miller STEAM Center is your one-stop shop for everything related to science, technology, engineering, art and math. This facility right on the bank of the Brazos is a perfect place for all ages to pick up a new skill.
Since it opened earlier this year, the STEAM Center has helped countless children, teens and adults discover their passions and explore new avenues for learning. The STEAM Center is operated by Transformation Waco, an experienced community-based nonprofit. The goal is simple: Help kids get the real-world, technical experience they’ll need for the future while learning along the way.
Whether you’re 6 or 60, learning has no age at the STEAM Center. While most programming focuses on elementary through high schoolers, it also offers technology literacy classes for seniors and a variety of workshops for adults that encourages learning something new.
Inside the STEAM Center, you’ll discover 3D printers, an engineering lab, a teaching kitchen and more. The open exploration time in the Maker Lab offers a chance for learners of all ages to engage with materials they may not otherwise have access to.
In an increasingly digital world, the STEAM Center’s digital lab is a safe and engaging space where young learners are invited to explore gaming and other computer-related activities on high-tech equipment.
Robotics is a cornerstone of the STEAM Center program, and the Open Robotics Time is free for all ages to learn about building and programming robots. This welcoming, hands-on setting promotes engagement with creative problem solving, with experienced instructors and volunteers on standby to answer questions and offer assistance.
For all of these programs and spaces, one thing is true: The STEAM Center puts learning first. The workshops and programs emphasize creative thinking and problem solving, allowing learners to encounter solutions naturally. This prepares them for a variety of future careers and helps them develop critical thinking skills organically.
And for adults, it’s an opportunity to learn a new skill — for fun like the Sourdough Basics Workshop and Culinary Collective Class, or for your own betterment like the Senior Planet and Smart $ense series.
One essential aspect of the STEAM Center is the A: art. Typically, institutions neglect the artistic aspect of design and engineering, but at the STEAM Center, it’s a priority.
“Art is something we really try to embed into our programming,” said Lindsey Helton, educational director at the Bledsoe-Miller STEAM Center.
She pointed out the Waco Suspension Bridge as a prime example of the intersection of science, technology, engineering,
math and art. With the STEAM Center, that landmark is just the beginning.
Its partnerships with Baylor University, Texas State Technical College and McLennan Community College prioritize reinvesting in community and introduce learners to the advanced technical programs right here in Waco. Additionally, its scholarship program ensures that everyone has a chance to learn.
Science, technology, engineering, art and math are for all; the Bledsoe-Miller STEAM Center makes sure that everyone gets to experience that.
Mayborn Museum
1300 S University Parks Drive
For over two decades, the Mayborn Museum has been dedicated to history, culture and learning for all ages, providing the community with fun, hands-on education workshops, programs and resources for kids and adults alike.
The Skill Builders workshops for adults are once a month and consist of anything from crocheting to blacksmithing — all beginner friendly. The Mayborn is also known for offering several fun yet educational programs for the kiddos, including Monday Storytimes, featuring guest readers from the community and hands-on crafts; Village Wednesdays exploring Central Texas in the 1890s with activities like butter churning or candle dipping; and so much more. Right now, the Mayborn’s summer lecture series is ongoing for adults, with topics ranging from literature to paleontology.
Lifelong Learning is a volunteer-led program for museum members 50-plus that offers educational opportunities and experiences in the fall and spring semesters. Experiences range from lectures to courses to special events to even social activities, including a bus trip to Austin this October to explore some of the city’s premier destinations.
According to Educational Director Amber Hansen, who has worked on adult programming at the Mayborn Museum for the past seven years, she considers the Mayborn team all to be first and foremost, learners.
“We’re learners ourselves, and so we are passionate about learning and providing opportunities for our community to learn and grow as well,” Hansen said. “Our mission here at the Mayborn is to engage our community and inspire lifelong learning, through our rich collections, vibrant programs and hands-on experiences.”
It’s important to the Mayborn to provide programming that is accessible for everyone. The museum does their best to meet this goal by hosting events outside of typical working hours, providing closed captioning in the theater during lectures and book signings and finding other ways of incorporating as much technology for accessibility as they can into their programming.
“For some of our cultural heritage programming, we will partner with folks like the Hispanic Leaders Network and other organizations,” Hansen said, “We’re always looking for opportunities to collaborate with our community and community leaders and have them here at the museum.”
According to Hansen, the Mayborn always has new ideas in the works. The fall Skill Builders’ class will soon be open for registration online. Hansen said she loves to see what people want to come and create with them at the Mayborn.
“We’re always coming up with how to engage our community, so we always are adding new programs or new topics,” Hansen said, “One thing we’d love to do in the future is to have programming that go along with our traveling and new exhibits.”
Hansen herself ended up choosing to major in museum studies and now works at the Mayborn herself because she was so inspired by one of the traveling exhibitions she saw when visiting with her family 10 years ago.
“It affected me so much and here I am,” Hansen said. “I was inspired to change, then, my entire career. Now I get to provide opportunities for other people to be inspired by learning as well.”
The Arc of McLennan County
4901 Lakewood Drive
The Arc was founded in McLennan County in 1954 to serve the needs of individuals with disabilities, combining a vibrant, welcoming community with a variety of learning programs and over 70 years of experience. This past year, the Arc has focused on improving and expanding its adult day program at the Opportunity Center, open to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities every week Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The goal of the Arc’s adult program is to provide a space for socialization, training in vocational skills and finding community.
Every Monday, Thursday and Friday the Arc offers training in vocational skills, while Wednesdays and Tuesdays are reserved for learning through community service. The Arc also offers training in activities of daily living to help individuals find a new level of independence.
“We want people with intellectual disabilities as they’re leaving high school to know that this is a place they can come to, and it can serve as a transitional place where they can transition into the workforce, other levels of independence, or this can be their safe space for the rest of their lives,” Executive Director Coleen Heaton said. “We want Waco to look at disability differently and open their doors to welcome in the community of people that are so talented and so amazing and so kind.”
Beyond education programs, the Arc partners with Cultural Arts of Waco for Art at the Arc, a summer art day camp that brings art lessons that promote the development of cognitive, social and communication abilities. You can view artwork by a few of the participants at Art Center Waco’s annual Art for All Juried Exhibit through August 22.
According to Heaton, one of the greatest aspects of the Arc is the wonderful community and friendships formed.
“They care for each other,” Heaton said. “Their families support each other. We have an individual who uses a communication device, and the entire group assists him with that. If someone’s having a bad day, we give them the space they need to feel their feelings and we encourage them. If someone’s out, we miss them. We make them cards, we call them and check in. It’s a very, very tight knit, interdependent community, and it is exactly what community should be.”
Heaton said they have five participants in the day program who work at Bitty and Beau’s Coffee, and even a group currently working on launching a podcast together.
“We see success every single day, whether it’s the level of interaction, or an increase in tolerance for being with a group of people — every single day, there’s a success,” Heaton said. “We have one lady who came here, got some more confidence and then she left and went to a full-time job.”
The Arc is also currently working to revamp their kids’ summer camp for ages 7 to 15 and have it available again to the community in 2027.
According to Heaton, the best way everyone can support the Arc is to get to know about them, visit, take a tour, spread the word and volunteer. They also appreciate anytime the community reaches out to meet needs or simply ask how they can provide.
“We want everyone to know disability is not scary,” Heaton said. “Losing services is scary. Having to leave your community because services are not available is scary, and we don’t want that to happen. We want to continue growing what we have here at the Arc, so that we can continue to assist people and keep them local.”
