BROOKINGS — South Dakota State University invites the public to a free day of exploration and learning at the Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls on Sept. 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Downtown Sioux Falls’ Main Avenue in front of the Washington Pavilion will look like a lunar landing when SDSU’s Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering brings its award-winning NASA rovers to SDSU Day.

The street will be closed to regular traffic both Sept. 20-21 so guests can interact with the rovers. Friday festivities are by invitation only and are planned for area middle schoolers. The public is welcome to explore them on Saturday.

It’s one of many program attractions SDSU will showcase in the first-ever event with the Washington Pavilion.

“SDSU Day is a great chance for the community to explore and experience the power of education,” Madelyn Grogan, director of education and museums at the Washington Pavilion, said. “We’re excited to offer hands-on activities that inspire curiosity and connect people with science, art and innovation.”

In addition to the NASA rovers, the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions will host a respiratory “care-oke” simulation with a respirator vest. The dairy and food science program will make mystical boba juice popping pearls, and many more engaging activities are planned.

“We have the programs leading to careers that today’s young people want,” said Vernon Brown, SDSU associate vice president for external affairs. “Our campus is just 45 minutes away from Sioux Falls, but this is a convenient way for high schoolers and their families to drop by the Pavilion on Saturday, explore multiple departments and learn what it means to be a Jackrabbit.”

The SDSU Admissions team will present an information session at 11 a.m. Saturday and will be available throughout the event to talk with prospective students about the value of SDSU. The opportunity allows prospective students to explore SDSU programs without leaving the metro area.

Academic programs participating in the festivities include:

• College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions
• Department of Animal Science
• Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
• Department of Dairy and Food Science
• Exercise science program
• Fashion studies and retail merchandising program
• Human development and family studies program
• Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering
• School of American and Global Studies
• School of Design
• School of Education, Counseling and Human Development
• School of Performing Arts

Admission to the Pavilion is free on Saturday courtesy of the Sioux Empire Staters, an SDSU alumni organization based in Sioux Falls.

For more information, visit https://www.washingtonpavilion.org/event/sdsu-day.