FamiLAB's mission is to be a community that fosters learning and creativity through hands-on projects, collaboration, and the sharing of skills & tools to improve ourselves and enrich the world around us. We’re a member-run community that provides space, tools, and fun for creative technical learning and projects. If you are looking for a great place to meet like-minded people, learn, collaborate, and have access to great tools, FamiLAB is the place for you! To see our current bylaws, click here.

FamiLAB welcomes makers of all kinds including, artists, crafters, tinkerers, hackers, and anyone else who wants a safe and creative space to make in. Come wield your imagination in any (legal and ethical) way you see fit. Think of FamiLAB as a club for geeks!  Whether you’re into art, hardware, photography, coding, security, music, or anything else, we’d love to have you join us at the lab! You can also attend or teach a class, lead a lecture, or come to a meetup to work on a project while surrounded by awesome people. If you can think of it, come build and share it! FamiLAB seeks to be a diverse community where people of all backgrounds can come together to teach and learn. Some interests among current members include cosplay, knife making, resin art, soldering, welding, forging metals, woodworking, coding, and so much more!  We're always looking for new members to collaborate with and help introduce us to new things.

Due to the nature of the available tools and the risk involved in their use, FamiLAB requires all members to be at least 18 years of age and everyone must sign a safety and liability waiver. While members and guests are welcome to bring their children with them whenever they come to the space, they must always be under the supervision of the adult who brought them. Please also be aware that the space is not necessarily family-friendly, but more family-tolerant.

For more information on FamiLAB, please use our Contact form, collaborate with us on Slack, or come to a Class, Event, or Open House. To become a FamiLAB member, see our Membership page. FamiLAB is a registered 501(c)(3) public educational non-profit. Our funding comes from membership dues, class revenues, and sponsorships from local companies. If you'd like to support FamiLAB, please visit our Donate page!

 FAQs

  • Start by visiting our Membership page. There you’ll find our application to join our community. Once you’ve completed the application, visit us at a public event so we can get to know you. Then follow up by coming to a member meeting (3rd Tuesday of each month) so that more of us can meet you. Then we’ll get you a provisional badge and at the next member meeting we’ll send you a link to set up payment and once completed, we’ll activate your badge and you can start to enjoy 24/7 access to the space and tools*.

    * Some tools require training before use.

  • Since our space is open 24/7 to all members, we want to get to know you first. We have a diverse group of members and want to ensure everyone feels safe while using the space. This includes you too once you become a member!

  • FamiLAB does not offer any contract services. We are also not a repair shop or a place to run a business out of. While individual members may be willing to help you on your project for money, FamiLAB is not respossible for any outcomes.

  • The best way for you to help us is with a time or monetary donation. We are a member-run organization and all help by members is voluntary. Coming to events and sharing the word about us is a big help. And if you happen to be feeling very generous, you can donate here. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit, so your donation may also be tax deductible. We also accept physical donations of tools and supplies that our members can enjoy.

  • We strive to keep FamiLAB open to as many people as possible. If you contact us at treasurer@familab.org, we’ll do our best to work something out with you.

  • Bring it to the attention of the board - you can email us at board@familab.org or use our form and we'll do our best to help resolve the concern. If you email us or leave your contact information in the form, we'll get back to you about a resolution.