TAKE A TOUR
The Maker Lab is a 7,000 square foot design and fabrication space on the campus of Abilene Christian University. Located in the Brown Library, the Maker Lab is open to all ACU students, faculty and staff, as well as our neighbors in Abilene and surrounding communities. The best way to introduce yourself to the Maker Lab is to come in for a visit.
When you first arrive, you’ll find a staff of student workers who will offer you a tour of our space, show you around, and answer any questions you may have. Everyone entering our work areas must create a (free) user account at the front desk and agree to our code of conduct and ACU’s risk release statement. Creating a user account will give you access to our tools, work areas and recycled materials. Anyone under 18 years of age must be accompanied and supervised by a parent or guardian who has a registered Maker Lab user account.
We give tours all the time, so don’t be shy to ask us to show you around on your first visit. Our space is divided up into three zones and our team can show you how to navigate through and locate the tools available to you. We work hard to maintain an open and inclusive community, so newcomers should feel welcome from their very first visit, regardless of their background or experience. Come on in and make some new friends.
On a mobile device or have VR goggles? CLICK HERE for the full 360 tour experience.
ACU Students, Faculty & Staff
We are here for YOU. We are open to students and faculty and staff of all departments and no prior experience with tools or design software is required. We’re just as willing to help you take your first steps in a projects as we are in working with advanced users. We’re happy to assist where we can and support you as needed.
When you come in for the first time, you’ll need to create a free maker account at the front desk, which takes just a few minutes. After that, feel free to look around on your own or let us give you a short tour.
Alumni & Admissions
The Maker Lab is a popular stop on many ACU campus visits. Whether you are a returning alumni or a prospective student, we’d enjoy showing you around and talking about our misison. We have a vibrant community of student makers who are always willing to share thier stories. The opportunities and experiences available to our ACU students are remarkable, and hearing about them will leave you feeling inspired. The Maker Lab is the premier location on campus for creativity and innovation, so look us up and stop in for a visit next time you are on campus.
School Groups
Hosting K12 school groups is one of our favorite things to do. We regularly host field trips for public, private and home school groups. We can easilty accommodate up to 24 students at a time. Maker Lab staff can demo tools, talk about the design thinking process and share stories of current ongoing projects. We can also lead hands-on projects as part of your visit at a nominal cost per student. Reservations are required and spaces on the calendar are limited, so please contact us today for more information.
Community Groups
We love interacting with groups across the community. Every new connection strengthens Abilene and brings new opportunities to our ACU students on campus. In addition to school groups, we’ve hosted local boy scouts and girl scouts, Big Brothers & Big Sisters, military families, Abilene Public Library, Abilene R/C Society, sewing and crafting clubs, Cosplay groups and many, many more. Please contact us if you’d like to set up a tour or activity for your community group. Our calendar fills up fast.
