Federal Circuit opened a learning center where science meets civics
The September 2025 opening gave school groups access to interactive exhibits and mock courtroom roles.
News report
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit opened its Center for Innovation and Law to student visitors on September 15, 2025. The Washington facility combines the court's work with exhibits connecting invention, history and civic institutions.
Located in the National Courts Building complex on Lafayette Square, the center serves middle and high school groups. The opening announcement described interactive technology, artifacts and mock trials led by Federal Circuit attorneys, with a new website allowing educators to arrange visits.
The court's historical setting is part of the program. Buildings in the complex have been associated with NASA and the National Woman's Party, giving students a way to connect scientific and social developments with the institutions that shape legal protections.
A December 18, 2025, judiciary account reported that the approximately 2,400-square-foot space had welcomed 300 student visitors since opening. It described students taking the roles of attorneys, jurors and a judge and having an opportunity to speak with a federal judge. Those figures describe the center's early months, rather than current attendance.
The project adds an educational use to a working federal courthouse. It is designed to show how ideas, disputes and public decisions move through institutions, using participation as well as displays. Visits were described as scheduled school tours by appointment, so the opening should not be understood as unrestricted drop-in access. The judiciary also identifies learning centers and exhibits at other federal courthouses, placing the Washington addition within a broader civic-education effort.
Sources
- Federal Circuit: learning center opening — 2025-09-15
- U.S. Courts: center's early months — 2025-12-18
