National STEM/STEAM Day2026 · Date · History
The American Association of School Librarians notes that National STEM/STEAM Day was founded in 2015 by MGA Entertainment and is associated with 8 November.
About National STEM/STEAM Day
National STEM/STEAM Day is observed on November 8 to encourage interest in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and, in the STEAM version, the arts.
MGA Entertainment established the observance in 2015 in connection with its Project Mc² franchise.
Why National STEM/STEAM Day matters
The day is an education-awareness observance designed to make STEM and STEAM subjects approachable through hands-on curiosity, experimentation and creative problem-solving.
It began as a private company initiative and is not a U.S. federal statutory observance.
History of National STEM/STEAM Day
On November 5, 2015, MGA Entertainment announced that it had established November 8 as National S.T.E.M./S.T.E.A.M. Day.
The launch announcement tied the date to Project Mc² and its fictional organization NOV8, pronounced “innovate,” which explains the choice of November 8.
The American Association of School Librarians also records the 2015 MGA Entertainment founding and November 8 date.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
MGA Entertainment
MGA Entertainment’s 2015 launch release says the company established National S.T.E.M./S.T.E.A.M. Day.
MGA Entertainment (private company initiative)
MGA Entertainment public launch announcement, “November 8 Is National S.T.E.M./S.T.E.A.M. Day”
First documented observance
The contemporaneous creator announcement published November 5, 2015 establishes November 8 as the new holiday and lists launch activities for that date.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
3 fields not established in reviewed sources
How to Observe National STEM/STEAM Day
Try a small science experiment using age-appropriate safety guidance.
Build or repair something simple and write down what you changed after each test.
Combine art and engineering in a design challenge, model or coding project.
Ask a teacher, librarian, engineer, scientist, technician or artist about the skills they use in their work.
National STEM/STEAM Day Facts
National STEM/STEAM Day is November 8.
MGA Entertainment established the observance in 2015.
The launch was connected to the Project Mc² franchise.
November 8 was chosen because NOV8 can be read as “innovate.”
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
MGA Entertainment via PR Newswire — 2015 launch announcement (opens in a new tab)
AASL — STEM Day history (opens in a new tab)
Institutional
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is National STEM/STEAM Day?
8 November annually The documented recurrence rule is: 8 November.
Does National STEM/STEAM Day fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is National STEM/STEAM Day an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: Education-awareness observance founded by MGA Entertainment. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes National STEM/STEAM Day?
The reviewed sources identify MGA Entertainment (private company initiative) as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as MGA Entertainment.
Is National STEM/STEAM Day international or country-specific?
No single country is assigned to this observance. Its documented scope is: Education-awareness observance founded by MGA Entertainment. Use that scope rather than assuming worldwide or country-specific status.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-07.
When is National STEM/STEAM Day?
It is observed on November 8.
Who founded National STEM/STEAM Day?
A contemporaneous 2015 announcement identifies MGA Entertainment as the creator.
Why November 8?
MGA linked the date to Project Mc² and the name NOV8, pronounced “innovate.”
Is it a federal holiday?
No. It began as a private education-awareness initiative.
Other observances on November 8
These observances are also listed on November 8, 2026.
Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day
The first-party Wellcat Holidays calendar lists Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day on November 8 and identifies the collection as created by Thomas and Ruth Roy.
International Day of Radiology
European Society of Radiology (ESR), American College of Radiology (ACR) and Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)
Parents as Teachers Day
Parents as Teachers National Center identifies 8 November as Parents as Teachers Day; its earlier first-party announcement used “National Parents as Teachers Day” and says the observance ha…
Remembrance Sunday
UK government and Royal British Legion material place Remembrance Sunday on the second Sunday in November; in 2026 that falls on 8 November.
World Pianist Day
The official World Pianist Day project identifies Ivan Manko-Vertogradov as creator, November 8, 2014 as the first edition and the 8×11/88-key date symbolism.