Interactive sandboxes attract attention of both kids and adults in various settings including schools and museums. To harness the power of such tangible geospatial interfaces to solve real-world problems, we designed and developed Tangible Landscape, an open source tangible interface powered by GRASS GIS and 3D modeling engine Blender. I will show how Tangible Landscape’s intuitive interaction combined with the strength of geospatial analytics, virtual reality, and open data can engage students, local communities, and professionals. In our ongoing case studies we have been educating coastal communities in North Carolina about dune vulnerability, engaging stakeholders in collaboratively finding solutions to the spread of plant disease in California, and helping people to understand the risks and potential solutions associated with dam break.