Exhibit Design Inspiration: The Mythbusters Wall O' Boxes

Recently I saw a YouTube video (at the top of this post or click here) that featured a tour around The Mythbusters' M5 workshops with co-host Jamie Hyneman and a writer from Popular Mechanics magazine.

While it's always fun to see someone's workshop,  I was especially taken by the YouTube segment of the "Wall O' Boxes" (A gigantic set of metal shelves stacked with large plastic storage boxes filled with different sorts of materials.)  Jamie from the Mythbusters explained that it is much easier to test out your ideas quickly if you have a bunch of "stuff" around to build with.

It really brings to mind the Edison quote, “To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.”

So, enter the Wall O' Boxes.  Thinking back, just about every clever "maker" I know has their own similar storage variation in their workshop or work space --- how about you?


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Big Science in Little Haiti

A few weeks ago, I was in Miami working with students at the Little Haiti Cultural Center creating energy exhibit prototypes in a week-long program called "Energy Jam."

We started the week on Monday with around 20 young people from around the neighborhood between the ages of 10 and 15.  The first day was about setting up the context and challenges of creating energy exhibit prototypes. (The ultimate context was that the host institution, the Miami Science Museum had received a grant for a program involving renewable energy.)

Since most of the students had a direct connection with Haiti, our context was "What basics would you need after a natural disaster, like an earthquake or hurricane, and how could you make renewable energy devices to provide those basics?"  This allowed us to launch into practical discussions about post-disaster needs (Food, Water, Communication, etc.) as well as renewable energy sources (Solar, Wind, Hydro, etc.)

A flexible challenge like this was a great place to start the prototyping process, since it gave each group a chance to start "solving problems with materials" --- which to me is a great way to describe the prototyping/tinkering process.

My great team-teacher, Audrey Golaub

You need lots of materials and "junk" to prototype of course!  We had lots of "general" supplies (paper, tape, markers, etc.) as well as "energy specific" supplies (wires, solar panels, generators, etc.)  A great supplier of some of the energy materials as mentioned in a previous post was KidWind.  (A special thanks to Ed Sobey for letting me know about KidWind's materials!)

Although we focused on lots of practical engineering and iterative testing of the energy prototypes, we also wanted the students to focus on the creative/artistic aspects of design as well.  Fortunately, the studio of the amazing Haitian artist, Edouard Duval Carrie, was right next store.  Edouard graciously gave us a tour of his workspaces and described his artistic process, as well as providing input and advice during the week as the prototypes came together.

Finally, on Friday each group was able to show off the results of their labors in a sort of "Prototype Fair" where friends, family, and local community members (and the Miami Herald!) were able to learn about and try out the exhibit prototypes.  Even the students who were not "science fans" at the beginning of the week, grudgingly admitted that "science was pretty cool" after a week of hands-on prototyping.

Ultimately, all the prototypes will be put on display at the Miami Science Museum, and all the Energy Jam participants and their families will be invited for a free trip and celebration at the museum to recognize their work.  In addition, the Museum plans to utilize the prototypes and student ideas into future energy exhibit ideas.

The biggest take-away for me when I work on a project like this (I've done similar things in the UK and Chattanooga, for example) is the range of wonderful ideas (and functional end products!) that come through in a 5 day prototyping push.  It is well worth it to make the time to include more early prototyping into your exhibit development schedules --- who knows how much it will "energize" your exhibit team?

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Photovisi

The Photovisi folks have developed a free and easy way for people to make photo collages online, and they'd like ExhibiTricks readers to try Photovisi out and give them feedback as well.

The process is easy and the Photovisi site offers several creative templates and options to try.

First, you choose a template. Next, you add photos to make it unique, with options to rotate and resize images however you like. Finally, once the collage is done, it can be downloaded and shared with the world.

It's definitely a specialized online tool, but it just might come in handy for your future museum graphic or presentation projects!


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Exhibit Design Resource: KidWind

I'm just returning from a busy week creating energy exhibit prototypes with students in the Little Haiti section of Miami for a project with the Miami Science Museum.

I'll post a more detailed report about our Energy Prototypapalooza later this week, but for right now I'd like to give a shout-out to the people who provide the energy education products from KidWind.

The folks at KidWind have all sorts of simple, modifiable materials available --- for the week in Miami we made use of their kits and "loose parts" materials for both Wind and Solar energy.  (The materials were flexible enough that one of the student groups even repurposed wind turbine materials to use for a hydroelectric energy prototype!)

Combining the specialized KidWind energy parts with more typical hardware and office supply store materials for prototyping worked out really well for us.

So if you're looking for some materials to create renewable energy projects or if you just need an excuse to do a little tinkering with solar panels, wind turbines, or generators click over to the KidWind website right now!

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Grassroots Design: The Civil War Augmented Reality Project

How can we get people interested in important (but let's face it, sometimes a little boring) historical sites?

The Civil War Augmented Reality Project may be one way to answer that question.

Jeff Mummert, who teaches history at York College and Hershey High School in Pennsylvania, is part of a group of educators that is trying to leverage technologies like GPS-enabled smart phones or tablet-type computers to enhance the experiences of visitors to Civil War sites.


Their idea is to give visitors opportunities to interact with 3D models or historical photos, for example, in the historical context of particular geographical locations.


A nice twist of the project is the intended use of the traditional "pay binocular" station as a mechanism to engage users who either do not have access to tablet PCs and smart phones, or who are too "technology shy" to be willing to try out such devices.  Instead, such users can use the more familiar binocular interface to experience some AR aspects of the project.

It seems like the group is off to a great start!  You can find out more about the project, including how to support their efforts, via their blog.

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The Theory of Loose Parts: A Different Kind of Exhibit Design?

Is your museum "messy"?

I don't mean fetid restrooms or ketchupy hand prints outside the lunchroom walls --- I'm wondering if there is a certain level of chaos or disorder inside your exhibit halls --- or put another way, how tolerant are you and your visitors with "loose parts"?

The notion of "loose parts" has kept coming to mind over the past few weeks as I've been thinking and talking about playgrounds and playground projects of various sorts.  The July 5th issue of The New Yorker has an article entitled "State Of Play" by Rebecca Mead  (PDF available here) that outlines a brief history of playground design and the tension between tightly conscribed playspaces and the "adventure playground" movement that allows users much more freedom.  It's well worth a read.

Mead also cites an essay by architect Simon Nicholson with the excellent title "How Not to Cheat Children: The Theory of Loose Parts."  (Not easily found on the Web, I'm afraid, but here's a downloadable PDF "cheat sheet" on the subject.)   Nicholson writes in his essay that, "In any environment, both the degree of inventiveness and creativity, and the possibility of discovery, are directly proportional to the number and kind of variables in it."

Museums aren't playgrounds (necessarily) but even many "hands-on" museums seem inordinately resistant to the notion of "loose parts."  Why is that?  Have we trained a generation of museum visitors (and staff!) that a little messiness or disorganization is a bad thing?  Or are museums resistant to loose parts because the best "loose parts environments" require more staffing? 

In any event, maybe one way to look at exceptional museums (like The Exploratorium or ¡Explora!) is their willingness to facilitate the use of loose parts in their exhibits.

In another part of Mead's New Yorker article, she discusses the "Imagination Playground" that architect David Rockwell is working on, and mentions the set of "loose parts" (in the form of hundreds of differently-shaped blue foam blocks) that will be deployed there.  It will be interesting to see how such an "unstructured" space plays out in New York City when the IP opens later this month.
 
One spin-off of the Imagination Playground process is the sale of "Imagination Playground in a Box"  a big kit of the blue foam blocks that you can bring to any spot and turn kids loose with.  Apparently children's museums and (affluent) elementary schools around the country have been purchasing the $25,000.00 set, but here's a link where you can nominate your local playground or park to win a set for free.

Do "loose parts" make sense for your museum? Why or why not?  Let us know in the "Comments" section below!

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