Exhibit Design Inspiration: Nikon Small World 2008

Nikon has an excellent website listing the winners of their 2008 "Small World" photomicrography competition (and those from previous years as well.)

Check out the gallery page of the Small World 2008 website to see some of the amazing images, such as the view of Convallaria majalis (Lily of the Valley) shown above created by Albert Tousson.

You can also check out the schedule for the Nikon Small World Museum Tour to see the twenty winning Small World photomicrographs at a museum near you.

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ASTC 2008 Annual Conference

This year's ASTC Conference is in Philadelphia from October 18–21, 2008.

This year's conference will be a bit of a departure for me since I won't be presenting, nor will I be attending many sessions either.

Instead, I'll be happily ensconced in Booth #140 on both Saturday and Sunday showing off my version of the Giant Newton's Cradle. (See YouTube video above.)

If you're attending ASTC this year, come by and say hello!

Exhibit Design Inspiration: Jeremy Mayer

Jeremy Mayer is an artist who creates sculptures from typewriters.

Visit his excellent website to experience the range of his work.

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Raisin Brahms!

As a quick follow-up to yesterday's post on museum and arts funding and the U.S. Presidential Election, check out this funny PSA (above) created by the Leo Burnett agency for Americans for the Arts to promote Arts Education.

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Exhibit Designer Toolbox: Ponoko Photomake

Ponoko is a cool company (and website!) that allows you to upload designs that are then fabricated using laser cutters and materials (like various types of plastic and wood.) It would be excellent if we all had access to tools like laser cutters, but until then, companies like Ponoko help fill the void.

Now, Ponoko has made the remote design/fabrication process even easier by creating a process called "Photomake."

Basically (as the video at the top of this posting illustrates) Photomake eliminates the need for using complicated design software by allowing users to simply draw out their design(s) on paper and then take a digital photograph of same. You submit you digital image(s) via the Ponoko website's interface, choose the material(s) you want the finished version to be created in, and you're good to go. In a short while, Ponoko send you your finished project(s).

I am still very interested in collaborating with a museum (or museums) to set up a "drop in" Design and Fabrication lab that visitors could use to create their own "stuff" with tools like laser cutters and desktop CNC machines. Anyone interested in creating such a space? If so, let me know.

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Exhibit Design Inspiration: Alice Chess Set

The "Alice" Chess Set designed by Yasmin Sethi makes use of two interesting lighting materials, LightPoints and Mirona, created by SCHOTT North America, to create its effects.

Inspired by Lewis Carroll's "Alice" stories, the pieces on the chessboard appear or disappear depending on where they are placed.

Sethi made use of LightPoints (a type of glass with wireless LEDs embedded into it) to create the board and Mirona glass for the pieces. (The Mirona glass mirror appears opaque until light is shined upon it.)

What other types of exhibit applications could LightPoints and Mirona be used for?

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