Due to the winter storm warning for the Washington, D.C., area, all programming at the National Museum of American History, including Spark!Lab, will be closed Friday, Feb. 5, and Saturday, Feb. 6.
The Smithsonian has not made a decision about museum closings. For closing information, the public may call (202) 633-1000 or visit http://americanhistory.si.edu.
On November 6–7, the Lemelson Center will present a symposium at the National Museum of American History on Hot Spots of Invention as part of its New Perspectives on Invention and Innovation series. Whether it’s Edison’s laboratory or Silicon Valley, both scholars and the public have long been curious about inventors and the places in which they work. The Hot Spots of Invention symposium will feature scholars, inventors, and practitioners who will explore how invention and innovation are fostered--or hindered--by physical environments. Why do particular places or regions become known as centers of invention? What factors spark the creation of hot spots of innovation? What is the role of the individual inventor in this story? Why does one place succeed while another one fails?
The Hot Spots of Invention symposium opens with a keynote address by Dr. Bradford Parkinson, a co-winner of the 2003 Draper Prizefor the concept and development of the Global Positioning System (GPS).
The symposium sessions will be divided into three broad categories--People, Spaces, and Places. Sessions on "place" will explore the evolution of particular innovation hotspots and explore the factors that led to their creation, and in some cases, their eventual decline. Sessions devoted to "people" will explore the role and influence of charismatic, dynamic individuals and their relationships to the larger region around them. "Spaces" refers to the specific locations--laboratories, and workshops, both real and virtual--that inventors generate and manipulate to suit their creative needs.
The Hot Spots of Invention symposium, complimented by additional public programs, exhibitions, and hands-on activities will advance our appreciation and understanding of "hot spots of invention" and explore the intimate relationship among people, places, resources, and ideas that shape inventors’ work.
All events are free and open to the public on a first come, first served basis. Registration is requested, but not required. Should you wish to RSVP, please do so at http://americanhistory.si.edu/rsvp/newperspectives.
KEYNOTE: Friday, November 6 7:45 p.m., Carmichael Auditorium
Dr. Bradford Parkinson, co-winner of the 2003 Draper Prize for the concept and development of the Global Positioning System (GPS), highlights the number one innovation that enabled GPS as well as the five major barriers to original success. He will offer general conclusions on sources of invention and innovation based on the GPS experience.
Dr. Arthur Molella, director, Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation
Places 9:45 a.m.
"Medical Alley": The Rise of the Minnesota Medical Device Industry Dr. David Rhees, Executive Director, Bakken Museum
Hollywood: A Place for Dreams Dr. Katherine Ott, Curator of Medicine and Science, NMAH Dwight Bowers, Curator of Music, Sports, and Entertainment, NMAH and Ryan Lintelman, Project Assistant for Information Technologies and Communications, NMAH
People 11:30 a.m.
Robert Noyce and Silicon Valley Innovation Dr. Leslie Berlin, Project Historian, Silicon Valley Archives
The Role of Place in Thomas Edison's Inventive Career Dr. Paul Israel, Director and General Editor, Thomas A. Edison Papers
Spaces 1:45 p.m.
The Architecture of Healing: Re-envisioning Medical Innovation at Johns Hopkins, NIH, and Stony Brook Dr. Stuart W. Leslie, Professor of the History of Science and Technology, Johns Hopkins University
The Power of the Power Plant of Place: How Renovation Led to Innovation Dr. Bryan Willson, inventor and Director, Fort Collins Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory, Colorado State University
Synthesis and Conclusions 3:15 p.m.
Dr. David Hounshell, David M. Roderick Professor of Technology and Social Change, Carnegie Mellon University
Commentators
Dr. Robert Kargon, Johns Hopkins University
Dr. Arthur Molella, director, Lemelson Center
FAMILY PROGRAMS: Saturday, November 7 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Innovative Lives: Remo Belli with Ken Kimery 4 p.m., Carmichael Auditorium, First Floor Center What do The Beatles, DuPont, and Mickey Rooney have in common? Mr. Remo Belli. Considered by many as the "father of the modern drumhead," Belli revolutionized the music products industry by perfecting the first practical synthetic drumhead, "WeatherKing." In this moderated conversation, Belli will discuss his experiences as a musician in 1940s Los Angeles and how his community of fellow musicians in Los Angeles led to his innovations and inventions in the making of percussion instruments. This conversation will be hosted by Ken Kimery, Executive Producer of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, and a question and answer session will follow.
Drum Circle with Remo Belli 5 p.m., Flag Hall, Second Floor Center In the words of Arthur Hull, “The Community Drum Circle is a fun entry-level learning experience that is accessible to anyone who wants to participate. Drum Circle participants express themselves collectively by using a chorus of tuned drums, percussion, and vocals to create a musical song together while having a great time.”
Spark!Lab: Make Your Own Drum! 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., First Floor West
Visitors to Spark!Lab will be able to construct their own drum out of recyclable materials and join in facilitated mini drum circles at 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2:30 p.m.
New Perspectives on Invention and Innovation Series The Lemelson Center’s “New Perspectives on Invention and Innovation” symposium series was established in 1995 to address key issues and to identify new avenues of exploration about the history of invention and innovation in our society. The annual symposium brings together historians, inventors, practitioners, and a broad range of audiences through a mixture of scholarly presentations, family hands-on activities, educational programs, invention demonstrations, and behind-the-scenes tours.
Considered by many to be the “father of videogames,” Ralph Baer transformed people's relationship to television by inventing a new way for them to interact with their sets. His work led to "Odyssey," the first home videogame for the consumer market, and launched a multimillion-dollar industry.
In this moderated conversation about his life and work, Baer will reenact the first time he played Odyssey with his partner Bill Harrison and then answer questions from the audience.
After the program visitors will be able to play classic and contemporary videogames as well as examine objects and documents from the Museum's collections.
Program begins at 11:30 a.m.; play videogames with the inventors from 2 to 4 p.m. Spark!Lab, first floor west
The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation has joined the LEGO Group to celebrate National Inventors' Month. The partners will present a free, two-day collaborative build of a record-breaking 8-foot-tall light bulb--the universal symbol of a big idea. The light bulb will be made entirely of LEGO bricks constructed by visitors with the help of LEGO master builders, reinforcing the connections between play and invention explored in the Invention at Play exhibition. Spark!Lab, the Center's hands-on invention space, will feature special building and engineering-related activities throughout the weekend.
Saturday, August 1, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, August 2, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. First floor center
The Smithsonian's Lemelson Center presents a special program featuring renowned author and global environmentalist Lester Brown. This latest installment in the Center's "Portrait of Invention" series offers participants the unique opportunity to engage Brown, founder and president of the Earth Policy Institute, in a conversation about the challenges of sustaining civilization.
Lester Brown, has been called "one of the world's most influential thinkers" by the Washington Post. Through this oral history-style interview and subsequent conversation, visitors will learn about Brown's strong influence on the early environmental movement and about solutions to today's environmental problems.
His unique work in monitoring the health of global ecosystems has allowed him to foresee pending crises and to offer holistic solutions. His farming background, training in the agricultural sciences, and a stint living in the villages of India enabled him to focus on the food/population equation. This later expanded into a broad range of environmental concerns, such as eroding soils, falling water tables, shrinking forests, disappearing species, and melting of the mountain glaciers that feed the world’s rivers.
In 1974, with support of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Brown founded the Worldwatch Institute, the first research institute devoted to the analysis of global environmental issues. While there he launched the Worldwatch Papers, the annual State of the World reports, World Watch magazine, a second annual entitled Vital Signs: The Trends That are Shaping Our Future, and the Environmental Alert book series.
Marc Pachter, former director of the National Portrait Gallery, will host the program. A cultural historian, Pachter is an innovator in the field of biography through his "Living Self Portraits" public interview series. He is the editor of Telling Lives: The Biographer's Art in which seven acclaimed biographers interpret the art of biography. Pachter has conducted public interviews for the Smithsonian with such notable figures as Agnes de Mille, William L. Shirer, Umberto Eco, Katharine Graham, and Walter Cronkite.
The Lemelson Center has a longstanding interest in environmental history and practice. In 1998, it presented a symposium on ?Inventing for the Environment,? the proceedings of which were published by MIT Press in 2003 (Inventing for the Environment, Arthur Molella and Joyce Bedi, eds.). Art Molella and the Lemelson Center have since held several other programs both here and abroad and produced publications on the environment and town planning.
Lester Brown’s work complements that of the Lemelson Center in its focus on the connections between the economy and the environment. The environment and the environmental movement have also been important collecting areas for the Museum’s Division of Science and Medicine. This program will raise questions about invention and economics in the context of making progress toward solving environmental problems facing the world today.
Brown will autograph copies of his latest book, Plan B 3.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization, following the program.
7:30 p.m. at the National Museum of American History, Carmichael Auditorium, first floor. Admission is free, seating is first-come, first-served. Doors open at 7 p.m. The Museum is located on Constitution Avenue NW between 12th and 14th Streets NW.
Andrew Maynard, chief science advisor of the Woodrow Wilson Center's Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies provides a deeper look at nanotechnology titled "So Nano So What? The What Why Where of Nanotechnology."
His colleague, nano researcher Todd Kuiken, highlights commercially available products that use nanotechnology.
The talk will take place in the Lemelson Center's Spark!Lab starting at 4:30p.m.
Visit Spark!Lab during NanoDays to learn about nanotechnology through hands-on activities and experiments!
Activities include constructing a giant model of a carbon nanotube entirely from balloons, measuring height in nanometers and creating a liquid crystal display that changes color as well as other nanotechnology-related experiments.
Spark!Lab is open between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Activities vary daily.
Lemelson Center Director Art Molella checks out displays at the 2008 March Madness for the Mind
Courtesy of the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIIA)
Fifteen teams of student scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs from around the nation present their inventions at the National Museum of American History. The students will display their inventions and give kid-friendly demonstrations in the Lemelson Center's hands-on invention and science space, Spark!Lab.
The 13th annual March Madness for the Mind is presented by the Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation and the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIIA).
12 - 5:30 p.m., National Museum of American History, first floor.
Portrait of Franklin by Joseph Siffred Duplessis, premier artist of the French royal court.
National Portrait Gallery
Join us for a demonstration of Benjamin Franklin's Experiments in Electricity Diplomacy. Visitors can learn about several of Franklin's most significant experiments--significant not only for their contributions to scientific knowledge, but also for their contributions to the budding American democratic system--and find out how Franklin capitalized on his reputation as "the man who tamed lightning" to gain France's considerable military and financial support for the American Revolution.
3 p.m., National Museum of American History, first floor center.
With dozens of patents to his name, Woody Norris’ inventions range from personal recording devices to a personal helicopter. Norris will share how he developed many of his fascinating inventions in a free Lemelson Center program at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 10, designed to inspire young people and families to think creatively. He will explain how the influences of a childhood in western Maryland led him to become one of the nation’s most important contemporary inventors. In particular, Norris will demonstrate HyperSonic Sound—sound that is focused into a narrow beam audible from great distances. It is so precise that someone standing in the beam can hear it, but someone just one foot away cannot.
After starting his career in the U.S. Air Force as a nuclear weapons specialist, Norris became director of the Engineering Experiment Station at the University of Washington. After his first commercial invention in 1970, he left the university to embark on his entrepreneurial career. In 2005, he was awarded the $500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize for his contributions as an inventor and innovator.
Aside from speaking about his career and influences, Norris will answer questions from the audience. Norris’ appearance is part of the Lemelson Center's Innovative Lives program series. The program will be held at Arlington Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy St. in Arlington, Va. Free parking is available at the library; visitors also may take Metrorail’s orange line to the Ballston or Virginia Square stations and walk a short distance to the library. Admission is free. For Smithsonian information, call (202) 633-1000 (voice) or (202) 633-5285 (TTY).
Learn more about the Arlington Public Library's programs for kids and teens.
With fuel prices and concern over global warming heating up, what's being done to cool things off with more efficient fuels and engines? Join NPR Talk's Moira Gunn, who will moderate a discussion with leading policy and energy experts, for a thought-provoking look at current challenges and future opportunities in fuel innovation.
The "cafe-style" discussion program will be held at the Koshland Science Museumin Washington, DC, which is co-sponsoring the program with the Lemelson Center and the National Academy of Sciences' Transportation Research Board. Refreshments are included with your admission.
Date: Thursday, December 7, 2006 Time: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM Cost: $15 Age Range: 13+
Guests Presenters:
The Hon. Philip Sharp is president of Resources for the Future, an independent and non-partisan research institution and think tank focusing on policy analysis of energy, environmental, and natural resource issues. He served ten terms as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana and was a member of the National Research Council's Committee on the Effectiveness and Impact of the Corporate Average Fuel Energy (CAFE) Standards. Sharp is Congressional chair of the National Commission on Energy Policy.
Dr. David Greene is a corporate fellow at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Center for Transportation Analysis. Through extensive committee service to the National Academies, he has advised the nation on global oil markets, sustainability, transportation energy policy, and energy use.
Dr. Moira Gunn is host of NPR Talk's weekly radio shows, Tech Nation and BioTech Nation, which explore the impact of science and technology on public opinion and global policy. She is a member of the Dean's Science Advisory Council at Purdue University and the Advisory Board of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University.
Advance ticket purchase strongly suggested. For tickets, contact the Koshland Science Museum at 202-334-1201 or email ksm@nas.edu.
The Rotunda, designed by Thomas Jefferson, is an inspirational venue for this conference on technology and democracy.
Nov 03, 2006 (Friday) - Nov 04, 2006(Saturday)
Friday, November 3, 2006, 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Technology and Democratic Values in the Early Republic This panel opens the Charlottesville portion of the conference by examining how Franklin, Jefferson, and other leaders in the late eighteenth century thought about and used technology to establish America as a democratic republic. The speakers will consider how Franklin used the printing press as an effective tool during the Revolution, how Jefferson thought about intellectual property, and how political leaders balanced public good and monopoly power in the challenges created by Robert Fulton and the introduction of the steamboat.
Location: the Rotunda, Dome Room, UVA
Saturday, November 4, 2006, 9:00 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Political Lives of Inventors 9:00 to 10:45 a.m This session will examine how inventors wove politics and technology together in the course of their careers. While Thomas Paine promoted his bridge inventions as energetically as his ideas about liberty and freedom, Samuel F. B. Morse linked politics and technology by worrying about how different groups in America might make use of his invention of the telegraph. A third paper explores the world of crank inventors who often combined impractical machines with eccentric social visions in the hopes of transforming American society.
Manifesting Democratic Values in Art and Technology 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Art is sometimes a mechanism for exploring the role of technology in a democratic society. In this session, scholars examine how Charles Wilson Peale interpreted the role of invention in American life in his paintings and how architecture was employed to celebrate the civic potential of the Fairmount Waterworks built in Philadelphia in the 1820s. A third presentation examines how the demand for civic monuments in the nineteenth century went hand-in-hand with the development of the bronze industry in America.
Lunch 12:30 to 1:45 p.m.
Technology and the Practice of Democracy 1:45 to 3:45 p.m. Panelists in this final session will talk about how technology has shaped the practice of democracy in the twentieth century. They will consider how television and radio have changed our notions of a civic society and the ways we participate in democratic discourse. This session will also look at how new technologies such as the fax machine and dictograph (an early sound recording device) changed how political campaigns are conducted and our expectations of acceptable behavior of elected officials.
Join historian Walter Isaacson, author of "Benjamin Franklin: An American Life," and Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein as they discuss how Americans have wrestled with the interplay of technology and democracy from Franklin's time until today. Isaacson, president and CEO of the Aspen Institute and former Chairman/CEO of CNN and managing editor of "Time" magazine, will draw on both his knowledge of Franklin and his own experiences in journalism to explore how communications technologies have shaped the practice of democracy.
Location: William G. McGowan Theater National Archives Constitution Ave. between 7th and 9th Streets, NW Washington D.C. 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. No registration required.
Take Metro to the presentation. Yellow and Green lines. Archives-Navy Memorial station.
1801 engraving by Cornelius Tiebout depicting Thomas Jefferson as statesman, scientist, and inventor. The bust is of Benjamin Franklin.
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division
Throughout our nation’s history, Americans have often adopted new technology, and have been willing to experiment with new political ideas and practices. Commemorating the 300th anniversary of the birth of Benjamin Franklin, this conference will examine how Franklin, Jefferson, and their contemporaries saw technology as integral to the creation of a new form of government, a democratic republic, as well as how Americans since Franklin’s time have wrestled with the interplay of technology and democracy.
The program will be held at the National Archives, Washington, D.C. and the University of Virginia, Charlottesville. It is free and open to the public with no registration required.
The conference is sponsored by the Lemelson Center and co-sponsored by the National Archives, the Department of Science, Technology and Society at U.Va.’s School of Engineering and Applied Science, and the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies at Monticello.
Details on program schedule, topics, speakers, and locations are posted as they become available.
August is National Inventors' Month and to celebrate we present “Invention on the Mall,” a family-friendly celebration of invention, led by the Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center, examining the breadth and diversity of invention and innovation from a variety of artistic, scientific, historic perspectives. Invention is not limited to technology, nor is it simply an American phenomenon, and it pre-dates written history. “Invention on the Mall” will explore the universal nature of invention through programs at the National Museum of American History, National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of the American Indian, and National Museum of Natural History featuring each museum’s unique collections and scholarship. The weekend-long event will help the Lemelson Center kick off its second decade as a nationally recognized organization which documents, interprets, and disseminates information about invention and innovation.
“Invention on the Mall” is the last major, family festival to be held at the National Museum of American History before it closes to the public for renovation on September 5, 2006.
The following Invention on the Mall events are all free and open to the public. Please note that some events have limited attendance.
"The Dark Crystal" film screening August 3, 7:00 – 8:45 p.m. Carmichael Auditorium, First floor center, National Museum of American History
The products of Jim Henson’s imagination have reached across generations and communities with warmth, wild humor, and fantasy. They combine the razzle-dazzle of American popular culture with technological innovation. Henson’s inventive work transformed both the art and the science of puppetry from the simple, cloth, hand-and-rod Muppets to the complex figures of the 1982 film "The Dark Crystal," which used a remote-controlled system of movement called animatronics.
This 35mm screening of “The Dark Crystal” (1982; 93 min.; rated PG), is in conjunction with the Muppets and Mechanisms: Jim Henson’s Legacy exhibition that features items from the film, including details on the animatronics. Museum curator Dwight Blocker Bowers will provide introductory comments.
First come, first served seating.
Innovations in Aviation and Space - Hands-on Activities and Demonstrations with National Air and Space Museum Curators August 4, 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Curator talk times and locations are noted below). Gallery 109, National Air and Space Museum
Visit How Things Fly (gallery 109) and experience the four forces of flight through hands-on activities and demonstrations. (A schedule of demonstrations will be posted at the entrance to the gallery). Look for Discovery Stations throughout the museum. These hands-on carts offer an interactive experience about innovations in aviation, space exploration, and astronomy.
"SpaceShipOne: Winner of the Ansari X Prize" Milestones of Flight (Gallery 100) - 10:00 a.m. Valerie Neal will discuss the innovations of SpaceShipOne that made it a grand prizewinner.
"Science Fiction: The Blue Print for Science Innovation" Space Race (Gallery 114) - 10:30 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. Margaret Weitekamp will show how science fiction is an inspiration to designers and engineers.
"The Wright Flyer: First to Fly" Wright Brothers & The Invention of the Aerial Age (Gallery 209) - 10:45 a.m. Peter Jakab will talk about the Wright Brothers greatest invention.
"Viking: First Space Craft to Operate on Mars" Milestones of Flight (Gallery 100) - 11:00 a.m. Roger Launius will highlight the innovations of the first spacecraft on Mars.
"Kite to Flight: Learn About the Kite that Inspired the Wright Brothers" Wright Brothers & The Invention of the Aerial Age (Gallery 209) - 11:30 a.m. See a model of the Wright Kite and talk to Tom Crouch about how it inspired the Wright Flyer.
"Space Suits: Making a Stroll in Space Possible" Apollo to the Moon (Gallery 210) - 11:45 a.m. Amanda Young will answer all your questions about space suits.
"The Cola Wars: Drinking Carbonated Beverages in Space" Apollo to the Moon (Gallery 210) - Noon Valerie Neal tells the tale of two famous cola makers who developed ways to drink cola in space.
"Ask an Astronomer!" Explore the Universe (Gallery 111) - Noon David DeVorkin will answer your astronomy questions. Look for the man in the wizard's hat.
Wright Flyer Simulator Demonstration August 4, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. South Lobby, National Air and Space Museum
Stop by the South Lobby to do craft activities that illustrate innovations in aviation and space, from the first flight of the Wright Flyer in 1903 to the successful launch of the first private spacecraft, SpaceShipOne. Meet experts throughout the Museum who will be discussing a variety of topics that will illuminate the inventions and innovations that have made flight in the air and space possible.
Adaptation as Invention: Innovative Behavior in the Natural World. August 4, Noon – 4:00 p.m. Visit various carts and stations throughout the National Museum of Natural History for a number of activities and demonstrations from museum curators and others outlining inventive behavior in nature.
"Adaptation as Invention: Examples from the Insect World" Rotunda - 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Join Gary Hevel for a look at the innovative means insects adapt to their environment.
"Whale Adaptations" – Location and time TBD
"Scientific Illustration Inventions" Rotunda - 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Join Vichai Malikul for a demonstration of how to use specimens, microscopes and art supplies for scientific insect illustration.
"Plains Indians and the American Bison: How Native Americans "Discovered" Many Innovative Ways of Using the Bison" North America Gallery in the Kenneth E. Behring Hall of Mammals, Noon to 2:00 p.m. Hal Banks and Michelle Williams demonstrate objects made from bison. The bison was very important to the Plains Indians. Learn how they put every part of the animal to use. For example: • Meat for food • Hide with the hair left on for winter clothing and blankets • Sinew for bowstrings and thread for sewing • Hair for making rope • Tail as a fly swatter • Horns for making bowls and spoons • Dung for fueling campfires
The Crowtations August 5, Noon – 12:30 p.m. repeats from 4:00 – 4:30 p.m. Flag Hall, second floor center, National Museum of American History
The Crowtations, part of the Brewery Troupe, is made up of four birds performing an engaging revue of soul music and hip-hopping choreography. Under the creative leadership of founder Brad Brewer, this group of performers is recognized as one of the world’s premier African American puppet companies. Brewer will also lead puppet-making workshops at the museum.
Brad Brewer, of Freeport, New York, founded the Brewery Troupe in 1973. His interest in puppetry began when he was six years old. Self-taught as a child and later trained under Jim Henson, Brad Brewer is involved in all aspects of puppet theater from design, sculpture and painting to carpentry and performing. He last appeared at the National Museum of American History in 1998 to celebrate the 150th birthday of inventor Lewis Latimer. The Lemelson Center commissioned the Brewery Troupe to create a puppet play about this African American inventor's life. "Lewis Latimer: Renaissance Man," was performed at the Museum in December 1998 and is still shown on video to schools around the country.
Meet the Inventors August 5, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. Carmichael Auditorium, first floor center, National Museum of American History
Learn about the varied world of invention from four modern inventors in a panel discussion with students and museum visitors. The Lemelson Center’s “Innovative Lives” program series inspires young people to explore the interdisciplinary world of invention. By interacting directly with inventors and entrepreneurs, young people learn firsthand about history, technology, and science. Past “Innovative Lives” presenters Ashok Gadgil, Ann Moore, José Hernández-Rebollar, and Hal Walker will be on hand to share their invention stories and to help encourage young people to appreciate their problem-solving skills and consider the possibilities of a future in invention and innovation.
Seating is first come, first served.
Brewery Troupe Puppet-making Workshops August 5, 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00 p.m. Reception Suite, first floor center, National Museum of American History
Brad Brewer and the Brewery Troupe, who worked with Muppet creator Jim Henson, will lead three puppet-making workshops beginning at 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. (Attendance is extremely limited and young people can participate on a first come, first served basis only. One adult companion per child.) Families will “invent” hand puppets and Brad Brewer and the troupe will discuss their work with Henson and the innovative transition from traditional hand puppets to the animatronic Muppets featured in the Muppets and Mechanisms exhibition and shown in "The Dark Crystal” film and other Henson productions.
Attendance is extremely limited. First come, first served only. Each session is expected to last approximately 30-40 minutes.
Hands On Science Center August 5, Noon – 4:00 p.m. August 6, Noon – 4:00 p.m. Hands on Science Center, first floor west, National Museum of American History
The Hands On Science Center offers museum visitors a deep and practical understanding of the role science plays in American history and daily life. For "Invention on the Mall," the Center will recreate some of Benjamin Franklin's famous experiments with electricity, and will demonstrate a polygraph created by another famous American inventor, Thomas Jefferson.
Floor demonstrations and hands-on activities August 5, Noon – 4:00 p.m. First floor east, center and west, National Museum of American History
A variety of fun invention-related demonstrations and hands-on activities for families will take place throughout the first floor of the museum. Docents will facilitate activities from the museum's former Hands-On History Room, including showing visitors how to use a cotton gin. Argyle Design will demonstrate invention education kits that are currently in development. Visitors can contribute their opinions on their future use by the Lemelson Center.
Additional participants include the following Lemelson Center partner organizations:
The Benjamin Banneker Academic High School InvenTeam of Washington, D.C. will present their invention project - a biometric, computer-controlled cell-phone locker system. Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams is a national grants initiative of the Lemelson-MIT Program to foster inventiveness among high school students.
Celebra la Ciencia (Celebrate Science), a project of the Self Reliance Foundation, encourages Hispanic Americans to learn about science in fun, non-formal settings. CLC's bilingual hands-on exhibits will share health science information with young people and their families at the festival.
WNET children's television program "Cyberchase" and the Children's Museum of Houston are developing education kits that they will prototype with museum visitors Saturday and Sunday. "Cyberchase" is an Emmy Award-winning animated PBS television series and multimedia project that teaches math concepts to children ages 8-12 through the adventures of a team of curious kids in Cyberspace.
Winners of the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington's annual "Thingamajig" Invention Convention, which takes place this year on August 3, will display their projects on Saturday. "Thingamajig" is an exciting and unique learning experience for children ages 5-14. Children compete by designing an "invention" in a range of categories, which gives them the opportunity to exercise their imaginations, basic, scientific principles, and problem solving skills.
Meet the Composer: Raven Chacon August 5, 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. Conference Center (Rooms 4018-4019), National Museum of the American Indian
Raven Chacon (Navajo), a composer and performer, talks about inventive aspects various electronic instruments and devices he has adapted for his compositions, including a Theremin/guitar, 4 track recorder delay device, and even a Sony Walkman, and demonstrates them in mini-performances.
Portrait of Invention -- Meet Tom Newby August 5, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Carmichael Auditorium, first floor center, National Museum of American History
The Lemelson Center’s “Portrait of Invention” series features innovators whose contributions to their field are recognized as some of the most significant. In an interview format, inventors share stories about their childhood influences, careers, and the innovative processes they used to create products that gave them their niche in history. This “Portrait of Invention” program will feature Tom Newby who worked with Jim Henson at the Henson Creature Shops. Dwight Bowers will interview him about the innovative processes and collaborative projects that took place in these “laboratories” to create the famous Muppets and develop the animatronics featured in the Muppets and Mechanisms: Jim Henson’s Legacy exhibition.
Seating is first come, first served.
Inventing Electronic Music Workshop August 6, Noon – 4:00 p.m. Reception Suite, first floor center, National Museum of American History
Ever wonder how Hip-Hop and electronic dance music producers make the beats that move audiences at concerts and on dance floors? How did a lone inventor in the Soviet Union in search of an effective security alarm create a device that would transform music forever? Participants will explore invention stories behind the birth of electronic music and try their hands at creating their own electronic music with state-of-the-art music production software at this interactive demonstration and historical artifacts display. Electronic music producer Brian Miller (a.k.a. SAD) will show visitors how to create beats of their own with software. On view will be a c. 1929 Theremin, the first synthesizer, as well as vintage drum machines and synthesizers including Herbie Hancock's 1983 MemoryMoog, from the museum's Division of Music, Sports, and Entertainment collection.
First come, first served.
Floor demonstrations and hands-on activities August 6, Noon – 4:00 p.m. First floor east and west, National Museum of American History
A variety of fun invention-related demonstrations and hands-on activities for families will take place throughout the first floor of the museum. Docents will facilitate activities from the museum's former Hands-On History Room, including showing visitors how to use a cotton gin. Argyle Design will demonstrate invention education kits that are currently in development. Visitors can contribute their opinions on their future use by the Lemelson Center. WNET children's television program "Cyberchase" and the Children's Museum of Houston are developing education kits that they will also prototype with museum visitors. "Cyberchase" is an Emmy Award-winning animated PBS television series and multimedia project that teaches math concepts to children ages 8-12 through the adventures of a team of curious kids in Cyberspace.
Innovative Lives -- Meet Tom Newby August 6, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Carmichael Auditorium, first floor center, National Museum of American History
The Lemelson Center’s “Innovative Lives” series inspires young people to explore the interdisciplinary world of invention. By directly interacting with inventors and entrepreneurs, young people learn firsthand about history, technology, and science. This new “Innovative Lives” program will feature Muppet animatronics innovator Tom Newby, who most recently controlled the motion of "Elmo" in the July 4 Independence Day concert at the U.S. Capitol. Young museum visitors are encouraged to ask Newby questions and to learn more about the variety of careers available in fields of invention and innovation.
Invention at Play, the Lemelson Center's interactive exhibit, will be open until 6.30 p.m. through September 6th!
Now you have more time to explore the playful side of invention and the inventive side of play. Learn how play--the ordinary and everyday "work of childhood"--connects to the creative impulse of both historic and contemporary inventors.
Sporting Invention traces the development of sports inventions through drawings and prototypes, revealing the little-known stories of invention behind familiar sports equipment and also highlighting aspects of universal design in sports technology development.
Objects featured include the skis and tennis racquets invented by Howard Head and an accessible snowboard for people with disabilities, developed by student inventors at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts. By examining the inventive process through the inventors’ sketches and models, visitors gain a new appreciation for how inventors transform the way Americans play.
The products of Jim Henson’s imagination have reached across generations and communities with warmth, wild humor, and fantasy. They combine the razzle-dazzle of American popular culture with technological innovation. Henson’s work transformed both the art and the science of puppetry from the simple, cloth, hand-and-rod Muppets to the complex figures of the 1982 film The Dark Crystal, which used a remote-controlled system of movement called animatronics.
Co-sponsored by the Lemelson Center, the objects displayed through September 4, 2006 on the Museum’s first and third floors represent two important eras and achievements in Henson’s extraordinary career. Whether it’s the fleece-and-foam zaniness of the Muppets or the intricate creatures of The Dark Crystal, his work exhibits a constant and enduring appeal.
The small display features:
On the third floor west:
The Sam and Friends figures, created by Jim Henson in 1955 for shows broadcast on local Washington, D.C., television station WRC-TV; they are regarded as the earliest puppet creatures known as “the Muppets.”
Classic Muppets that Jim Henson personally activated and voiced, including Kermit the Frog, the Swedish Chef, Rowlf, Dr. Teeth, and the banjo player from the Country Trio, which is a Muppet that resembles Jim Henson.
On the first floor west at the Lemelson Center:
Animatronic figures from the 1977 television show Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas and the 1982 movie The Dark Crystal.
The Lemelson Center invites you to learn how contemporary innovators in architecture are ensuring their designs benefit the common good—from preserving the environment to improving building inhabitants’ quality of life. The subject will be discussed at Sustainable Shelter, a free public program on Saturday, March 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) in Portland, OR. No tickets are required for OMSI visitors.
Sustainable Shelter explores socially-responsible inventions in architecture, and examines ways that organizations and individuals put their philosophies on sustainability into practice in the kind of spaces they create for themselves. Visitors to OMSI will also have the opportunity to step inside a temporary relief shelter designed to house people displaced by war or natural disaster.
The keynote speaker is architect Sim Van der Ryn, a founder of the sustainable design movement, who shares his vision of merging the natural and designed world. A session on Innovation for Sustainable Homes examines how innovative building materials and design can help you “green” your home. And a session on Innovation for Disaster Relief features sustainable innovations that respond to disaster victims’ need for shelter.
The program is part of Lemelson Center’s “New Perspectives on Invention and Innovation” program series and is designed to broaden our understanding of history through research, discussion, and dissemination of ideas about invention and innovation.
Portrait of Franklin by Joseph Siffred Duplessis, premier artist of the French royal court.
Courtesy: National Portrait Gallery
In honor of Benjamin Franklin’s 300th birthday, the Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center will sponsor a celebration for the whole family on Saturday, Mar. 25 (rain date Mar. 26) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the National Museum of American History and on the Washington Monument grounds in conjunction with the Smithsonian Kite Festival. This special program will include hands-on demonstrations of Franklin’s science experiments, readings by children’s author Cheryl Harness, a new display of Franklin artifacts, appearances by one of the nation’s leading portrayers of Benjamin Franklin and kite-making demonstrations.
This free program celebrates Franklin’s legacy in such varied fields as science, invention, diplomacy and social welfare. Throughout the day, families can experiment with static electricity, just as Franklin did, at demonstration tents for the Kite Festival on the Washington Monument grounds, courtesy of the museum’s Hands On Science Center. At 10:45 a.m. Harness will read excerpts of her new Franklin biography, “The Remarkable Benjamin Franklin” on the Museum's second floor. The program will repeat at 12:30 p.m. Joining her will be Ralph Archbold, who has portrayed Franklin for more than 30 years and was appointed to the 15 member federal commission to oversee the celebration of Franklin’s 300th birthday. Shortly after 2:30 p.m., "Franklin" will lead museum visitors on a parade from the Mall entrance of the National Museum of American History to the Kite Festival at the Washington Monument.
Meanwhile, the Lemelson Center, with the assistance of Wings Over Washington (WOW), will sponsor kite making sessions for young people from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at a tent near the Museum's Mall entrance. Sessions will be held approximately every hour, and timed tickets are required for the half-hour, kite-making sessions. They will be distributed on a first come, first served basis at the Lemelson Center tent at the Museum beginning at 10 a.m.
Visitors also will be able to see a special display on Franklin, the statesman in “Benjamin Franklin: A Revolutionary Role,” open Jan. 13 through April 17, 2006. On display for the first time in more than 30 years will be a three-piece, silk suit worn by Franklin during his diplomatic trip to Paris that resulted in the signing of the Treaty of Alliance in 1778. This rare presentation of the Franklin suit, on long-term loan from the Massachusetts Historical Society, represents a historic undertaking by the museum due to the suit’s delicate condition. Accompanying Franklin’s suit will be a walking cane presented to him during his trip to France, which he later bequeathed to George Washington, and “Benjamin Franklin,” the famous portrait by Joseph Siffred Duplessis that was commissioned during Franklin’s stay in Paris and is on loan from the National Portrait Gallery. A full presentation on the objects displayed will be held at 11:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m.
"Benjamin Franklin," portrayed by living history presenter Ralph Archbold, will greet Museum visitors and share stories of his work as a printer, scientist, inventor, and diplomat.
In honor of Benjamin Franklin’s 300th birthday, the Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center will sponsor a celebration for the whole family on Saturday, Jan. 21 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the National Museum of American History. This special program will include hands-on demonstrations of Franklin’s science experiments, readings by children’s author Cheryl Harness, a new display of Franklin artifacts, appearances by one of the nation’s leading portrayers of Benjamin Franklin and a birthday party with cake and candles.
This free program celebrates Franklin’s legacy in such varied fields as science, invention, diplomacy and social welfare. Throughout the day, families can experiment with static electricity, just as Franklin did, at demonstration tables courtesy of the museum’s Hands On Science Center. At 1 and 3 p.m., Harness will read excerpts of her new Franklin biography, “The Remarkable Benjamin Franklin.” Joining her will be Ralph Archbold, who has portrayed Franklin for more than 30 years and was appointed to the 15 member federal commission to oversee the celebration of Franklin’s 300th birthday. At 1:30 p.m., Archbold’s “Franklin” will blow out the candles on his birthday cake.
Visitors also will be able to see a special display on Franklin, the statesman in “Benjamin Franklin: A Revolutionary Role,” open Jan. 13 through April 17, 2006. On display for the first time in more than 30 years will be a three-piece, silk suit worn by Franklin during his diplomatic trip to Paris that resulted in the signing of the Treaty of Alliance in 1778. This rare presentation of the Franklin suit, on long-term loan from the Massachusetts Historical Society, represents a historic undertaking by the museum due to the suit’s delicate condition. Because of the fragile condition of the suit, it will be displayed for only approximately one month before being replaced with a reproduction created for this display. Accompanying Franklin’s suit will be a walking cane presented to him during his trip to France, which he later bequeathed to George Washington, and “Benjamin Franklin,” the famous portrait by Joseph Siffred Duplessis that was commissioned during Franklin’s stay in Paris and is on loan from the National Portrait Gallery.
Hailed as one of the greatest minds of our times, Richard Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983) is known as an American visionary. Designer, architect, engineer, inventor and philosopher, he was undeniably one of the key innovators of the 20th century. The Lemelson Center is proud to present a "Meet the Author" program with Michael John Gorman, author of the new book “Buckminster Fuller: Designing for Mobility.” A visually rich and complete overview of Fuller’s design and architectural production, Gorman’s book situates Fuller’s projects in their historical context. Gorman’s presentation will be on Friday, Oct. 21 from noon to 1 p.m. in the Information Age Theatre on the first floor of the National Museum of American History. The program is free and open to the public.
Creator of the geodesic dome, champion of autonomous living and inventor of synergetic geometry, Fuller proclaimed his own life to be a dramatic experiment aimed at discovering what “an average healthy human being could achieve by working on behalf of all humanity.” Fuller’s work exerted a powerful influence on a generation of architects, artists, engineers, designers, environmentalists, scientists, philosophers and social thinkers.
Michael John Gorman will explore Buckminster Fuller as inventor through a visual exploration of his innovative projects. Gorman is the project director of Arkimedia, an initiative that explores science, technology and their connections with the arts in Dublin, Ireland. He is the former associate curator of the Buckminster Fuller Collection at Stanford University Libraries.
Blair Towns apartment community in Silver Spring, Maryland
Photo provided by The Tower Companies
“GREEN TOURS” -- Join the Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center on October 15 for a day-long, behind-the-scenes, guided tour of three, environmentally-responsible building projects in the greater Washington, D.C., area.
John M. Langston High Schoolin Arlington, Va. is among the first schools in the country to be certified “green” by the U.S. Green Building Council.
LEED-certified Blair Townsin Silver Spring, Md. represents a sustainable approach to multi-family development. This 78-unit apartment community was built with 40% recycled content and 60% regionally manufactured materials.
Bus departs at 8:30 a.m. from the Mall entrance (Madison Drive) of the National Museum of American History, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. Returns by 5:00 p.m. Nearest metro stations are Federal Triangle and Smithsonian on the Blue and Orange lines. Cost is $5. Lunch included. Appropriate for ages 12 and older.
This program is sold out.
José Hernández-Rebollar with his AcceleGlove.
Photo: Douglas Benton-Fisheye
American Sign Language is considered the fourth most common language in the United States, but is used by fewer than 2 million people. The AcceleGlove is a recent effort to help the hearing and non-hearing worlds communicate by translating sign language into speech. The glove’s inventor will demonstrate how it works on Aug. 3 at 1 p.m. in Carmichael Auditorium on the first floor of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. The program is free and appropriate for the whole family.
As a graduate student, José Hernández-Rebollar came to the United States from Mexico on a Fulbright scholarship to study engineering at George Washington University. For his dissertation project, he came up with the idea of a glove that would convert sign language into words you can hear. Using sensors attached to the glove and the arm of the user, this prototype device maps the placement and movement of the arms and fingers in three-dimensional space. An attached computer reads the data and converts them into words that can be heard on a loudspeaker or read on a computer screen. The AcceleGlove currently can translate the alphabet and more than 300 words in ASL into both English and Spanish.
Hernández-Rebollar’s appearance is part of the "Innovative Lives" program series of the Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, dedicated to showing how invention and innovation are essential elements of American history and heritage.
Edgar Meyer in his studio
Photo provided by Edgar Meyer
How do you use technology to create images of things that have no image? How do you choose what color a colorless virus should be? In programs July 7 and 8 at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, noted biochemist and artist/sculptor Edgar Meyer will examine the fascinating intersection of art and science and explain how he gives 3-D visions to the very small.
“While molecules are neither good nor evil, their effects can be beneficial, like vitamins, or devastating, like viruses,” says Meyer, “Information explaining what molecules look like and how they work can help us understand and hopefully control molecular-scale evil wisely.”
Meyer’s accurate models of the polio virus are on display in the museum’s exhibition, "Whatever Happened to Polio?" Meyer will present a lecture program Thursday, July 7 at 6:30 p.m. in the museum’s Information Age Theater (first floor, west wing). Seating is limited. The polio exhibition will be open at the conclusion of the program. On Friday, July 8, Meyer will hold gallery talks in the "Whatever Happened to Polio?" exhibition (second floor, west wing), at 1 and 3 p.m.
In each of the programs, Meyer will explain how he takes molecular slice scans and uses that information to make his scientifically accurate models. Scientists use many types of models to visualize concepts about the real world. “Now that you can see a virus, what can you do with it?” asks Katherine Ott, curator of the polio exhibition. “The polio virus is distinct from AIDS or Ebola viruses, but for virologists, any contribution to knowledge about one virus helps further understanding of how all viruses may work.”
Edgar Meyer’s appearances are part of the Lemelson Center's "Innovative Lives" program series and are presented in partnership with the "Whatever Happened to Polio?" exhibition and the Hands On Science Center of the National Museum of American History. The March of Dimes is the presenting sponsor of the exhibition, with additional funding from Rotary International and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.
The National Museum of American History is located at 14th Street and Constitution Avenue N.W., and through Labor Day is open daily with summer hours from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Admission is free. For more information about the program, call (202) 633-1000 (voice) or (202) 357-1729 (TTY).
May 04, 2005 (Wednesday) - May 04, 2005(Wednesday)
The Lemelson Center and the Fairfax Network invite you and your students to join us on some of our favorite video field trips.
Reinventing the Wheel: The Continuing Evolution of the Bicycle May 4, 2005 1:00 - 1:30 p.m. (EDT) Audience: Students in Grades 6 through 12
This program explores the bicycle's unique history and technology. The velocipede achieved great popularity almost immediately when it was introduced more than a century ago. Countless inventors were inspired to make bicycles more efficient and comfortable, and bicycle innovation continues today. Students will see historic bicycles from the collections of the National Museum of American History and some amazing prototypes for the future. Program highlights include "high wheelers," hand powered cycles for the disabled, mountain bikes, and even a bicycle that rides on snow.
To register for this FREE program and to receive satellite coordinates and other technical information please follow this link to the Fairfax Network.
Someone’s got to make it, and someone’s got to play it. That’s how musical instruments work, and those are the steps the electric guitar took to become perhaps the foremost icon of American music around the world. In a program that combines history and artistry—part analysis, part jam session— Paul Reed Smith, one of America’s most celebrated guitar- makers, is joined by guitarist David Grissom and historian André Millard to show us how the making and playing of electric guitars have interacted and kept the amplifiers hot for the past 70 years.
Smith—originally from Bethesda, Maryland—is a musician, artist, and founder and managing general partner of PRS Guitars. The list of artists who have used his guitars reads like a Who’s Who of top contemporary musicians. Among them is David Grissom, who played for three years with John Mellencamp’s band and has toured and recorded with artists like Buddy Guy, the Allman Brothers Band, and Ringo Starr. André Millard is the director of American studies and professor of history at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is also the author of America on Record: A History of Recorded Sound.
The program celebrates the launch of The Electric Guitar: A History of an American Icon (Johns Hopkins), the latest book published under the auspices of the Lemelson Center. The volume, available for signing after the program, is edited by Millard and is based on research and materials from the Center’s 1996 symposium Electrified, Amplified, and Deified: The Electric Guitar, Its Makers and Its Players.
The program is free to the public, but tickets are required. Tickets can be obtained through Smithsonian Resident Associates at www.residentassociates.org or call (202) 357-3030, weekdays 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. E.T.
After World War II, innovations in medical technologies and procedures, such as prosthetic devices, endocrinology, and reconstructive surgery, inspired Americans to believe in a new age of modern medical miracles. Author David Serlin and medical history curator Katherine Ott discuss how the use of these innovations came to reaffirm Cold War anxieties about normalcy, patriotism, and consensus. Book signing follows.
Noon - 1:30 p.m. National Museum of American History, Reception Suite, first floor. Free and open to the public; no reservations required, but space is limited.
The Lemelson Center presents this video field trip celebrating the invention of the electric guitar. Guitar maker Paul Reed Smith and guitar player G. E. Smith demonstrate their crafts and share stories about some of the people involved in developing and popularizing the electric guitar. Moderated by Bob Santelli, former director of education at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, this program is a rebroadcast of the 1996 video conference that linked students at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., with students in Cleveland, Ohio, and Elkhard, Indiana. Join them for an exciting exploration of the timeless intersections of technology and music. For students in grades 4 through 9.
1 - 1.30 p.m. Teachers may register to show this program in the classroom for free on the Fairfax Network Web site.
Is there anything about humans that technology can't mimic, replace, or alter? This exhibit examines how we are using technology to reinvent our bodies. Exploring the history and design of artificial limbs, implantable devices (such as artificial hearts and hip joints), and even running shoes, see how inventors use technology to push the limits of human life and ability.
The Inventing Ourselves exhibit will be closed effective Monday, May 8, 2006.
10 a.m. - 5.30 p.m., Monday - Sunday, Lemelson Center showcases, first floor west, National Museum of American History, 14th St. and Constitution Ave., NW.
Free and open to the public.
Van Phillips.
Photo courtesy Giovanna Nigro-Chacon.
Innovations in replacement body parts have often come from those who have been injured, whether it be an athlete, a car crash victim, or a soldier wounded in battle. "Artificial Parts" reveals how frustration can often inspire innovations that reinvent the human body and explore the fascinating history of prosthetics technology.
1 - 4.30 p.m., National Museum of American History, 14th St. and Constitution Ave., NW.
Free and open to the public; however, tickets are required for "Active Lives, Active Duty" only. To order free tickets by phone, call the Smithsonian Resident Associates at (202) 357-3030 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday, and mention Code 1X1-252. You may also order tickets online at www.residentassociates.org.
Don't miss the last chance to visit our showcase exhibit that looks at the connections between Nobel Prize-winning science and invention. The Inventive Side of Nobel explores the everyday inventions that have resulted from the Nobel-winning research of scientists Guglielmo Marconi, whose ground-breaking experiments in radio earned him the 1909 prize in physics, and William Shockley, John Bardeen, and Walter Brattain (physics, 1956), whose work on transistors transformed consumer electronics.
10 a.m. - 5.30 p.m., Monday - Sunday, Lemelson Center showcases, first floor, west wing, National Museum of American History, 14th St. and Constitution Ave., NW.
