Goofing off at Maker Faire
We hosted the second annual Pittsburgh Mini Maker Faire last week. It was a lovely day full of lovely people. I could go on in great detail about all the gadgets and amazing inventions on display. Instead, what I noticed most during the day was a sense of goofiness. Everyone was genuinely having fun. We had so much fun at…
SparkTruck Pit Stop
We had some amazing guests visit the Museum from Stanford University in sunny California. Jason, Didi and Eugene have spent the summer traveling across the United States in a mobile workshop dubbed the SparkTruck. Check it out! Along the way, they have been stopping at museums, community centers, events, and parks… Anywhere they can find. Their truck is full of various…
Andrew’s Shield
Andrew is an interesting visitor. He typically has a plan for exactly what he wants to do or make at the Museum. The really fascinating thing is that his projects typically span the course of several visits to the Museum. He brings his projects back to improve them or build newer versions. He has a real knack for prototyping. This…
Circuit Experiments
We have been working on some new circuit block prototypes lately. Christian is working on a motorized generator that is constructed out of an old bike. Nick built a really cool circuit puzzle using conductive tape. These projects have really got us thinking about the future possibilities of our circuit blocks. I attempted to build a matching game that utilized…
Playing with Gears
I was asked by a fellow teacher to create something that facilitates the exploration of gears. Gears can be tricky for children to understand, so I thought it was a great challenge! After an extremely informal brainstorming session with Christian, I came up with this activity. I have to thank Christian for passing by during the day and suggesting that…
Renaissance Faire Field Trip
The day after Pittsburgh’s Mini Maker Faire I decided to take a trip to Pittsburgh’s Renaissance Faire…What a weekend! The DIY spirit was in full force at the Ren Faire. Vendors were selling all kinds of wares, from handmade armor to beautiful ceramics. Much like the Maker Faire, the Ren Faire was filled with people having a good time. I would say…
“MAKE”-APART
I really enjoy when visitors add their projects or creations to MAKESHOP. For example, two visitors, Max and Joey, helped build a new component for our Circuit Block Table. They repurposed a wheel from a remote control and the motor from a broken model boat. I showed them how to test the motor with a battery to see if it…
Making MAKESHOP
A couple of days ago, we hosted a “Making MAKESHOP” workshop. Participants of the workshop visited from Museums and other institutions from around the country. All of them were interested in developing a maker space of their own. We decided to share some of our secrets with them. Over the course of two days, we played, talked, asked and answered…
Picture Frames
I have noticed over the past year that MAKESHOP has become such a great resource for home school families. Every visitor can benefit from something in the Museum, but MAKESHOP allows for an extremely hands on experience. A couple of days ago a group of sisters ranging from age eight to twenty spent a couple of stupendous hours in MAKESHOP….
A Musical Field Trip
More exploration of sound and music in the month of August… I recently took a trip to the Bayernhof Museum outside of Pittsburgh. The Museum is located in a lovely old mansion and houses a eclectic collection of various musical machines and devices. Many of them dated as far back as the 1800s. I was given an amazing tour and…