Welcome to The Leonardo Blog. Check back often for news and updates about Utah's newest museum!
101 Inventions That Changed The World!
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
The latest exhibition at the Leonardo will most likely go beyond the experience that most visitors expect. Yes, there is a room where you can see some of the 101 Inventions voted to have the most impact on society housed on white shelves. It's almost comforting to see the classic items in our modern, high-tech, fast moving world: old-school tinned goods, an abacus, the first electric guitar. A touch screen will then give you more information on each, such as the original version of the invention and its current incarnation.
But off this side room in the main space is exactly what you would imagine from The Leonardo, which prides itself it presenting the most cutting-edge exhibits in science, technology and art. It's a unique system that incorporates 40 high-definition projectors, multi-channel motion graphics and cinema quality surround sound – resulting in one of the most exciting multi-screen environments you can imagine. Huge crystal clear images illuminate a vast array of screens and surfaces specially tailored to the exhibition space, using a technology named SENSORY 4.
The experience - programmed to be dynamic, informative and visually spectacular, flows through the mass of projectors and merges with digital surround sound, saturating the space. The visitor walks around these screens, watching the countdown of inventions take place, or if you so choose, you can plant yourself in a particular spot on the floor and watch images flow all around you. It's a little like watching a rock concert whose stars include Asprin, Lego and the Atomic Bomb.
We spoke to Rob Kirk, the operations director at Grande Productions, based in Victoria, Australia, who created the exhibition.
The Leo: How did you collate the 101 Best?
RK: We engaged a panel of eight Science Center CEO's from around the world to discuss and decide on the 101 Inventions they thought had the most impact on society. They had to select inventions from eight key time periods; From the Dawn of Humankind through to present day."
The Leo: Which invention has caused the most 'controversy' over its inclusion?
RK: "Most probably the Atomic Bomb. The 101 Invention list however is supposed to stimulate debate and discussion. Visitors may feel that certain inventions which don't feature in the exhibition should have merit in being included and others which made the list shouldn't be there. This is one of the key features of the exhibition, to simulate thought and discussion."
The Leo: Which is your favorite?
RK: "That is a difficult one! As I love travel I would say the powered airplane. Without that the world would be a much larger place!
The Leo: How is the 101 Inventions presented to be more alluring to the visitor than a run-of-the-mill exhibit?
RK: "We have created an immersive gallery called SENSORY4 which is a projection system delivering a multi-sensory experience. You won't be walking through silent galleries and having to be quiet whilst enjoying the exhibition, this exhibitions uses a special audio visual system to help engage the visitor in the subject matter and is one of a range of exhibition experiences we have developed or are developing. We also have lots of interactivity and artefacts on display too."
The exhibition runs through Sunday, Sept. 15 but you can receive $2 off for adults and $5 for children using the word BLOG101 for opening weekend only. Purchase tickets here!
The museum is open Sunday - Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and Thursday - Saturday from 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
For more information visit theleonardo.org
Camp Leo: The Leonardo's 2013 Summer Camps!
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
What’s cooler than being cool? What’s cooler than being ice cold? Taking part in summer camps at The Leonardo that's what! Starting in June there are 13 Camp Leo sessions at The Leonardo, for ages eight through teen, with tantalizing names including Urban Art, Geometry Jungle, Animation Fun Fest, STEAM Punk, Leo Film Fest and Music and Media Immersion. You can master the math and science behind sports (while playing sports, of course!) You can work side-by-side with artists who have impacted the street art scene, turn flames into your favorite color, capture lightning in the palm of your hand, or even make your own snow (yes, you'll be missing snow by then). On top of all that, The Leonardo will partner with Hawkwatch to bring in three birds to discuss form, function, and bio-mimicry, there's a camp dealing with the fashion, the technology and engineering of Steampunk, where you can make a Steampunk story and/or comic. You can also learn the craft, the art, and the science behind film, working with industry experts to gain insider knowledge on all the latest trends and techniques, master cutting edge technologies, and create your own short to debut at a Leo Pink Carpet premiere. Or in another camp discover the science and technology of music and sound and take home your own digital music piece.
To learn more about Camp Leo and sign up (better hurry, spaces are limited and filling up fast!) click here or paste theleonardo.org/summercamps2013 into your browser.
We talked to Leonardo staff members to get the inside scoop on Camp Leo. Answering questions are Erika DuRoss, education manager, Brooklyn McNaughton, education facilitator, Katherine Leksander, Leo on Wheels coordinator and education facilitator, Ben Leonhardt, education facilitator and Elly Baldwin, education facilitator.
What are some interesting, weird, funny, unusual things about you that young people taking the classes this summer should know?
Erika DuRoss (education manager): I’m a bit of a frog fanatic. I grew up chasing frogs as a kid. As an adult I got paid to chase frogs, snakes, tortoises, salamanders and lizards for a handful of years in my work as a wildlife biologist/herpetologist. Unusual fact: I can touch my tongue to my elbow. Can you?
Brooklyn McNaughton (education facilitator): I can wiggle my nose just like Samantha on the old “Bewitched.” I’ll accept any challenge for Hands-up Stands-up, can’t really stop so well when on rollerblades, and sometimes, when I get bored, I like to imagine that the ground is made of trampolines. Try it!
Ben Leonhardt (education facilitator): I love sports and used to work for the NFL, NBA, and Minor League Baseball; I also played football, basketball, and pole vaulted in track, I loved the physics of it! I was even a track coach for three years, so if you misbehave I’ll make you run laps around the building. Learning about science is cool and all, but having a hands-on teaching activity to demonstrate that knowledge is really what I’m all about.
Katherine Leksander (Leo on Wheels coordinator): I love climbing trees, chasing a soccer ball, telling jokes, and learning/using a new word of the day.
Elly Baldwin (education facilitator): I am an artist and I’m currently working on a project making my own books. I’m also from the Pacific Northwest where it is overcast 95% of the time, so I am preparing to tackle my first full summer here in Utah with a really good pair of sunglasses and lots of sunscreen.
Please pick one of the workshops you will be facilitating and tell us why you're excited to be running it.
Erika: As education manager I won’t be facilitating any camps but I will be involved in developing curriculum and will certainly pop in to see how kids are connecting to the concepts.
Brooklyn: I’ll be teaching a lot this summer! I’m particularly excited about SUM Fun Sports—I’m a former collegiate athlete as well as a firm believer in students using kinesthetic learning to explore concepts, which are sometimes lofty or difficult to grasp. There’s also the added benefit of calling the campers “mathletes.” Cool, right?
Katherine: I'm excited to run SUM Fun Sports because I love games. Sports are my favorite kind of games, because you get to run around! With this workshop we get to run around and play, while also learning some techniques to make our skills better. In explaining those techniques we'll cover the math and science behind why those techniques make our game (and ultimately our skills) better!
If you were going to pick one of the other workshops to take part in (if you were a kid), which one would it be and why?
Erika: If I were picking just one camp camp to go to, I’d be first in line for the Crazy ConCOOKtions camp. Lucky for me though, I don’t really have to choose one because I can pop into them all and experience the thrills of being a kid at camp all over again. I’m not only a science “geek” but I love all things food. You could say I’m “hungry for science.” My passions around food include using science as I tend to the fruits, vegetables and herbs growing right in my own backyard, experimenting with new flavor combinations, preserving the harvest, photographing the array of colors and textures, playing with different cooking techniques and ultimately sharing food with friends and family. I enjoy the sense of accomplishment of making my own food. My husband recently asked me if I would categorize my cooking as more of an art or a science. Honestly, I don’t know. Similar to science, good cooking is almost always the result of many failed attempts in the process of finding just the right combination. I use my understanding of science to inform my cooking and then bring in the art/creativity.
This camp will be a series of hands-on lab explorations investigating science phenomena connected to daily experiences with food. When all is said and done, it will be interesting to see whether the kids attending camp consider food preparation an art, a science, or the perfect blend of the two disciplines.
Brooklyn: Man oh man, I don’t know if I could choose just one. I actually developed these workshops, so it’s kind of like choosing a favorite child; I may or may not have one, but I’ll never admit it...
Ben: SUM Fun Sports for sure! You get to play all day and learn some cool science that could help make you a better athlete! It’s a win-win.
Katherine: I would pick the Animation Fun Fest, because I'd get to make my own movie out of stop motion animation characters! This makes it a bit easier to make a movie by yourself if you're the only actor… I love making movies, but sometimes my friends aren't into the same thing I am into. So, this would be a chance for me to fulfill a creative outlet that I enjoy doing, without needing my friends to help.
Elly: I would sign up for Urban Art. It’s such a cool opportunity to hang out with SLC street artists and experience firsthand how art can make a social statement or help build community.
Why is the Leo the place to be this summer?
Erika: The Leo is a great place to give your curiosity a little nudge. Come ask questions, wonder with us about how and why things work the way they do, test your hypotheses, make new friends with similar interests, play with ideas and technologies, design something you can call your own, learn while playing, see our cool exhibits, need I say more...?
Brooklyn: Where do I start!? Not only is The Leo just a way rad place to be anyway, but our summer programs are geared toward campers who want to have a spectacularly fun experience without turning their brains off for the season. What’s not to love?
Ben: Your parents want you to keep learning even during summer break, but you want to play around and have fun, right? So come here and do both! That way you get to tell your parents about all the cool stuff you learned, but really, you were just playing around having a good time, and learned a bunch of really cool stuff in the process.
Elly: The Leo is the place to be all the time, but especially this summer because it’s the only place you can find such a wide range of fun camps that any kid would want to join.
theleonardo.org/summercamps2013
POPUP@The Leonardo: The Leo's new collaborative theatrical experience
Saturday, February 9, 2013
At The Leonardo we strive to inspire everyone that walks through the doors to learn how to see the world in a different way. We want to shed light on science and technology in ways that might not seem obvious at first, and we do this through art, through creativity, through interactive exhibits and activities that ignite your curiosity.
One way to do this is through theater! POPUP@The Leonardo is a theatrical experience that uses performance to highlight principles of science and society in ways that couldn't be more different from any boring middle-school science textbook. POPUP's latest production, LOVE, touches on some of the chemical reactions that occur in the brain and body during "love," but using that as a jumping-off point goes into the parts of Love that can't easily be defined.
The performances of LOVE, in The Leonardo auditorium, have been huge hits and have certainly stirred emotions that even the great scientists can't define. Let's turn the blog over to The Leonardo's Scott Smith, as he talks more about POPUP@The Leonardo.
POPUP was born out of the desire to create devised or collaborative theatre.
When considering how POPUP would align with the mission of The Leonardo,
it seemed that this collaborative process was a perfect fit. A fusion of science,
technology and art was the perfect place to start this collaborative process.
Taking these three components and using them to inform the narrative and
visually create our world through technical elements the art was given life.
Along this journey we also discovered inspiration from our own namesake
Leonardo Da Vinci. I have to credit this discovery to Alexandra Harbold. Andra
has been a co-creator in the last two productions SENSES 5 and LOVE, without
her direction, and unique talent POPUP wouldn't have been possible. The great
thing about working with Andra is that together we come to the table with a
creative willingness to say yes and then the confidence to challenge each other
along the way. While working on SENSE S 5 Andra discovered had discovered
what Leonardo Da Vinci called the guiding principles:
CURIOSITÀ | insatiably curious approach to life and unrelenting quest for
Continuous learning
DIMOSTRAZIONE | a commitment to test knowledge through experience,
persistence, and a willingness to learn from mistakes
SENSAZIONE | the continual refinement of the senses, especially sight, as the
means to enliven experience
SFUMATO | a willingness to embrace ambiguity, paradox, and uncertainty
ARTE/SCIENZA | the development of the balance between science and art, logic
and imagination
CORPORALITÀ | the cultivation of grace, ambidexterity, fitness, and poise
CONNESSIONE | a recognition of and appreciation for the interconnectedness of
all things and Phenomena
How does this work itself into the collaborative process? In the beginning
ideas, sparks, thoughts, concepts and yes, even horrible ideas are thrown
into the mix. We have to be fearless and take risks, which requires challenging
ourselves to think outside the box, within the box or throwing away the box.
When we come up out of the overflowing piles of creative beginnings we then
take these guiding principles to ask ourselves those very questions. This process
allows us to find a focus within the creative chaos to tell a story.
Another component to our work is the incorporation of video. I'm an MTV baby
and I love a good music video. I’m drawn first to visual elements then text.
Some artists that I admire, respect, and take inspiration from are Robert Wilson,
Madonna, Wooster Group and Complicite. What I think is most important about
the visual is in the attention to detail. Not just in the video, but in the set, the
blocking, the physical world and even the space itself.
I've also been quite fortunate to find someone that has been willing to play and
dive into this collaborative process. Conor Provenzano's work is glorious, layered
with subtlety, and inspired. I honestly could not have done this without him and
his talent. I look forward to creating more work with him especially to continue
challenging ourselves to go beyond our comfort zone. I see great things for him
as an artist and filmmaker.
Lastly, I will suggest that one guiding principle that we feel was left out of
Leonardo's list was FUN! It is part of my personality and those that know me are
fully aware of the inner 6 year old child that tends to express himself with dance
breaks, tons of laughter, and an occasional childhood story that may or may not
involve carnies, roller skates, bowling, dad's taxidermy and mom's teddy bears.
POPUP is finally taking flight and there's so much more to explore, create and
share. I've been dreaming of this type of work for what seems like a lifetime. We
hope that you will continue to support this work and at one point or another along
the way that you will join us in the collaborative process as we continue to fuse
science, technology and art into a theatrical experience unlike any other.
P.S. You have to be brave!
Photos by Caitlin Blue
The Leonardo thanks the voters of Salt Lake County for their support of the Zoo, Arts & Parks program which has helped make this possible.
(Video) Sessions@The Leonardo with Vinod Khosla
Friday, January 18, 2013
Last month Bryce Roberts hosted the first Sessions@The Leonardo, a monthly discussion series focusing on venture capitalism, investment themes, business matters, and general life strategy. The first guest was Vinod Khosla, who founded Khosla Ventures in 2004 to fund "science experiments," tackling some of the world's largest problems in alternative energy, education, petroleum independence, and the environment.
Here is the discussion, presented in three parts. Enjoy!
January Activities in the Tinkering Garage!
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
The Holiday Season has come to a close and The Leonardo is kicking off 2013 in style with some dazzling floor programming and activities.
Today we'll spotlight the Tinkering Garage! Located on the second floor, this corner of The Leo provides kids and adults with a chance to tinker and experiment with gadgets and gizmos using simple machines and basic methods of physics and engineering. You'll learn key principles of building without even realizing it!
Popular in the Tinkering Garage is our collection of BionicBlox, the award-winning locally produced construction toy. Look at what an 8-year old guest was able to build, complete with moving parts!
Throughout January we have some other exciting projects that everyone can build. Check out the Electro Escapements, a fun afternoon activity
(Electro Escapements: Monday - Saturday, 3:00 - 4:00pm)
An escapement is the invention that made all mechanical clocks possible. Our escapements use gravity to create a repeating physical motion, and then we use concepts of circuitry and LEDs to create this awesome light-up device! You can grab an Electro-Escapement kit in The Leo Store for $4 and take it up to the Tinkering Garage to make it!
Sewing Circuits also teach the basics of circuitry. Pick up a kit in The Leo Store for just $4, use your creativity to make a design in felt, and through the science of circuits give it that extra pop!
(Sewing Circuits: Saturdays at 10:00am, Sundays at 2:30pm, and Thursday-Saturday evenings at 6:30pm)
See you soon in The Tinkering Garage!
Have you ever seen your own DNA?
Monday, December 31, 2012
One of the cool ongoing activities we have at The Leonardo is DNA extraction. You can learn about the DNA extraction process (which I might add, is fascinating) and for $5 you can take home a colorful vial containing your own DNA! Check out this time-lapse video created by our friendly floor facilitators Caitlin and Roxi to see the extraction in action.
Today, December 31st, we'll be doing DNA extraction in the Gene Lab on the Second Floor from 1:30pm to 3:30pm, then starting January 6th we'll be doing it every day from 10:00am - noon. Don't miss a chance to pick up one of these souvenirs, unique in every possible way!
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contact information
- (801) 531-9800
- Mailing Address:
- 209 East 500 South
- Salt Lake City, UT 84111
