Tag Archives: marble machines
17May/12No comments
Maker Faire 2012 Preview
Posted by Ryan
This week, we’ve all been working hard to get the Exploratorium booth at Maker Faire all set up and ready to go. We’ve shipped the materials, exhibits, and even a cabinet of curiosities down to San Mateo and we’ll spend … Continue reading
Tagged as: animation, balance, dissections, drop zone, fun, maker faire, marble machines, mobiles, preview, san mateo, set-up, surprises, wind tubes
29Mar/12No comments
Marble Machines are back!
Posted by Luigi
Our beloved Marble Machines fort is back in action and ready for your ideas and intricate ball runs. Come play!
28Mar/12No comments
Beyond the Museum: Tinkering with Marble Machines
Posted by Kitundu
Lately in the Tinkering Studio we’ve been thinking about how to translate the work that we do in the museum to settings like after school programs and community centers. Marble Machines is an open-ended, immersive activity that frustrates and delights … Continue reading
20Dec/11No comments
Amazing Marble Catapult
Posted by Ryan
In many of our favorite activities, visitors to the Tinkering Studio often use materials in entirely new and surprising ways. For example, even though we’ve been doing Marble Machines for years and years, every once in a while someone will … Continue reading
Tagged as: catapult, fort, innovation, launcher, marble machines, mechanism, rubber bands, teamwork
13Dec/11No comments
It’s hard to take pictures in the dark…
Posted by Ryan
…unless you are a pro like Exploratorium staff photographer Gayle. We had a lot of activities going down in the tinkering studio for last week’s After Dark, but the glow theme highlighted my photo taking limitations. Check out these beautiful … Continue reading
5Dec/11No comments
After Dark Afterglow
Posted by Ryan
Last Thursday, as a part of a glow-themed adult night, we brought out a bunch of florescent and glow-in-the-dark activities, environmental elements and art pieces that we have been working on for the past few weeks in the learning studio. … Continue reading
Tagged as: adult night, after dark, bear skin rug, bling, candy corn, cardboard, cosmic, florescent, glow, highlighter, LED, marble machines, neon, no shoes on bear, pes, stop motion, tattoos, UV lights
16Nov/11No comments
Cosmic Marble Machines Test
Posted by Ryan
Inspired by cosmic bowling with elements of Tron and the aesthetic of a Tinkerer’s Rave, we’ve been experimenting with the idea of “one night only” debut of glow-in-the-dark marble machines at the next after dark event. Once we discovered that … Continue reading
Tagged as: after dark, cosmic, glow, marble machines, neon, tracks, tube, UV light
1Oct/111 comment
Marble Machines with H.S. Explainers
Posted by Mike
We had a marble-blast today with a new High School Explainer group. This workshop is a tradition, when we ask new Explainers to spend three hours with us making Marble Machines, sharing their projects with each other, and discussing various … Continue reading
22Sep/11No comments
Tinkering 101, day 1: marble machines
Posted by Luigi
We started our Tinkering 101 workshop by launching straight into one of our favorite and most time-tested activities, and one that has a very high concentration of the characteristics that we consider fundamental to tinkering. As we often do, we … Continue reading
20Sep/11No comments
Tinkering 101
Posted by Luigi
The Tinkering Studio will be closed to the public this week as we are hosting a workshop that we think of as “Tinkering 101.” It’s our attempt to answer the question: how do you introduce a group of practitioners to … Continue reading
Tagged as: marble machines, teachers, texas, tinkering 101, Workshop
