BENTONVILLE -- Twelve-year-old Jimmy Zink climbed out of a minivan and called to a friend, "Do you want to rip off this door with me?"
Several adults looked on. No one seemed alarmed.
At A Glance
Amazeum
Amazeum is an interactive museum being built at 1009 Museum Way in Bentonville near Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. It’s scheduled to open during the second half of 2015.
Source: Staff Report
That's because Jimmy was one of numerous children taking apart a minivan parked outside Old High Middle School on Saturday. By noon, much of the vehicle had been dismantled. Its seats, doors, bumpers and other material sat in a pile a few feet away.
The van was one of the highlights of Tinkerfest, put on by Amazeum at Old High Middle School. Science, technology, art, crafts and toys were featured in the dozens of activities offered at the free event.
And yes, there was some destruction, too, all under the supervision of adult volunteers.
Jimmy wore safety goggles while working inside and outside the van.
"I think it's cool to take apart stuff," he said.
Sam Dean, Amazeum's executive director, said Nunnally Chevrolet in Bentonville donated the used vehicle for Tinkerfest.
"This community is pretty amazing, not just with those who want to participate in an event like this, but those who want to make it happen," Dean said.
It was the first time Amazeum had put on a Tinkerfest. Dean said he expects to do more such events in the future.
Adam Tobin, who works for the Exploratorium museum in San Francisco, was among those participating at the tinkering tent. He and others were provided a bunch of old toys which they had to disassemble and use to make something new.
"We're doing a toy mashup," Tobin said. "Through exploring materials and mechanisms in these toys, ideas begin to present themselves. Hopefully something magical presents itself in the end. That's the spirit of tinkering."
Tobin took apart a Fisher-Price corn popper and examined the mechanism that makes the balls pop around in the dome.
"I want to do something with this, but I don't know what yet," he said.
The tinkerers were going to present their creations at the end of the afternoon.
Another station allowed kids to take apart electronics. The remains of computers, printers, copiers and compact disc players laid scattered across tables and the grass.
Eric Letson, a Walmart employee, volunteered at the electronics tent. He helped Alex Elkins, 9, of Bentonville remove the bottom of a laptop.
Letson said kids at the event were fascinated by the insides of the electronics and figuring out how they work. Then he admitted, "I'm having just as much fun as the kids are."
"I like destroying computers," Alex said, as he poked at the laptop's insides.
Tinkerfest also featured an appearance by the 501st Legion, a club of Star Wars enthusiasts who dress as the movie's characters. Several people dressed as stormtroopers and a replica R2-D2 robot posed for pictures with those in attendance.
Molly Rawn, Amazeum's director of development and communications, said at noon Saturday she didn't have an attendance count, but estimated close to 2,000 people would come through Tinkerfest by the end of the day.
Victoria Hodgson of Bentonville brought her 8-year-old son, Will Davis, to Tinkerfest. She thought it was great to be able to bring Will to a festival where he could learn through hands-on activities.
"It's so refreshing to bring him here instead of having him at home on the iPad," Hodgson said.
Sponsors of Tinkerfest included 3M, Mitchell Williams, White Cloud, Wet-Nap and Haizlip Studio.
NW News on 10/05/2014