Think It. Make It. See It.

Amazeum exhibit explores process of making things

Waylon Jordan, 3, of Rogers assembles a neighborhood trolley during a members-only preview event for the new “How People Make Things” exhibit at the Scott Family Amazeum. The exhibit was inspired by the factory tour segments on the “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” television series.
Waylon Jordan, 3, of Rogers assembles a neighborhood trolley during a members-only preview event for the new “How People Make Things” exhibit at the Scott Family Amazeum. The exhibit was inspired by the factory tour segments on the “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” television series.

Our lives are filled with a variety of objects -- baseball gloves, plastic bottles, paperclips -- but have you ever wondered how these things are created?

The new special exhibit at Scott Family Amazeum, "How People Make Things," explores the creation of everyday objects and lets guests make objects of their own.

FAQ

‘How People Make Things’

WHEN — 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday & Wednesday-Saturday & 1-5 p.m. Sunday, through Sept. 25

WHERE — Scott Family Amazeum in Bentonville, 1009 Museum Way

COST — Free for museum members, $9.50 for nonmembers, free for children younger than 2

INFO — 696-9280, amazeum.org, howpeoplemakethings…

"This exhibit highlights something that is important to us -- the idea of making something," says Erik Smith, director of exhibits and programs. "One of our big initiatives and pushes is to be a place where people are inspired to come up with big ideas and explore ways to turn ideas into reality."

"How People Make Things" is divided into four parts, based on the technique that is used in the making process -- cut, mold, deform and assemble.

The first thing guests will see when they walk into the exhibit, Smith says, is a three-axis mill. This machine uses a drill bit to cut away from material, such as a block of wax, to create a new object. Guests will be able to use the mill as well as hand tools to carve wax and create an object to take home.

Guests also will be able to create a box by cutting out the flat shape and folding it, and use a vacuum former, a machine used in the molding process. Items such as ice cube trays are created by this process.

"You can put your hand in [the machine] and feel the force of the vacuum and how it stretches the material around the contours of your fingers," Smith said. "It's really fun."

Guests are encouraged to bring their own pennies to squash in a penny press machine, Smith says. The machine deforms the coin to turn it into a new shape.

Also on display are a carousel horse, a tennis shoe deconstructed to show all of its parts, a disassembled rotary phone, plastic balls and a toy wagon.

In addition to the displays in the special exhibit area, Amazeum educators and facilitators will interact with guests in other areas of the museum with "making" related activities, Smith says.

"It adds that other layer of interactivity. It makes it come alive," he says. "When you come back to visit, it might not be exactly the same as it was before."

The touring exhibit, inspired by the factory tour segments on the "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" TV series, was created in 2007 by the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh. The exhibit was built in collaboration with Family Communications Inc., Fred Rogers' nonprofit organization. Today that company is called The Fred Rogers Company. Rogers was born near Pittsburgh and eventually made his home in the Pennsylvania city, where he created and produced "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood."

"How People Make Things" will be at the Amazeum through Sept. 25. The exhibit that follows in October will be "Building Buddies," a construction-related exhibit, Smith says.

-- Kelly Barnett

[email protected]

NAN What's Up on 04/29/2016

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