News
September 26, 2018New miSci Exhibition Reveals the “Inside Story” about TOYS and a Retrospective on Toys of the Past Century
If your parents never let you break open your Etch A Sketch® to find out how it works, or if you’ve been wondering how to stop your toddler’s push-toy from making such an infernal racket, you’ll love TOYS: The Inside Story, on exhibit at miSci from September 22, 2018 through January 6, 2019.
TOYS includes 12 different hands-on stations illustrating the simple mechanisms commonly found in toys, and lets visitors create their own toy-like combinations of gears, pulleys, linkages, cams, and circuits.
“Who doesn’t like toys? From the time we can open our eyes, we are memorized by mobiles, rattles, and stuffed animals,” says miSci President, Dr. Gina Gould. “And as we grow up, our toys become even more complicated (and expensive)… but we don’t often give much thought to the science behind creating these toys, which involves designers, engineers, and fabricators who turn an idea into something that is fun and safe and captures your attention and sense of play. At TOYS: The Inside Story, visitors will have the chance to play with the gadgets and gizmos inside various playthings and see classic toys they’ve enjoyed over the years. This exhibit will surely inspire fun and a sense of nostalgia for children of all ages.”
Jack Gets Out of His Box gives visitors a close-up view of the cam combination that frees our hero “Jack,” while elsewhere we unmask the amazing collection of switches, cams, and motors that make Elmo® dance and Mr. Machine® run.
Many of the exhibits are free-form and open-ended: Gears at Play illustrates the effects of gear ratios as visitors figure out how to spin ballerinas and a carousel, while the Jeepers Peepers challenge at the pulley table may take a little experimentation to solve.
TOYS: The Inside Story was developed by the Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich, VT, with funding from a National Science Foundation grant awarded to seven museums across the country that comprise TEAMS (Traveling Exhibits at Museums of Science).
As a complement to the interactive exhibition, miSci has partnered with Sassy’s Satellite Pop Culture Gallery to present the 20th Century Toy Chest – a special display of playthings of the past, from primitive wooden soldiers and cast-iron banks, to Slinky, Barbie, board games, and more.
Sassy’s Satellite has collaborated with miSci and toy collectors around the country to curate this impressive collection of toys – both popular and obscure – from the past century. Popeye, Mickey Mouse, Superman, G. I. Joe, Mr. Potatohead – they’re all here!
miSci is located at 15 Nott Terrace Heights in Schenectady. miSci General admission is: Children (3-12) $8.00; Seniors (65+) $10; Adults $12.00. Planetarium tickets are $6. Access to TOYS: The Inside Story and the 20th Century Toy Chest is included in general admission.
