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September Issue
2008
South Carolina State Museum in Columbia,
SC, Offers Leonardo da Vinci Inventions
An unprecedented traveling exhibition of the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci will be on view in the Lipscomb Gallery at the SC State Museum from Sept. 27 through Jan. 4, 2009. Leonardo da Vinci: Machines in Motion will bring from Florence, Italy, the world's largest exhibition of full-size machine replicas, constructed according to Leonardo da Vinci's manuscripts, which were collectively called the "codices."
The unique, 7,000-square-foot exhibit features 40 working machines, a number of them life-sized, built by a team of expert historians and engineers who have studied da Vinci's codices.
"We're excited to be one of the first stops on the American tour of this prestigious exhibit," said Director of Science and Outreach Tom Falvey. "Leonardo da Vinci: Machines in Motion takes museum guests of all cultural backgrounds and ages to the world of one of history's greatest geniuses.
"Our guests will be able to manipulate and fully activate the machines, which were designed based on the original materials - rope, wood, glue, etc. - proposed by da Vinci, and made with the tools available at the time the machines were designed."
The exhibit is organized into five parts, based
on da Vinci's study of the elements of nature and applied knowledge:
earth, air, fire, water and mechanisms. Highlights include
a revolving crane, a full-size armored car large enough for several
guests at a time to explore, a working robot, four flying machines,
the bicycle, the printing press, floats for walking on water,
the parachute and the machine gun.
"Leonardo da Vinci was not only a Renaissance man, he was the Renaissance man," added Falvey. "Thinker, artist, inventor, musician, architect, engineer, anatomist, visionary - his ideas foresaw the future and anticipated manned flight, armored warfare and many other phenomena."
The exhibit will be of enormous interest to students, teachers and young audiences, says Falvey, because it provides an engaging combination of education and entertainment in an experience that explores history, science, mechanics and physics, invention and innovation.
The exhibit has appeared in Athens, Greece
and Istanbul, Turkey to broad audiences, critical raves and substantial
media coverage.
"From a science standpoint, an education standpoint and a
historical and cultural standpoint, this exhibit is tremendous,"
said Falvey. "And from a fun standpoint, it's going
to be off the charts."
This special exhibition will have an extra admission in addition to the general museum admission.
For further info check our SC Institutional
Gallery listings, call the Museum at 803/898-4921 or visit (www.museum.state.sc.us).
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