THE WORKS is where kids explore how things work!
Our "hands-on, minds-on" exhibits are grouped into three major theme areas:
Gears & Gizmos — mechanisms and simple machines
Build! — structures and shapes
The Interactive Image — imaging and optical technologies
We also feature a special visiting exhibit!
Toys: the inside story- learn about what's inside favorite childhood toys. If your parents never let you break open your Etch a Sketch to find out how it works, you'll love Toys: The Inside Story.
Gears & Gizmos
The Gears & Gizmos area is full of real-world and whimsical machines that invite you to explore how gears, pulleys, cams and other simple machines work. Intriguing discovery stations let you crank up an amazing assortment of mechanisms to learn how simple machines can change movement — speed, direction and force. You can also create your own gear-driven contraptions.Some examples of what you'll see include:
- Giant Zipper: See wedges at work as you zip up a 6 foot tall zipper.
- Race Track: Experiment with wheels, weight and design as you build and race K'NEX cars.
- Pulley Power: Can you lift those heavy weights? Find out how & why pulleys help!
Build!
The Build! area features a tantalizing variety of bricks and blocks in many shapes to build constructions and imaginations.
Enjoy:
Foam Bricks: Stack up towers, houses, arches and igloos with The Works' custom foam blocks cut to the size of classical Roman bricks.
The Interactive Image
The Interactive Image exhibits let you explore imaging and optical
technologies — from optical sensors to image manipulation to animation to fiber optics. Exhibits areas include Optical Sensors, the Digital Playground, Color Mixing, Animation, and Bending & Bouncing Light.
Enjoy Exhibits such as:
- Light Harp: Play a harp with "strings" made of laser light.
- Colored Shadows: Chase multicolored, full-size shadows of yourself.
- Strobe Stream: Watch a stream of water turn into gleaming, colliding drops under a strobe light.
Now Open: The Works, 9740 Grand Ave. S, Bloomington, MN 55420 [map] Phone: (952) 888-4262
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