What made Leonardo Da Vinci tick? How did he approach design? I suppose we’ll never know for sure, but Da Vinci: The Genius, the latest traveling exhibit at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, comes pretty darn close to figuring it out. You can visit Da Vinci: The Genius now through March 2, 2014.
The Whole Genius
Though I’m no expert on Da Vinci, I have been to a couple of exhibits about this talented man. But each exhibit only attempted to capture one part of DaVinci’s legacy, his art, contribution to science, etc., in a very two-dimensional way. None looked at his whole body of work. Until now.
Da Vinci: The Genius takes on a seemingly impossible task: present the entire catalogue of Da Vinci’s work from the Mona Lisa to his civil machines. And they succeeded marvelously! This exhibit brings to life every aspect of Da Vinci’s work.
The ingenious idea of displaying sketches of Da Vinci designs next to with life sized models of the machines brings the artist’s work to life in a way I never thought possible.
The Exhibits: Da Vinci: The Genius
Anyone interested in art, science, anatomy, engineering, or just having fun will find something they’ll enjoy at Da Vinci: The Genius.
Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll find:
- Secrets of the Mona Lisa: Learn all about one of the world’s most famous paintings
- Renaissance Art: Including The Vitruvian Man and La Bella Principessa, a lost painting discovered in 2008
- Civil Machines: Everything from drills to carts
- Hydraulic and Aquatic Machines: From a scuba suit (seriously it’s freaking awesome) to flippers
- Flight Machines: Some of Da Vinci’s
- Codices: Reproductions of Da Vinci’s notes
- And more!
How to Enjoy the Exhibit
Try our 10 Things to do @ Da Vinci list.
#1: TOUCH!!
Here’s the coolest part of the exhibit: it encourages you to play!
Which I think it is a very Da Vinci-eque touch, by the way On each exhibit you’ll see a hand with either a red circle through it (don’t touch) or a green circle (please touch).
It’s like you’re interacting with Da Vinci. Carrying on his legacy.
#2: LEARN
Don’t know what one of the machines is for? No problem! Each display includes a handy guide that includes the following information:
- Leonardo’s concept sketch
- The name of the machine (in English and Italian)
- An explanation of what the machine was used for
- An explanation of how it works
#3: TAKE A GROUP
This exhibit is perfect for field trips, no matter what age group you’re teaching. And it just so happens they have some great packages worked out.
Want to make your own field trip? Headphones are available at the start of the exhibit at no charge for some additional learning along the way.
#4: FANCY IT UP!
Save the date: February 8, 2014 there’s going to be a Da Vinci Masquerade Ball. Details will be coming shortly, but I can tell you this much: it’s going to be awesome!
About the US Space and Rocket Center
Home to Space Camp and Aviation Challenge, The U.S. Space & Rocket Center is recognized as one of the most comprehensive U.S. manned space flight hardware museums in the world.
- Visit the U.S. Space and Rocket Center website
- Read about past U.S. Space and Rocket Center events
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Event Information: Da Vinci: The Genius
Dates: November 2, 2013 – March 2, 2014
Times: 9 am – 5 pm daily, Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Location: U.S. Space and Rocket Center
Cost: Included with Museum admission- Adults (13 & up) $25; Children (6-12) $20 5 and under free
