ANN ARBOR, Mich., Aug. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Imagine
discovering the inner workings of a 17th century time switch clock
or gazing at a 16-foot-tall ball maze within a beautiful arched
window in Ann Arbor's original
firehouse. This two-story gallery with the inner workings of
engineering concepts and more awaits exploration this August at the
Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum's debut of STEAM PARK.
STEAM PARK is a gallery consisting of 23 individual exhibits
created in collaboration with Toyota engineers in Ann Arbor. The exhibits are designed for
hands-on engagement that reveal through clear plexiglass the
mechanical marvels normally hidden from sight. Exhibits explore
simple machines, structures, aerodynamics, mechanical movement and
more.
"STEAM PARK provides multiple moments of discovery for visitors
of all ages, revealing the awe and wonder of science, technology,
engineering and math through arts-inspired hands-on experiences,"
said Mel Drumm, president and CEO of
the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum. "Through an immersive and
interactive experience, we hope to spark interest and inspire youth
to explore the engineered world."
STEAM PARK was made possible by grants from the Toyota
USA Foundation and Toyota Motor
North America totaling $1.5 million.
For nearly two decades, Toyota's Research & Development located
in Michigan has collaborated on
several initiatives with Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, which serves
close to 400,000 visitors annually across the state. This
long-standing collaboration underscores Toyota's commitment to the
communities it serves while inspiring the next generation towards
STEAM.
"As Toyota transitions to a mobility company, we think that the
STEAM Park really aligns with our fundamentals," said Jeff Makarewicz, group vice president and Toyota
USA Foundation director. "Through
new connected, automated and electrification technologies, we are
trying to solve some of the world's most critical problems, but we
can't do it alone. We need to inspire the next generation of
innovators and problem solvers, and that is what STEAM Park
does."
In addition to opening STEAM PARK, the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum
is working to refresh the popular preschool gallery. Toyota's
funding will support its renovation, which will be called STEAM
PLAY, and the creation of new preschool exhibits.
STEAM PARK exhibits include:
- Time Switch Cuckoo Clock: A unique art piece, this
exhibit invites exploration and interaction with a range of
mechanical and electric technologies that span over 500 years from
the first mechanical clocks of the late Middle Ages to the current
electronic technologies we depend upon today.
- Roulette Curves: The world's first-of-its-kind digital
logarithmic spiral drawing tool machine. Visitors create beautiful
repeating patterns by picking from an array of colored line
widths.
- Propeller Chair: Visitors work to hoist themselves in a
chair up to the ceiling and slowly propel down to experience the
slow decent with gravity.
STEAM PARK is included with regular admission to the museum.
Admission is $16 per person, free for
members and $3 each (for up to 6
people) for those holding EBT cards. Special discount membership
packages will be available on opening weekend, and for a special
discounted weekend in September. Normal Museum hours are Tuesday
through Thursday, and Saturday from 10
a.m.-5 p.m.
To learn more about the development of the Ann Arbor Hands-On
Museum STEAM Park, click here: Toyota Sparks Interest in STEAM With
a Hands-on Experience.
About the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum
Offering
more than 250 interactive exhibits, the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum
attracts nearly 300,000 visitors annually creating moments
of discovery that inspire curiosity, exploration and respect for
STEM and the natural world. In addition to exhibits and
engaging programming, the Museum and our Leslie Science
& Nature Center offers award-winning distance learning, nature,
and outreach programming for schools and libraries statewide
and around the world. The Museum is the founder of the Unity in
Learning Initiative, the regional gateway to hands-on discovery,
exploration of the natural world, and experiences that take flight.
Visit www.aahom.org or call 734.995.5439 for
information.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a
part of the cultural fabric in North
America for more than 60 years, and is committed to
advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota
and Lexus brands plus our 1,800 dealerships.
Toyota has created a tremendous value chain and directly
employs more than 47,000 in North
America. The company has contributed world-class
design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and
trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint
venture in Alabama that begins
production in 2021.
The Toyota USA Foundation is
a charitable endowment created to support education programs
serving kindergarten through 12th-grade
students and their teachers in the United
States, with an emphasis on science, technology,
engineering, and math (STEM).
Media Contacts
TOYOTA
Praveena Ramaswami
Praveena.ramaswami@toyota.com
Ann Arbor Hands On Museum
Sara Brintnall
sbrintnall@aahom.org
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SOURCE Toyota Motor North America