Overview
Description:
Nanolab is an immersive exhibit space, with activities and interactive components suitable for visitors of all ages. NanoLab explores how nanoscientists use special devices and laboratories to build and manipulate materials on the nanoscale. Visitors can dress up like a scientist, play with interactive exhibits, examine clothing and objects used in real labs, watch a video on nanoscale research, and explore the resource area for materials on nanotechnology and the basics of nanoscale science.
Checklist
Scientist reviewed?
Peer reviewed?
Visitor evaluation?
Permissions
Creative Commons
Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike
NanoLab components at Children's Museum of Houston
The Children’s Museum of Houston was eager to incorporate the Nano-Lab components into our brand-new Matter Factory exhibition, specifically into the Super Small Matter Lab, a space dedicated to nanotechnology. This series of components provides an important educational thread to the greater “nano-story” of the exhibition. Specifically, we chose to utilize two of the Nano-lab components:
• At the first component, visitors use tweezers to move vibrating ball bearings onto a plate which reads, “Nano Tech” in an attempt to show both how scientists have to use special tools to work with small objects and that it is difficult to work with tiny objects that have the unpleasant tendency to vibrate and move.
• The other component we modified slightly from its original design so we could broach the subject of nanolithography. While it resembles the first component, there are two significant differences: the ball bearings are much smaller and the plate reads, “One-billionth.” We included a scoop which, while making it easier to pour the bearings over the word, forces the visitors to more carefully brush off the excess ball bearings to clean up the word. We included additional tools such as tweezers and a small brush to help complete and compare the two tasks.
All and all, the components have held up well under extremely heavy use and our visitors enjoy the experience tremendously. They have also proved to be great conversation starters for other concepts covered in the gallery.