https://www.exploratorium.edu/visit/calendar/free
As a traveling homeschool family, spending a week in San Francisco, CA, is not enough time to take in all that the city has to offer. From Alcatraz Island to the Palace of Fine Arts Theater to the famous Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco is brimming with rich history, great food, fantastic sights, and beautiful people.
But if I had to pick the one place where my kids had the most fun and engaging time, The Exploratorium would be my number one pick. The Exploratorium is a massive hands-on interactive museum where guests can learn essential concepts in science, technology, and the arts through first-hand participation in pre-built science experiments.
There are numerous exhibits encompassing many different topics such as physics, engineering, chemistry, and biology. All exhibit activities are simple enough that even the youngest kiddos can participate and learn through play.
One particular display that my kids liked was Lego Batman-themed Zoetrope. Aside from having Lego "guys" (which my kids are obsessed with) and music that immediately gave my husband and me nostalgia over our childhood days, seeing such a carefully crafted 3D zoetrope gave us the perfect opportunity to teach the kids about perception, light, and animation.
This zoetrope is a 3d zoetrope model that uses 3d objects (Lego figures) attached to a rotating base and a strobe light that flashes on and off (as opposed to a slit on a drum). When you set the base rotation off sync with the strobing lights, it creates the movement illusion. Because of the 3d objects and the artificial light, the illusion is much sharper and clearer than the traditional 2D zoetrope illusion.
Zoetrope Fun Facts
A zoetrope is a machine that creates the illusion of moving pictures from a rapid series of still images. They were trendy in the late 1800s but were eventually replaced by film projectors.
The original zoetrope, invented by William George Horner, was a drum lined with a strip of pictures that could be swapped. It was a cylindrical version of the phénakisticope, the first-ever device that created the illusion of movement.
Many different versions of the zoetrope emerged between the 1850s and 1860s. But it wasn't until 1865 that William Ensigns Lincoln sent his design drawings to Milton Bradley, who patented the device (first in the UK in 1866 and then in the US in 1867) and turned it into a child's children's toy.
The zoetrope works due to the theory of 'persistence of vision. In this perceptual process, images we see flashing at less than a tenth of a second linger long enough for our brains to put them together as one image. When the images change ever so slightly, and there is an interruption of light, our brains see them as though they are moving. Without the interruption of light, you would see the images blurred. This is the most fundamental concept behind cartoons.
The world's largest zeotrope is called the BRAVIA-drome, and Sony built it in 2008 to show off the company's then innovative motion technology - Motionflow 200Hz. It measures 33 feet (10 meters) across and spins at over 25 mph (40 kph). It's pretty neat to know they used 100-year-old technology to show their innovation.
Check out some of these fantastic 3D zeotropes!
Wanna go? Here are some tips.
Tickets: If you are not a member of the museum, you will need to reserve tickets for your visit. You can do so here. The Exploratorium offers Free Days on various days of the year. Children 3 and over need tickets. Check out their calendar here for a list of upcoming free pass days or events.
Parking - there are a few parking garages located near to the Exploratorium that offer a discount by using the code 4302100 at these lots: Exploratorium Pier 15 Parking Lot and Pier 19½ Parking Lot.
COVID-19 Policy - They have a very strict COVID-19 policy. Guests 12+ must show proof of vaccination including booster shots (if eligible). Children 11 and under must show proof of COVID-19 vaccines (if eligible) or a negative COVID-19 test (within one day for antigen tests or two days for PCR tests). Check out their page here to see their strict requirements and updates.
Accessibility - The museum is wheelchair accessible and offers many places to sit during your stay.
Item storage - There are coin operated lockers right at the entrance which are handy so you can have your hands free to tinkle with the exhibits. The lockers are musical and play music when you touch them.
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