Event 3: Lawrence Hall of Science (UC Berkeley)

Lawrence Hall of Science Courtyard

For my final event, I made a visit the UC Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science. My visit as a college student was a bit different from the experience I had in middle school, but I was still able to explore a few concepts that we discussed in class.

The museum is a dedication to the college's Ernest Lawrence, deemed the "Atom Smasher." (Learn more history here.)

One of the concepts I observed from class was that of nanotechnology, as noticed in the way that scientists mimic a gecko's grip to create glove grip and other technologies in fabrics and instruments at a nano scale. The museum mainly accommodates to a younger class of students, so there are plenty of hands-on elements to the exhibits.

Here, I got to try different pattern layouts with magnets to learn how complex it is to design gecko-like attachment in manufacturing. I also learned more about the science behind spill-resistant fabrics through nanotechnology, like we discussed in the week five lecture.

In addition to displaying how nanotechnology is artistically in use today, I was able to observe a variety of different mathematical games and puzzles that have origins from all over the world. One game in particular that caught my eye was the game Kalah that began in what is now Egypt almost 3,500 years ago.

Here, a couple kids are using math and logic skills to bring all the game pieces to their side of the board.

Kids Playing Kalah

Another interesting--and somewhat addicting--mathematical feature in the museum was this spinning cylinder that incorporated replaceable picture sheets to depict moving images. I thought it was a neat exhibit because it showed how the angle and perception of the eye can determine what we see. Thus, making still objects like this one spin quickly gives of the impression that the pictures are actually moving.

Like the other museums I visited, the Hall of Science also incorporated some geometrically designed objects in their back courtyard, specifically for the purpose of peering across Berkeley and Oakland. Once again, these mathematical designs not only look cool but propose natural images of the city, like the one below, for the public to observe. The ever-returning feature of math proposes the magnitude of its weight in artworks beyond what we would initially expect.

To answer the question of whether or not I would recommend this museum, I would answer that it depends on the audience. This venue caters more toward a younger audience, realistically between 1st and 8th grades. It provides a variety of hands-on, bug-extensive, earthquake-replicating scenes for kids to experience that makes science fun. Thus, I would recommend parents to bring their kids, but the environment is not meant for high school age or older.

Receipt Proof of Attendance

Me in the Back Courtyard with Earthquake Replications

Works Cited and Sites Worth Visiting

 Lawrence Hall of Science. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Aug. 2014. <http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/>.

"Lawrence Hall of Science Courtyard." Flickr. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Aug. 2014. <https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8303/7944139650_25bdb16c8e_z.jpg>.

 Lawrence Hall of Science History. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Aug. 2014. <http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/about/history>.

 Lawrence Hall of Science Math Midway. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Aug. 2014. <http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/story/lawrence_hall_science_opens_math_midway_popular_interactive_exhibit_explores_wonders>.

 Nano. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Aug. 2014. <http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/visit/exhibits/science_today/nano>.

 Scientist's Shoes. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Aug. 2014. <http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/about/scientistshoes>.