Seeing
June 29, 2002 - January 31, 2003
A sneak preview of a new exhibit collection

Can a guy in a superman suit walk right in front of you—and you not see him? The answer is yes.

Shocking proof that we don’t all see the same thing when looking at the same scene, and that we can’t always believe what we do see, will be revealed when the Exploratorium unveils 70 exhibits of its new Seeing collection in a temporary exhibition June 29, 2002-January 31, 2003. Imagine watching a video of an actual San Francisco street slowly transform into a totally different scene, yet you’re not able to identify what has changed. In Neighborhood Scenes, you probably won’t even notice, for example, a black sedan turn into a blue minivan right before your eyes. In Bright Black you will swear that an object is white, only to discover that it is almost black.

Learn why seeing may be believing for each of us, even though we can’t always believe what we see. Grapple with the contradiction of being able to see and not see at the same time, as in Disappearer, where objects right in front of you seem to disappear. This exhibit, which has fascinated Nobel scientists, is one of many new exhibits that represent some of the latest in vision and visual perception research.

Seeing, composed of uniquely Exploratorium exhibits--half of which are new, half completely updated—also includes multi-media and computer technology. Seeing also goes beyond phenomenon-based exhibits about light and vision to include those that have a cultural and social context. You can follow, for example, a writer who is going blind—how his memories, images and dreams have changed—or visit the Eye Curiosity Shop, which explores the kitsch and culture of the eye.
The exhibition adds new insight to how the eye and brain function together, how culture affects our understanding of what we see, and the tools that we’ve created to extend our seeing. Seeing is made possible with support from the National Science Foundation.