Exhibits to Explore at After Dark: Time
by Exploratorium Staff • June 1, 2015
Experience After Dark on the first Thursday of each month, where you’ll indulge in cocktails, conversation and the unexpected. As you drink, wander and mingle on June 4 at After Dark: Time, be sure to slow down and play with these exhibits before the closing bell rings. Follow this map to find your way around.
Tim Hunkin’s Clock (Tinkering Studio)
Standing 24 feet tall, just outside of our Tinkering Studio, this giant clock has many quirky features to explore. Every 30 minutes, the clock comes to life and puts on a dramatic show, climaxing with a loud gong. Pay close attention to the time and make sure to catch it for a toast!
Be sure to turn the knobs to animate 12 tinkerers doing their tiny, wonderful work.
Pendulum Snake (Corridor to Central Gallery)
Get these ten pendulums swinging and watch them move in beautiful patterns. Do they stay in sync? What patterns do you see? They swing and slither at different rates based on the length of their strings.
The motion of the Pendulum Snake seems random and then gradually organized again. How would you describe what you see?
Posted by Exploratorium on Monday, June 1, 2015
Energy from Death (East Gallery)
Pony up to watch a load of beetles chow down on a dead rat. This creepy crawly exhibit tells a story of death and transformation with dermestid beetles fast at work. In the real world, the competition for this meal would be more diverse. Did you know that forensic scientists use the type of insects found on an animal corpse to help determine time since death?
Tidal Memory (East Gallery)
Unassuming columns of water tower overhead and create a beautiful setting for mingling. Now look closer. The 24 columns tell the hourly story of the changing tides with real time data from the NOAA tide station near the Golden Gate Bridge.
Sweepers Clock (Corridor to Central Gallery)
This theatrical work of art by Maarten Baas is a 12-hour video that replicates an analog clock. Upon close investigation, you’ll see people sweeping long piles of garbage to mark the time. Getting to 5pm feels a Sisyphean task.
The Exploratorium is open for adults every Thursday evening. If you can’t make it to After Dark: Time, join us for one of our other programs.
