Masks and vaccinations are recommended. Plan your visit
Explore visual and kinetic phenomena, and view behind the scenes and memorable event photographs from the Exploratorium’s first 40 years.
The visitor gives an initial twist to the pendulums with a protruding knob. Intuition says that the resulting motion of this system should be, if not simple, at least predictable. Intuition, however, does not work with this device since its motion is chaotic, extremely complicated and long-lived.
Where: Ray and Dagmar Dolby Atrium
There’s more to seeing than meets the eye.
Where: Ray and Dagmar Dolby Atrium
Hundreds of black rings travel randomly left and right along more than fifty horizontal strings. Closer examination reveals that the strings are driven at each end by small motors and that the rings that seem to pass through each other are actually bouncing against one another.
Where: Ray and Dagmar Dolby Atrium
Scrapple is an audiovisual installation in which everyday objects placed on a table are interpreted as sound-producing marks in an "active score."
Where: This exhibit is not currently on view.
Use your hands and tools to create unexpected patterns in the sand.
Where: This exhibit is not currently on view.
Use your hands and tools to create unexpected patterns in the sand.
Where: Ray and Dagmar Dolby Atrium