ASTC - Traveling Exhibitions

Tech City
Many aspects of our daily lives are designed and maintained by engineers—from the buildings we work in to traffic on the Internet. This exhibition from Sciencenter in Ithaca, New York, highlights the engineering that makes Tech City work. Twelve highly interactive exhibit stations present real-world problems that can be solved using an engineering approach. Hands-on activities and multimedia experiences appeal to a variety of ages and learning styles. Each exhibit was evaluated to ensure its appeal to middle-school girls and underrepresented groups.

In this exhibition, visitors can:

Use an interactive computer, and model walk-across bridges, to determine what makes a good bridge design;
Regulate traffic at a busy intersection;
Design a landscaped environment to direct airflow around an outdoor theater;
Build a gravity dam to prevent a flood;
Create a cost-effective tiled plaza in a city center; and
Experiment with reinforcing rods to design a structure that can withstand an earthquake.

Tech City: Welcome to Tech City
Photo courtesy Sciencenter

The program manual provided with the exhibition includes a family event guide; family take-home guide; and school group program guide containing pre- and post-visit activities.

This exhibition was developed by Sciencenter and Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, with major funding from the National Science Foundation.