Science Matters

Day 103  |  Racine

Realizing that even if we departed at the crack of dawn, there was no way we would be able see both the science museum and aquarium in one day, we went to Plan B. There is a West Marine in Kenosha, and therefore we must go visit it on our way to Chicago. It didn't open until 9:00 and we arrived on their doorstep at 9:05, just to be polite. Another bag of hose clamps later, we were on our way south, 90 miles to the Windy City. We chose to do the Museum of Science and Industry (MSI) today as the Shedd Aquarium will be within walking distance of the marina we'll stay in next week. MSI opened in 1933 and is the largest science museum in the western hemisphere, spreading out over 14 acres.

Upon entering the main hall, the Transportation Gallery produces an immediate WOW.  The exhibits included the first steam locomotive to hit 100 mph, several planes hanging from the ceiling including a Boeing 727, and a replica of the Wright Flyer.

The first tour was of a relocated coal mine. We descended the mine shaft in the dark, took a ride on a rail car, and saw the evolution of mine technology over the years. This is one of MSI's original exhibits and still stands the test of time. Our second tour was The Science Behind Pixar. It traced the production process from original sketches and storyboards to animation, lighting, and rendering. After I met with Buzz and Barry palled around with Sully and Mike, he spent a few minutes in the model assembly station.

I gravitated to the design booth, working on the graphics for race cars. I also enjoyed the lighting simulators -- applying various angles, brightness, and color to achieve a natural look. After those two ticketed exhibits, we were free to explore the massive museum at our own pace. Our favorite section, by far, was Science Storms. We had a blast using air pressure to keep six balls in the air simultaneously. The giant plasma globe entertained as we worked to determine if the sparks of static electricity were attracted to the plate in my arm, or just surface area. (surface area it was)

Barry orchestrated "perpetual motion" from the oversized Newton's cradle. Demonstrations of the large overhead Tesla coil included three different firings.

Our second favorite area was the Numbers in Nature area. The first part dealt with naturally occurring patterns in the natural world, such as spirals and the Golden Rectangle/Ratio. The back half was a cool Mirror Maze, done in many colors of low level light. We entered the maze in the late afternoon and our escape was aided by the many finger, hand and faceprints left on the mirrors by prior visitors. The key to success was to go where there were no prints. Farm Tech included a cow milking simulator, a display on vertical farming, and a baby chick hatchery. As we made our way back down to the first floor, we studied a 3500-square-foot model train layout replicating the route from Chicago to Seattle. It had 20 trains, 1400 feet of track, and many areas with interactive buttons. After a final photo-op at the train (Barry insisted on being the Engineer), we were on our way back to Racine.

Heading north on Lake Shore Drive, the skyline was shining impressively in the afternoon sun. We passed by Soldier Field, Shedd Aquarium, and DuSable Harbor Marina knowing we'll be back soon. I somehow managed to get a shot of the 110 story Willis Tower through the passenger window. We took in the panoramic view from its observation deck a few years ago, so we won't visit it this time. We will pass by it as we take Crossroads through the downtown canals leading out of the city.

Tomorrow morning we'll restock our fruits and veggies before returning the rental car. We'll explore Racine by foot over the next few days and get a few boat projects checked off now that we have a full supply of hose clamps.