If you haven’t seen the fabulous Robots + Us exhibit at the Science Museum of Virginia, then this weekend is the perfect time to stop by. Get out of the rain, beat the heat, or just have some fun. And be sure to enter our contest and you might win a family 4-pack of tickets to the Museum.
Our recent exploration of this exhibit did not allow nearly enough time to cover it all. We expected an hour would be enough, but boy were we wrong!
Robots + Us is a massive, interactive exhibit that boggles the mind. You will see robots and machines working in ways you never imagined before.
- Test the senses of a light-seeking robot as you guide it through a maze by controlling light exposure.
- Compare your own abilities against an industrial robot as you race to assemble a jigsaw puzzle.
- Explore the dynamics of walking machines as you create your own crawling creature and guide it through obstacle courses!
- Try to fool facial recognition software by disguising yourself with a fake mustache or wearing sunglasses!
Walking into the exhibit hall, you are met by a large Robot Mascot – approach carefully as my 3-year old granddaughter, Lily, was a bit taken aback when she first saw this ‘alien creature’! But we were quick to learn that this was a very friendly robot greeting us. There are lots of displays, but as always, it’s the interactive opportunities that grab the attention of the kids.
Mobile Robots were a big hit where we could direct robots by flashlights and build a maze. We spent quite a bit of time assembling a puzzle, and trying to beat the robot (the robots are amazingly fast at assembling puzzles for sure!). You can actually compare your own abilities against an industrial robot as you race to assemble a jigsaw puzzle. And watching the appearing and disappearing objects at the railroad depot kept us mesmerized for quite some time – it was just a little bit embarrassing as Lily who is only 3 years old, was able to see the quick switches more than me!
Heading towards the back of the exhibit room, we enjoyed lots of fun with the robotic ‘pet’ toys. And there is one part of the exhibit you don’t want to miss. You can type your questions for a Robot to answer. This particular Robot was quite charming, animated and funny – and even when she didn’t know the answer to our questions, she knew exactly the direction we needed to go to find an answer. Lily and I both were both laughing when Lily typed, “Pdsdfklasdgo;E{Eru!3dfjasdfasd” into the computer, and the Robot replied, “I am not programmed to answer that question!”
Lily loved the sensor garden where lights controlled the actions of a robot. Light, sound, and even breathing can cause surprising results with the mechanical beings at this interactive display station near the end of the exhibit.
Robots + Us is an exhibit that has something appealing for all ages. Whether you’re 3 years old or an adult, you will be amazed at this exhibit. But be sure and allow enough time – we just did make it in time for the Flight of the Butterflies movie in the IMAX Dome. That is truly a must-see too.
Thanks to the Science Museum of Virginia for bringing so much fun, education, and amazement to all ages – we can’t wait to see Boost!
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