Regarding simple industrial interactives:

Simple machines (screw, inclined plane, pulley, etc.) can provide visitors
with opportunities to experience work as it was done in the past. For
example, both the brick laying and quarrying industries would use pulleys. It
would be simple to set up a block and tackle pulley that would allow visitors
to lift a very heavy load. In comparison, you could have them try to lift the
same weight without a pulley.

Hagley Museum in Delaware, which interprets the early history of the DuPont
Corporation, has (had?) a very nice exhibit on simple machines. Like you,
they had a small budget. They tried to make as many connections as they could
to features that visitors would see at their site, such as a sluice gate. I'm
sorry that I don't have a phone number for them, but they probably have a web
page.

The Baltimore Museum of Industry demonstrates a pulley in their exhibit on
the port of Baltimore. Other interactive elements include allowing visitors
to print a page on a printing press, handle scissors and irons in the garment
loft, see machine lathes in operation. All visitors to the BMI are given
guided tours, so security and safety issues are different than if you are
planning an exhibit that visitors will tour on their own.

Hope this helps.

Jeannine Finton
Education Consultant
(formerly of the Baltimore Museum of Industry)

=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:

The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).

If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).