The Smithsonian's Lemelson Center

The Smithsonian's Lemelson Center The Lemelson Center has been leading the study of invention and innovation at the Smithsonian since Welcome to the Lemelson Center's page!
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The Smiths

onian’s Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation’s activities advance scholarship on the history of invention, share stories about inventors and their work, and nurture creativity in young people. The Lemelson Center embodies a philosophy akin to that of the inventors we study, of valuing creativity and embracing the potential rewards of intellectual risk-taking. The Center is supported by The Lemelson Foundation, a private philanthropy established by one of the country’s most prolific inventors, Jerome Lemelson, and his family. The Lemelson Center is located in the National Museum of American History. The Lemelson Hall of Invention and Spark!Lab are on the First Floor, West Wing of the Museum.

09/30/2023

In the event of a government shutdown on Oct. 1, Smithsonian museums, research centers and the National Zoo will remain OPEN through at least Oct. 7. The Smithsonian can use prior-year funds still available to us to remain open. Visit si.edu for updates.

The next generation of the Lemelson Center’s website is coming! Fill out our 3 minute survey to contribute your ideas of...
07/28/2023

The next generation of the Lemelson Center’s website is coming!

Fill out our 3 minute survey to contribute your ideas of the website’s current strengths and opportunities for improvement: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VFXRKC9

07/18/2023

🌟 Celebrating Jerome Lemelson's Impact on Modern Inventions! 🌟

Today, on his 100th birthday, we would like to take a moment to honor the incredible contributions of the late Jerome “Jerry” Lemelson, whose pioneering spirit and inventive mind have left an indelible mark on our daily lives. 🚀✨

Jerry Lemelson, a visionary inventor, held over 600 patents and his groundbreaking ideas have shaped the world we live in today. From essential technologies to life-changing innovations, his impact is felt in every aspect of our daily routines. 💡

Think about it: the smartphone that connects us to the world, the medical devices that save lives, the energy-efficient appliances that reduce our environmental footprint, the toys that expand our imaginations, and the countless other inventions we use daily, all owe a debt of gratitude to Jerry Lemelson's inventive mind. 📱💉🌍

Jerry Lemelson's influence extends beyond the tangible devices we interact with. His patented inventions have improved the way we communicate, travel, heal, and even entertain ourselves. He not only revolutionized industries but also sparked a spirit of innovation that continues to inspire inventors around the globe. 🔥

Today, we invite you to reflect on the ways Jerry Lemelson has impacted your life. Take a moment to appreciate the inventions you rely on and the countless possibilities they bring. Let's celebrate Jerry Lemelson’s 100th and continue to foster a culture of innovation that propels us forward into a brighter future. 🙌🌟

Share with us your favorite invention or an experience where you encountered the influence of Lemelson's work. 💭💫

Join us for an exciting Spark!Lab event today, July 12, from 1-3:00 p.m. at the National Museum of American History! In ...
07/12/2023

Join us for an exciting Spark!Lab event today, July 12, from 1-3:00 p.m. at the National Museum of American History!

In celebration of inventor Jerome Lemelson’s 100th birthday this month, we will share his invention notebooks, on loan to the museum and other invention-related notebooks from the national collections, in a special “Objects Out of Storage” program. After looking closely at sketches and notebooks in the collection, pick up your own (free!) inventor notebook and practice the invention process through a series of sketching prompts and activities.

Sketching is vital to the invention process as it facilitates idea generation, visualization, iteration, communication, problem-solving, documentation, inspiration sharing, and intellectual property protection. It empowers inventors to bring their ideas to life and fosters creativity, collaboration, and innovation throughout the journey of inventing.

[Image: Invention Notebook, Volume 1, pages 108 109, shows sketches for an autobody automatic cleaner and device for cooling flash bulbs, 1950. Made by Jerome Lemelson. Loan, Courtesy of the Dorothy Lemelson Foundation]

07/07/2023

Our Spark!Lab at the National Museum of American History is Hiring!

Do you enjoy...
- tinkering, experimenting, asking questions, and constructing and deconstructing things to figure out how they work?
- interacting with diverse audiences, age groups, and learning styles?
- working in an often busy and changing environment?

Then we'd like to hear from you! The Lemelson Center seeks a part-time Spark!Lab Facilitator (Museum Program Assistant) with a strong inventive identity to facilitate visitor experience in Spark!Lab, our hands-on invention space at the museum for children around ages 6 to 12 and their caregivers.

To learn more visit:

Part-time Museum Program Assistant (Spark!Lab Facilitator), Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, Smithsonian’s National Museum of American HistoryThe Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation (Lemelson Center) at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American...

12 days and counting until Smithsonian Education’s National Education Summit and there’s nothing better than learning wi...
07/07/2023

12 days and counting until Smithsonian Education’s National Education Summit and there’s nothing better than learning with your friends! Know someone who would love the opportunity to experience learning with the Smithsonian and build their community? This is your chance to experience this exciting opportunity together, grow your skills, learn from your peers, and meet new friends. Register here and tell a friend! s.si.edu/EducationSummit2023

06/21/2023

I’m *flying* on sunshine, woah! 🎵 Birds photobombed this image of the Sun by flying in front of the telescope at Phoebe Waterman Haas Public Observatory at our National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution, making a silhouette.

This Saturday, June 24, grab a glimpse of the Sun during our free celebration on the National Mall. Museums are open all day AND late into the night for sunny activities.

For full event details, including a Glow Night Arcade Party at our Arts & Industries Building and stargazing with Hofstra University, check out si.edu/SolsticeSaturday

Join us in-person at the National Museum of American History on the evening of Wednesday, May 10, for a special Innovati...
04/26/2023

Join us in-person at the National Museum of American History on the evening of Wednesday, May 10, for a special Innovative Lives program featuring inventors Theresa Dankovich and Madison Maxey.

In an increasingly global, virtual world the importance of place to the invention ecosystem has evolved. Both Theresa Dankovich and Madison Maxey have traveled across the globe to find their places of invention. Dankovich invented germ-killing water filters as a graduate student and co-founded Folia Water in 2016. Maxey works in electronic textiles and her company LOOMIA creates fabrics that act like circuit boards for innovative products from medical wearables to monitor patients to heated ski gear.

Enjoy a light reception and tour of the “Places of Invention” exhibition at 6:15 p.m. and purchase a copy of the Places of Invention companion publication. Our panelists will take the stage at 7:15 p.m. to share their stories of innovation and invention as it relates to place. An audience Q&A will follow the conversation.

Registration is free: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/539580017357

In 2015, the Lemelson Center opened "Places of Invention" at National Museum of American History, an exhibition that exp...
04/12/2023

In 2015, the Lemelson Center opened "Places of Invention" at National Museum of American History, an exhibition that explores how hotspots of innovation develop. Fort Collins, Colorado, is among the featured places and is notable for its focus on “inventing green.” Today, April 12, we catch up with Amy Prieto and Sunil Cherian, two inventors based in Fort Collins highlighted in the exhibition.

Learn more about today's featured speakers here:

For some inventors, every day is Earth Day.

Interested in the topic of renewable energy? Don’t miss the next virtual Innovative Lives program on Wednesday, April 12...
04/10/2023

Interested in the topic of renewable energy? Don’t miss the next virtual Innovative Lives program on Wednesday, April 12, featuring Amy Prieto and Sunil Cherian. Registration is free but required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/539574861937

Today is  .Spend an hour with us today at 4 PM ET learning and supporting women inventors. Register now for Innovative L...
03/08/2023

Today is .
Spend an hour with us today at 4 PM ET learning and supporting women inventors. Register now for Innovative Lives: Beverly Wood.
There's still time to sign up!

Stories of invention, told by inventors.

🎥 Calling all film lovers! You won't want to miss this event!Our award winning public program series, Innovative Lives, ...
02/21/2023

🎥 Calling all film lovers! You won't want to miss this event!

Our award winning public program series, Innovative Lives, is back, and we're excited to announce our first speaker is Beverly Wood.

Beverly Wood is an innovator in color technologies for motion pictures—and a recipient of the Technicolor–Natalie M. and Herbert T. Kalmus Medal from the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. Wood has provided luminary guidance to cinematographers through the transition from chemical to digital technology.

Register today: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/innovative-lives-beverly-wood-tickets-539571100687

Recent econometric studies have found that white children are three times as likely as Black youth to become inventors. ...
02/02/2023

Recent econometric studies have found that white children are three times as likely as Black youth to become inventors. Other studies have underscored the importance of visible role models to inspire young people to become inventors and pursue STEM-based careers.

Inspiring STEM Pathways presents first-hand accounts from interviews with living inventors who work in a variety of fields and organizations. The videos and learning materials are intended to encourage students to pursue STEM fields by seeing role models speaking about their interests and passions, challenges they encountered and how they overcame them, and how they draw on curiosity and resiliency in their daily work.

Learn more about Inspiring STEM Pathways here: https://invention.si.edu/inspiring-stem-pathways

Happy New Year!Is one of your new year's resolutions to give back to your community in a meaningful way? Our Draper Spar...
01/09/2023

Happy New Year!

Is one of your new year's resolutions to give back to your community in a meaningful way? Our Draper Spark!Lab located within National Museum of American History is currently recruiting volunteers.

Training sessions are coming up soon, sign up today: bit.ly/3WXV2oO

Wishing you and yours the happiest of holidays!
12/16/2022

Wishing you and yours the happiest of holidays!

12/07/2022

Planning a visit this week? Please note that our Draper Spark!Lab at the National Museum of American History will close early this Thursday, December 8 due to a special event.

*click* *click click* *click* *click click click*What's that sound? It's the sound of Cyber Monday, of course! While cli...
11/28/2022

*click* *click click* *click* *click click click*

What's that sound? It's the sound of Cyber Monday, of course!

While clicking through today's best online shopping deals, have you stopped to consider how the computer mouse came to be?

In December 1968, inventor Douglas Carl Engelbart (1925-2013) debuted many of the concepts of modern, interactive computing. With grants from ARPA, NASA, and the US Air Force, Engelbart established the Augmentation Research Center (ARC) at SRI and began to build what he called his oNLine System, or NLS. Engelbart and his ARC team also experimented with different input devices. For example, they developed the “chord keyset,” an efficient five-button that complemented the standard QWERTY keyboard. The ARC team also designed and tested different selection tools to manipulate the on-screen symbols and text, including a light pen, a joystick, and a roller-ball controlled by the user’s knee. However, the most intuitive selection tool was the handheld ”mouse” – a simple wooden box with two perpendicular metal wheels, a selection button, and a wire connection to the processor. When a user rolled the mouse across the desktop, the cursor replicated its motion on the screen. According to Engelbart, no one could remember exactly who first coined the term: “It just looked like a mouse with a tail . . . [and] the name ‘mouse’ just took.”

For more on many of the fundamental features of modern computing developed by Engelbart and his colleagues, visit the link in our bio.



Image 1/2: Douglas Engelbart using the NLS’s 5-button chord keyset, a standard QWERTY keyboard, and 3-button mouse, around 1968. NMAH Catalog #2015.3073.11, gift of SRI International

Image 2/2: A prototype of the first computer mouse, on display in Places of Invention. The mouse was invented by Douglas Engelbart and built by Bill English in 1964 at the Stanford Research Institute (SRI). Photo by Christina Engelbart, Doug Engelbart Institute

New blog post alert!Wheelchair marathoner Arielle Rausin shares the invention story behind her game-changing (we're talk...
11/10/2022

New blog post alert!

Wheelchair marathoner Arielle Rausin shares the invention story behind her game-changing (we're talking racing faster, racing longer) 3D printed gloves.

Wheelchair marathoner Arielle Rausin invented 3D printed gloves that helped her race faster for longer.

Just when you thought your feed was safe from the spooky friar robot we posted earlier this month… …Happy Halloween! It’...
10/31/2022

Just when you thought your feed was safe from the spooky friar robot we posted earlier this month…

…Happy Halloween! It’s the skeleton of the Friar Automaton! 💀

The X-rays of the 450-year-old friar automaton, pictured here, show the mechanisms that enable its movements. Just over a foot tall, the figure, driven with its internal clockwork, imitates walking by rolling in an almost square pattern. The eyes move from side to side, while one arm raises a cross for a kiss and the other arm strikes its chest in "mea culpa," a gesture from a prayer confessing guilt.

The figure’s origins are shrouded in mystery, but it cannot shake an intriguing legend. King Philip II of Spain commissioned a talented mechanician Juanelo Turriano to create an automaton after Philip’s son recovered from a nearly fatal blow to the head. Philip had promised a miracle if his son recovered, and in imitation of the friar who would become San Diego, Turriano created a clockwork miracle.

Want to learn more about robots, including those in the collection? Register now for Robotics and AI: New Perspectives, a four-part webinar series Nov. 1-4. Link in bio!

It's the final Wednesday before our Robotics and AI: New Perspectives webinar, which means we have one last question to ...
10/26/2022

It's the final Wednesday before our Robotics and AI: New Perspectives webinar, which means we have one last question to ask you about robots.

Question: What emotions do you associate with robots? Do you find robots to be scary? How about friendly? Let us know in the comments!

And don't forget to register for the four-part webinar series coming up next week: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/robotics-and-ai-new-perspectives-1194879

10/25/2022

We're updating our operating hours!

Starting on Wednesday, October 26th, Draper Spark!Lab located at the National Museum of American History will be adding an additional open day to the weekly schedule. We will now be open from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

Question: If you could bring one robotic sci-fi character to life, who would you choose, and why?Let us know in the comm...
10/19/2022

Question: If you could bring one robotic sci-fi character to life, who would you choose, and why?

Let us know in the comments! We’re actively collecting and interpreting the history of robotics, automation, algorithms, and artificial intelligence with help from the public (you!).
Interested in this topic and want to learn more about robots? Join us Nov. 1-4 for a free, public webinar series “Robotics and AI: New Perspectives.” Link in bio! 🤖



Image: C-3PO and R2-D2 costumes from Return of the Jedi, 1983, NMAH 1984.0302. Behind them is a Fanuc S-380R industrial robot, used for spot welding cars. © Smithsonian Institution, photo SIA-90-15043

It's a Wednesday, which means we have another   question for you. We’re actively collecting and interpreting the history...
10/19/2022

It's a Wednesday, which means we have another question for you. We’re actively collecting and interpreting the history of robotics, automation, algorithms, and artificial intelligence (AI) and we need your input!

🤖Question: If you could bring one robotic sci-fi character to life, who would you choose? Why?

Bonus: Want to learn more about robots? Join us Nov. 1-4 for a free, public webinar series “Robotics and AI: New Perspectives” to learn more from leading roboticists, computer scientists, journalists, historians, social scientists, economists, policymakers, and cultural critics:

A free, four-day webinar series exploring the social benefits, negative impacts, and future prospects for innovations in robots and artificial intelligence.

Although the word “robot” wasn’t introduced to English-speaking audiences until the 1920s, robots have existed for centu...
10/14/2022

Although the word “robot” wasn’t introduced to English-speaking audiences until the 1920s, robots have existed for centuries.

The oldest robot in the collection is the Automaton of a Friar from about 1560. The figure has a key-wound iron clockwork encased in an unpainted wooden body. The clockwork has a spring in the drum and fusee with cord. It has a wooden head with moveable eyes and lower jaw. The limbs and head are connected to the clockwork with chains and the lower joint of the left arm is connected with a cord. A band of fabric, 2" wide, is fastened with adhesive to the bottom of the body. Fully operational, the figure walks in a trapezoidal pattern; moves both arms (right arm strikes chest in "mea culpa" and left arm raises rosary to lips); moves eyes side to side; opens and closes mouth; and turns head.

Curious about the topic of robots and want to learn more? Join us on November 1-4, 2022 for a FREE public webinar series “Robotics and AI: New Perspectives” to learn more from leading roboticists, computer scientists, journalists, historians, social scientists, economists, policymakers, and cultural critics. Link in bio!



(For more photos and information about the Automaton of a Friar, visit https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_855351)

10/12/2022

We need your !

We're actively collecting and interpreting the history of robotics, automation, algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI)—and we need your input!

What form of AI did you use today? How did it make you feel? Let us know in the comments and show us how you felt using an emoji! 🤖

Happy 100th birthday to robots! The play, R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots), by Czech playwright Karel Capek opened on ...
10/11/2022

Happy 100th birthday to robots!

The play, R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots), by Czech playwright Karel Capek opened on Broadway on October 9, 1922. It was the first time the word “robot” was used in English to describe artificial humans.

Since their Broadway debut, robots have continued to entertain us as characters in science fiction stories and became integral staples in our daily lives.

Now that robots have captured our imaginations for over 100 years, are we optimistic about the innovative advancements of robotic technology, or are we fearful of the destructive potential of artificial intelligence?

Join us as we examine this topic in our four-part webinar series, Robotics and AI: New Perspectives, Nov. 1-4. Registration is free but required. Link in bio!



Image 1/2: Metal X-70 tin toy robot manufactured in Japan for export to Western markets. The toy is made of steel, brass, plastic, paint, natural rubber, and is based on the popular robot character from the film "Forbidden Planet" (MGM, 1956). This X-70 toy reflects the Japanese fad for robots. Gift of the Carl and Nancy Gewirz Fund Inc.

Image 2/2: Robotics and AI: New Perspectives event banner.

The word “robot” was first used on this day 100 years ago to describe human-like machines. Czech playwright Karel Capek’...
10/09/2022

The word “robot” was first used on this day 100 years ago to describe human-like machines.

Czech playwright Karel Capek’s play, R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots), was translated into English shortly after its premiere and opened in the US on Broadway on October 9, 1922. The science fiction play introduced audiences to the idea of artificial intelligence and its possible consequences.

Now that robots have captured our imaginations for over 100 years, are we optimistic about the innovative advancements of robotic technology, or are we fearful of the destructive potential of artificial intelligence?

Join us as we examine this topic in our four-part webinar series, Robotics and AI: New Perspectives, Nov. 1-4. Registration is free but required. https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/robotics-and-ai-new-perspectives-1194879

A free, four-day webinar series exploring the social benefits, negative impacts, and future prospects for innovations in robots and artificial intelligence.

It only took re-inventing the wheel to take skateboarding to the next level.According to a 1975 Sports Illustrated artic...
09/30/2022

It only took re-inventing the wheel to take skateboarding to the next level.

According to a 1975 Sports Illustrated article, titled “Wheeling and Dealing, "The [skateboarding] fad had started in Southern California's beach towns, where kids nailed roller-skate wheels to miniature wooden surfboards and whiled away the days when the ocean was flat, scaring the daylights out of passing motorists. The craze swept inland and for a year anybody who could tool up fast enough made money. That was 1965...by January 1966 it was all over. The skateboard was a good toy, but the kids had pushed it to its limits and were on to new challenges.”

For skateboarding to ascend again, it needed someone to develop innovative improvements to the limited, and limiting, equipment. Frank Nasworthy's development of skateboard-specific urethane “Cadillac Wheels” revolutionized the sport in the 1970s and beyond.

New on our blog, meet inventor Frank "Captain Cadillac" Nasworthy and learn how his innovations lead to reigniting the skateboard craze. Link in bio!



Image 1/2: Cadillac Wheels solid-wood skateboard with Tracker trucks and red K-73 Cadillac wheels, 1973, NMAH 2021.0116.01, gift of Frank Nasworthy. © Smithsonian Institution; photo by Jaclyn Nash, NMAH

Image 2/2: An original 1973 Cadillac brand skateboard wheel, NMAH 2021.0116.03.1, gift of Frank Nasworthy. The wheel measures two inches in diameter, is one inch wide, and is unpigmented; the original color of the urethane is translucent red. © Smithsonian Institution; photo by Jaclyn Nash, NMAH

"It was early in the summer of 2020 and the world had shut down. With thoughts of an eventual reopening, groups througho...
09/14/2022

"It was early in the summer of 2020 and the world had shut down. With thoughts of an eventual reopening, groups throughout the museum mobilized to talk about how to provide a safe experience for visitors. The museum technology group was taking a concerted look at how to make the museum a touchless environment, including interactives. I was participating in these meetings when the discussion began around which interactives could be made touchless and which would need to be temporarily shut down. As part of our discussions on interactives, we saw an opportunity to also improve accessibility. These meetings and discussions sent my mind into the 'Think It' step of the invention process. There was a problem with high-touch interactives. How could it be solved?"

Our resident inventor, Tim P**a, writes about inventing the “Switch Point” touchless button using the Spark!Lab “It Phrases” of the invention process - link in bio!



Photo 1/3: Exploded view of a touchless button prototype. © Smithsonian Institution; graphic by Tim P**a

Photo 2/3: Arcade push button alongside an early touchless button prototype. © Smithsonian Institution; photo by Tim P**a

Photo 3/3: The first proof of concept circuit for the button, July 2020. © Smithsonian Institution; photo by Tim P**a

Along with our belief that “everyone is inventive,” we also see invention as a process with multiple steps. The steps as...
09/14/2022

Along with our belief that “everyone is inventive,” we also see invention as a process with multiple steps. The steps as we explain them are: Think It, Explore It, Sketch It, Create It, Try It, Tweak It, and Share It.

Learn how our resident inventor, Tim P**a, used these steps to invent a touchless button!

The path from idea to working invention.

As summer begins to wind down, we're thinking back on the awesome time we had in July at Innoskate! Our newest blog post...
09/06/2022

As summer begins to wind down, we're thinking back on the awesome time we had in July at Innoskate! Our newest blog post shares the full recap of our time in South Dakota exploring the relationships between invention, innovation, and skateboarding:

Skateboarding and innovation? You bet! And don’t forget the jazz.

08/12/2022

Check out this awesome video from the newest Spark!Lab National Network site in Conner Prairie! Spark!Lab Conner Prairie will be open to the public beginning Saturday, August 13! ⬇️

Simple in construction and operation, the air brush offered new opportunities in art and photography. The airbrush has s...
08/12/2022

Simple in construction and operation, the air brush offered new opportunities in art and photography. The airbrush has six main parts: a body, trigger, nozzle, needle, color cup, and air hose, which attaches to an air supply (foot pump or motorized). But where exactly did the air brush come from? Many inventors claim it as their own.

•The air brush was known first as an “atomizer” and was patented in 1876 by Frances Edgar Stanley (1849-1918), a photographer, inventor, portrait painter, and businessman.

•Leslie L. Curtis (1855-1915) an artist from Cape Elizabeth, Maine, invented an atomizer for coloring pictures (US Patent 248,579) in 1881. Curtis’s atomizer made use of a bellow or elastic bulb that would deliver the air to distribute the paint.

•Abner Peeler (1836-1895), a jeweler and inventor from Iowa, invented a “paint distributer” (US Patent 256,852) in 1882 that “distributed pigments across a surface.”

And there are more names to add to this list!

The crowded air brush business fostered competition that made it ripe for patent and trademark infringement. Visit our website (link in bio!) to read the full invention story of the air brush.



Image 1/2: How an airbrush works, from The Air Brush, pamphlet, Air Brush Manufacturing Co., page 6, undated, AC0060-0007664-01. Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Series: Art, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Image 2/2: An example of air brushing for paintings, The Air Brush, pamphlet, Air Brush Manufacturing Co., undated, AC0060-0007665. Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Series: Art, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

08/10/2022
08/10/2022

Today is our birthday! The Smithsonian was officially created on Aug. 10, 1846.

In 1829, English scientist James Smithson left his fortune to the United States to found an institution for the “increase and diffusion of knowledge.” Why? It’s a mystery.

Smithson, an Oxford graduate who first identified the mineral now named smithsonite, never visited the U.S. while he was alive.

His bequest sparked widespread debate over what such a national institution might be. Once established, the Smithsonian became part of the process of developing a U.S. national identity. Today we are the world's largest museum, education, and research complex.

This photo of the Smithsonian's 150th birthday party in 1996 comes from Smithsonian Institution Archives.

Many sports fans first became aware of sports analytics from Michael Lewis’s bestselling book Moneyball (2003), and the ...
08/09/2022

Many sports fans first became aware of sports analytics from Michael Lewis’s bestselling book Moneyball (2003), and the 2011 film adaptation starring Brad Pitt as Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane.

But long before the book Moneyball hit bestseller lists in 2003, sports analytics had emerged as a quirky pastime practiced by operations researchers, freelance sports journalists, and internet hobbyists.

Long before the book Moneyball hit bestseller lists in 2003, sports analytics had emerged as a quirky pastime practiced by operations researchers, freelance sports journalists, and internet hobbyists.

At the heart of the hands-on project-based learning experiences that Spark!Lab team designs, develops, and facilitates i...
07/27/2022

At the heart of the hands-on project-based learning experiences that Spark!Lab team designs, develops, and facilitates in the museum space is the importance of invention and innovation. Learn how they've adapted these experiences for classroom and at-home learning using digital tools and how you can build out similar experiences for your students.

Our Spark!Lab team presents Physical Invention Challenges Transformed for the Digital World today at 2:00PM ET during the Smithsonian National Education Summit! Register now to join us in 1 hour:

Knowledge begins with wonder! Join us online or in person for the free, two-day Smithsonian National Education Summit! This year's theme is: “Together We Thrive: Creating Our Shared Future through Education,” acknowledging that given the right conditions and resources, all children can thrive.

We welcome this guest blog from one of our Spark!Lab Network sites. Spark!Lab staff at the Springfield Museums in Massac...
07/22/2022

We welcome this guest blog from one of our Spark!Lab Network sites. Spark!Lab staff at the Springfield Museums in Massachusetts innovated during the pandemic to create a safe and welcoming invention experience for visitors and community members.

Springfield Museums’ Spark!Lab pioneered methods to safely reopen their hands-on space to the public.

Our Draper Spark!Lab located in the National Museum of American History has expanded its operating hours! Visit Spark!La...
07/15/2022

Our Draper Spark!Lab located in the National Museum of American History has expanded its operating hours! Visit Spark!Lab on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

Draper Spark!Lab is where museum visitors become inventors.

07/15/2022

THANK YOU INNOSKATE SIOUX FALLS PARTNERS! The Smithsonian's Lemelson Center, Smithsonian Jazz USA Skateboarding, Sioux Falls Skatepark Association, Rehfeld's Art & Framing Wokini Initiative at South Dakota State University Sioux Falls Arts Council Downtown Sioux Falls Inc. Ground Control Rock The Rez

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14th Street And Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington D.C., DC
20013

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 11am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 10am - 5:30pm
Thursday 10am - 5:30pm
Friday 11am - 5:30pm
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(202) 633-3656

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Thanks to Keloland Living for sharing some of the inside scoop on how Innoskate Sioux Falls came to be. The Smithsonian's Lemelson Center's Jeff Brodie was able to join us and dropped a couple of names of the pro skaters planning to join us from USA Skateboarding. Check it out!
The Smithsonian's Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, USA Skateboarding and Levitt at the Falls will collaborate to create a one-of-a-kind “Innoskate” festival for the Oglala Lakota Nation in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, July 5, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota, July 7–9. The Innoskate festival brings skateboarding and local communities together in a dynamic exploration of invention, creativity, fun and freedom of expression.

-Live concerts featuring the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra ensemble & other national & local artists.

-Professional & Olympic skateboarders, inventors, scientists, artists, & local community leaders will engage audiences through a variety of demonstrations, conversations, & interactive activities exploring the impact of skateboarding innovations in American culture.

-Skateboarding demonstrations, public skating, & learn-to-skate clinics.

-Hands-on invention activities, art education programs, music demonstrations, & health & fitness activities.

-Learn how to build skate obstacles & skateable art.

-As always, Innoskate will conclude with a “Best Trick” contest.

https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/smithsonian-institution-usa-skateboarding-and-levitt-falls-collaborate-bring
We are ROLLING out some exciting news! INNOSKATE SIOUX FALLS - a multiple day free festival celebrating creativity, invention, skateboard culture and fun is coming to Pine Ridge, SD on July 5 and Sioux Falls on July 7-9, 2022. Thanks to The Smithsonian's Lemelson Center and USA Skateboarding for choosing Levitt at the Falls to be the partner site for the 8th Innoskate Festival hosted in the world!

It takes a village to bring a project this cool to SD - Sioux Falls Skatepark Association Downtown Sioux Falls Inc.Rehfeld's Art & Framing Tess Kirby, Sioux Falls Arts Council Ground Control Rock The Rez Wokini Initiative SdState Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation South Dakota Humanities Council Avera Health First PREMIER Bank Sioux Falls Jazz & Blues Society SouthDakota ArtsCouncil Jones421 Sisson Printing Inc.
Though most of the U.S. now has 90% seat belt use, there was a time not long ago when seat belts were highly controversial. Associate Professor of University of Maryland History Department Thomas Zeller was recently named a 2022–23 research fellow at The Smithsonian's Lemelson Center and will research this history. Learn more: go.umd.edu/qKg
Congratulations to the People’s Choice winners, “Benthos 360” and “Walking in the Footsteps of History”!

The CENI team has spent the weekend conducting a playful evaluation of the ACC’s ACCelerate Festival of Creativity and Innovation at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

Thanks to The Smithsonian's Lemelson Center and Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology - ICAT for having us as your evaluator.
Today we’re celebrating innovative women with the Smithsonian! Women haven’t always had equal opportunities to be inventors but have overcome obstacles to create inventions that change our lives every day.

One of these women was Admiral Grace Hopper, one of the first women programmers at Harvard. In 1952, she invented pioneering “compiler” software that translated human programming instructions into computer code. Basically, her invention made communication between humans and computers more user-friendly!

Read more stories about innovative women in our “Picturing Women Inventors” poster exhibition, developed with our friends at The Smithsonian's Lemelson Center! Request your free copy here: https://s.si.edu/3wvHCpy

"Picturing Women Inventors,” a poster exhibition from Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and The Smithsonian's Lemelson Center celebrating the innovations of American women is on display at the Main Library through the end of the month. Don’t miss it!
PICTURING WOMEN INVENTORS: A Smithsonian Poster Exhibit is on display on the main floor of the Parchment Community Library March 1-31 during !

See videos about the inventors here:
https://www.parchmentlibrary.org/picturing-women-inventors

​Picturing Women Inventors is organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, in collaboration with the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation and the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and is sponsored by Lyda Hill Philanthropies IF/THEN Initiative and Ericsson.

​Installation of this exhibit is made possible through the generous support of the Friends of the Parchment Community Library.


The Smithsonian's Lemelson Center
To celebrate Women's History Month, Wildwood Library is showcasing women in science! "Picturing Women Inventors" is a poster exhibition celebrating the innovations of American women. When you visit you can complete a scavenger hunt, check out some books, and share your creative ideas in our invention gallery!

Thanks to the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and The Smithsonian's Lemelson Center for this awesome display!
“Picturing Women Inventors,” a poster exhibition from Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and The Smithsonian's Lemelson Center celebrating the innovations of American women, can now be seen at the Carlson Library, located on the second floor until the end of March!

Don’t miss it!
“Picturing Women Inventors,” a poster exhibition from Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and The Smithsonian's Lemelson Center celebrating the innovations of American women, can now be seen at APM! Don’t miss it!
PICTURING WOMEN INVENTORS: A Smithsonian Poster Exhibit is on display on the main floor of the Parchment Community Library March 1-31.

See videos about the inventors here:
https://www.parchmentlibrary.org/picturing-women-inventors

​Picturing Women Inventors is organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, in collaboration with the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation and the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and is sponsored by Lyda Hill Philanthropies IF/THEN Initiative and Ericsson.

​Installation of this exhibit is made possible through the generous support of the Friends of the Parchment Community Library.

Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service The Smithsonian's Lemelson Center
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