2018 Field Trip: Leonardo da Vinci: Machines in Motion

      This was a small but very interesting exhibition at the George Bush Museum. A lot of the things that we take for granted today, like ball bearings, were novelties a few hundred years ago. The exhibits were all small-scale replicas of the many various machines that da Vinci invented. What made it a lot of fun for the kids was that they were expected to try out every crank on every machine. They were fascinated to find out how one or the other contraption worked and what it was used for, and how it made the task or work easier. Andrew found the crane most interesting, and Saara thought the gear stopper a very clever invention. I liked the wheelbarrow that measured distances by dropping marbles into a container. 
      In our history lessons we had learned that Leonardo do Vinci was not only a famous painter, but also a sculptor, architect, scientist, etc. To actually see some of his intricate and not so intricate inventions and how they worked, helped us to get a better picture of this extraordinary Renaissance man. 

A machine to shape metal sheets.

Chain gears were not usual back then.

Another machine to lift heavy objects.

Back and forth gears.

A machine gun.

A crane.

A machine to measure distance.

A printing press.

A machine to help lift heavy columns.