Category Archives: History

Leonardo da Vinci: Machines in Motion

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posted by: Pam Seidl

Pam Seidl
Director of Marketing & Community Relations
Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau

Leonardo da Vinci: Machines in Motion is currently on exhibit at The History Museum at the Castle… and it is spectacular. On display are 40 operational, actual-size working machine replicas of da Vinci’s amazing machines, all built by modern day scientists and artisans according to da Vinci’s famous codices. The exhibit includes a revolving crane, a full-size armored tank large enough for several visitors to explore from the inside, a working robot, and four flying machines.

My favorite was the tank. It looks like a giant hut and needs six people to fully operate it, but the fact that da Vinci had the vision to design it four decades before we began using this type of machinery is amazing. 

The exhibit is very kid-friendly… you can operate almost every piece … and truly illustrates the genius of da Vinci.   And you thought he just did that little painting at the Sistine Chapel!

The History Museum at the Castle

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If you are looking for a fun and educational activity for both kids and adults, stop in at the History Museum At the Castle. The museum is located on the east edge of downtown Appleton across the street from Lawrence University.

My family spent an afternoon at the museum last week and there really is something for everyone. My brother, an engineer, didn’t want to leave the Tools of Change exhibit until he figured out how all of those old tools and machines worked. And my wife and four-month old daughter got a kick out of watching my niece and seven-year old nephew perform all of Houdini’s stunts in the AKA Houdini exhibit.

The History Museum’s new exhibit “Progressive Appleton: Through the Lens of W.D. Schlafer” opens today.  Here’s a link to more about that exhibit: http://www.myhistorymuseum.org/progressiveappleton.html.

I highly recommend a visit to the History Museum At the Castle if you are looking for something to do while in Appleton. For information, go to: www.myhistorymuseum.org.