Inventorium at the Ontario Science Centre
steamlabs has co-created 2 exhibitions with the Ontario Science Centre, the Inventorium and Inventorium 2.0 are all about inspiration and bringing ideas to life. Visitors design, build, test, and iterate various projects using high-tech equipment such as laser cutters and drag-and-drop coding kiosks. Design templates on paper and kiosks guide them towards success without limiting their creative and innovative options.
Inventorium at the Ontario Science Centre
Program Details
Inventorium 2.0 is a dynamic collaborative space that encourages visitors to play, create and connect. Inventorium 2.0 ran daily from January 2019 to May, 2019 in the Procter and Gamble Great Hall on Level 2. It was included with general admission, and includes onsite sales of coffee, tea, and laser cut items from the Maker Bean Café and various retail items from the Maker Store.
Through a variety of facilitated and independent hands-on experiences that spark curiosity, Inventorium 2.0 provides visitors with an opportunity to express their creativity and demonstrate their ingenuity.
Consistent with the strategic shift of the OSC as a “Hub”, the experiences in Inventorium 2.0 supported with partner-based activities, including the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), The Maker Bean, Ontario College of Art and Design University (OCADU), the Ministry of Education, as well as local maker organizations, artists, researchers, and maker retail experiences.
What's included
Iteration Station
A place to try things out – partners, entrepreneurs, staff – test your ideas and get feedback on our floor! A bookable space to fail and iterate, we will invite partners, students, staff, and volunteers to use the Iteration Station as a place to test drive new ideas for programs, exhibits, projects, and more!
Tech-Style Bar
Old Tech meets new tech in our Crowd Sourced Creations on the OSC’s Jacquard Loom. Try your hand at the original coding (analog and digital!) to help design a laser cut punch card for use in our Loom. Visitors will co-create with our Loom volunteers and staff using design thinking, iteration, and making to contribute a one-of-a-kind object that will be woven on our loom throughout the course of the project.
Other tech related activities will also be available.
Maker Place
It’s back – a Place to Make! This hands-on, minds-on space will feature engineering challenges that allow artistic expression, problem-solving and technology use; will be accessible to visitors of all ages; and will provide an opportunity for short or long engagement times.
Act. React. Interact.
Levers and ramps and pulleys – oh my! Bring your ideas to life as you build an interactive, kinetic sculpture (i.e., a simple, Rube Goldberg-like machine) using basic tools and a variety of materials, and deepen your understanding of mechanics.
