What's going on at SPARK?
Nothing says Christmas like a pyramid shaped evergreen tree, tapered to a point, topped with a star, and filled with tiny lights that flash like stars embedded in the night sky. The tradition of using lights to celebrate cultural and religious holidays can be traced back thousands of years to a variety of ancient civilizations, well before the time of …
Not very long ago, if you wanted to purchase your favorite song, you couldn’t just go to iTunes or Amazon Music (they didn’t exist), and your favorite song wouldn’t instantly appear on your cell phone or computer (they didn’t exist, either). If you went to a store to buy your favorite song, it would not come in a sleeve or …
People always tell us how fascinated they are with Nikola Tesla and his famous lightning machine: the Tesla coil. Visitors travel from all over the world to see our team of devoted electricians perform live demonstrations with a variety of these marvelous devices, including The MegaZapper, one of the largest Tesla coils in the country. ‘‘Loud, scary fun for the …
I’ll never forget the time I asked my Mother how she could possibly tolerate watching a colorized version of IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, a movie we enjoyed for years in beautiful black and white. Her response was surprising, immediate and unashamed: “I see the world in color,” she said, barely looking up from her popcorn, “not black and white.” Mom, …
Can a rabbit’s foot bring you good luck? Is it possible to use dousing rods to find water? Can tarot cards predict your future? Will a tin-foil hat protect you from people wanting to control your mind? Is a Ouija board the best way to communicate with a person who just happens to be dead? Today there are many questionable …
We learned a long time ago that it takes more than a world-class collection to attract visitors from, well, all over the world. It takes more than new displays, and scores of interactive devices to create the kind of memorable experience visitors expect when coming to our beloved Museum of Electrical Invention. “As wonderful as the collection is, without a …
At the beginning of the 20th Century, a lot of promises were made about how science and technology would improve the quality of our daily lives. And for most of us, science has delivered on its promise to create a better world, with smarter medicine, safer transportation, lightning-fast communication and, of course, a perfectly fitting pair of shoes. Huh? Yep, …
One of the best things about living in today’s world is having so much access to so much music. Whether streaming music on Spotify, purchasing songs on iTunes, or enjoying music videos on YouTube, your favorite music is accessible and available like never before. Frankly, for many of us, we can no longer imagine existing without the ability to carry …
“Those who have been saved, have been saved through one man, Mr. Marconi… and his marvelous invention” – Herbert Samuel, Postmaster General Today, whether for business or pleasure, millions of people travel billions of miles more quickly and safely than ever before. Folks are covering vast distances that were unimaginable just a few hundred years ago. The Atlantic Ocean is …
It’s always humbling when we stop and reflect on the amazing people who have made a lasting impact on our beloved museum. Some of those people were there from the start, when SPARK was just a big building, a fantastic collection, and a dream we wanted to bring to life. People like Bob Foote. Robert “Bob” Foote (December 4, 1914 …
