Thanks to the Museum of Science (MOS) and Disney’s Pixar films, getting youngsters interested in science and math is now as easy as pi.
The MOS has perfectly timed the world debut of its latest in-house creation to ride the wave of all the publicity about Pixar’s latest box office triumph, “Inside Out,” which depicts five wrangling members of the psyche of an eleven-year-old girl.
Just last Friday, the museum introduced its exhibit, “The Science Behind Pixar,” which channels kids’ fascination with the characters and special effects in their favorite animated films to interest them in the workings of their own minds and the world around them.
This interactive ,10,000-square foot exhibition showcases the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts used by the artists and computer scientists who help bring Pixar’s award-winning films to the big screen.
What more incentive do parents have to offer their progeny than the prospect of taking selfies with the larger-than-life-size figures of such Pixar icons as Buzz Lightyear, Dory, Mike and Sulley, Edna Mode, and WALL•E?
“Throughout the exhibition, visitors will engage in hands-on, screen-based, and physical activities that let them explore the computational thinking skills behind Pixar’s process in a compelling and participatory way,” says Ioannis Miaoulis, MMOS president and director. “The exhibition puts you into the role of each aspect of the Pixar filmmaking process, and we hope visitors will increase their knowledge and understanding of the core STEM content behind computer animation.”
Created by the Museum of Science and Pixar, and featuring more than 40 interactive exhibit elements, “The Science Behind Pixar” demonstrates the technology that supports the creativity and artistry of Pixar’s storytellers. Visitors of all ages will engage in and learn about the filmmaking process through hands-on activities inspired by some of Pixar’s most treasured films, from the first-ever computer animated feature film, “Toy Story,” which opened nearly two decades ago, to “Inside Out.”
Visitors will also be invited to experience different roles within the production pipeline, through screen-based activities and physical interactive exhibits. In “Sets & Cameras,” for example, visitors will discover how a bugs-eye view was achieved for “A Bug’s Life,” through camera angles and large-set design within the computer. Visitors will envision how digital sculptures are created based on sketches from artists in “Modeling,” and explore “Lighting” to solve challenges similar to what Pixar artists faced in creating animated water with virtual light in “Finding Nemo.” “Rigging” showcases how the models are given a virtual skeleton to enable the animators to add movement, and in “Surfaces,” visitors can immerse themselves in the techniques behind adding color and texture to every surface in a film
Next January, “The Science Behind Pixar” will begin a national tour, first traveling to the Franklin Institute, followed by the California Science Center, Science Museum of Minnesota, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, as well as other venues.
Admission to exhibition will be by timed ticket only. Tickets are currently available for purchase by visiting mos.org/pixar or calling 617-723-2500.
