Full STEAM Ahead

Kirby Science Discovery Center at Washington Pavilion

A Fresh Look

Washington Pavilion contacted Boss Display to completely reimagine their water gallery within the Room to Grow exhibit. Committed to the Science Center's mission of inspiring, educating, entertaining, and enriching through the exploration of the arts and sciences, Boss Display carefully designed and fabricated a water gallery filled with STEAM-oriented interactives demonstrating different ways that water can move. Using proven and popular components, the gallery truly provides a one-of-a-kind experience.

 
 

Guests use the mounted water squirt guns to hit colorful, spinning targets. The acrylic backstop prevents splashing and provides and overhead entry point for the ball pit balls.

The adaptable aqueducts encourage users to experiment with different pathways for the water to travel.

This end section of the table is outfitted with unique rain clouds and a water bernoulli feature.

 
 

Sky High Fun

To achieve a fully immersive atmosphere in the gallery, numerous vertical elements were integrated into the overall spatial design. A handwheel-operated conveyor empowers visitors to send balls through an overhead track, guiding them down into the oversized whirlpool vortex. Laminar water jets propel the balls into a winding, 9-foot vertical sculpture, eventually releasing them into a Plinko-style wall. Guests are captivated as they follow the progress throughout the table.

 
 

The oversized whirlpool sends balls spinning, ultimately feeding them into the table below.

The Build-A-Pipe fog station lets visitors create distinct pathways for the fog to travel and features a built in storage bin for the extra pieces.

The laminar fountains provide a jaw dropping spectacle, as guest launch balls into the overhead track.

 
 

Tried and True

The Science Center chose to lean on Boss Display’s vast experience with interactives to provide some of the most successful components for the water table. Features such as the giant whirlpool, Build-A-Pipe Fog, Adaptable Aqueducts, and many more encourage users to get hands-on, engaging with various STEAM-themed activities, all while having a blast. Guests can hone their engineering skills by creating pathways for the flow of water or even orchestrating a musical symphony with the water-activated drum set.

 
 
“The design is incredible and they were receptive to our feedback on the table, it felt like we were building it together. Their installation team is so passionate about what they do, they are excited about the table and it got us excited about the table too.”
— Sarah Goth Project Coordinator at Washington Pavilion Museums
 
 

Open Ended Exploration

Guests of all ages participate in open-ended learning, enjoying the freedom to explore different sections of the table. Whether they are constructing personalized pipeways for fog to traverse or directing water through adaptable aqueducts, each visit offers a distinctly unique experience in the gallery. Every interactive element is purposefully designed to both facilitate independent learning for guests and encourage parental involvement in guiding the educational experience. The revitalized water gallery has truly transformed the space, attracting the community to engage in continuous play and learning.

 

. The table’s unique design and component layout allow for guests to have a different experience each time they play, encouraging open-ended learning and engagement.

 

The water table is packed with so many interactive elements like the fog filled mushroom fountain and river channels. Each of which promote STEM themed learning.

Features:

  • Laminar ball-launch fountains | Activated by handwheels, fountains shoot smooth laminar jets of water to send balls into the vertical sculpture.

  • Adaptable aqueducts | Build your own aqueducts using the included ramps, angles, and foam risers.

  • Overhead ball track | The winding track over the table transports balls to different components.

  • Whirlpool vortex | Guests can send a ball spiraling around the whirlpool, eventually falling into the table below.

  • River channels | Move the gates in between land masses to control which direction the water flows.

  • Fog mushroom fountain | Water spills evenly out a central tube, creating a circular mushroom-shaped sheet of water. Mist is pumped inside the falling water (and then contained) for added effect.

  • Make-a-fountain | Press one of the attached wands onto the water spout to create different shaped fountains. 

  • Plinko wall | Balls randomly fall through the Plinko style wall and are reintroduced to the table below.

  • Squirt guns with spinning targets | Mounted to the handrails, each squirt gun can activate a series of spinning targets. 

  • Build-a-fog pipe | Create your own pathways with clear plastic tubing, and then watch as fog passes through the tubes and out the end.

  • Handwheel conveyor | This simple machine is used to lift the balls up to the overhead track. 

  • Rain cloud fountains | Using the handwheel, visitors can make “raindrops” fall to the table from a set of cloud-shaped water features.

  • Water drums | Button-activated jets of water cause the drum to beat, while pressing the button multiple times can create a rhythm. 

 
 

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