Recycling Reimagined

expERIEnce Children’s Museum

Play with Purpose

As part of a sweeping, multi-phase renovation project, the expERIEnce Children’s Museum set out to reimagine its spaces with fresh, engaging exhibits designed to spark curiosity and inspire learning. Among the most ambitious additions was Erie Recycles—a vibrant, hands-on gallery all about the recycling process. Designed by JRA and fabricated by Boss Display, this gallery became the largest exhibit space across both museum buildings. While the renovation included several updated and new experiences, Erie Recycles stands out as a dynamic centerpiece, bringing real-world environmental concepts to life through interactive play and immersive storytelling tailored for young guests.

 
 

The electronic conveyor brings the recyclables up and into the magnetic ball wall - representing recycling beginning in the home.

Between shredding, sorting and launching, guests are encouraged to follow along on the entire journey of recycling.

The collection truck allows visitors to sort their materials as well as step into the shoes of a truck driver in this immersive experience.

 
 

Homegrown Habits

At the heart of Erie Recycles are seven distinct activity stations, each representing a key stage in the recycling journey. It all begins at the home, where a vibrant ball wall simulates everyday recycling. Children place color-coded balls—representing different materials—on a conveyor belt to see how common items are collected. From there, guests move through a series of interactive stations where they sort, sort, shred, and transform the materials using oversized mechanical elements, bright visuals, and clever engineering that makes every movement feel like play.

 
 

Guests can follow their various materials through the overhead tubing system as they are sorted into the four blowers.

The stair stepper conveyor sends balls up and into the palletizing machine, representing materials being prepared for the final stage of repurposing.

The recyclable materials are sorted and sent to the overhead ball drop where, at certain intervals, the balls drop back into the gallery.

 
 

Whirl, Lift, Launch

Each station builds upon the last, combining tactile engagement with educational storytelling. Guests sort materials using buttons and tubes at the Collection Truck, aim for bins in a carnival-style Plastic Sorting game, and watch paper swirl around them after balls travel through the Plastic Shredder. A network of clear overhead tubes animates the space, letting children follow their “recyclables” through air-powered chutes in the Plastic Separation and Identification zone. The journey continues with a handwheel-powered ball lift at the Plastic Palletizing station, where plastics are transformed into pellets and launched toward the final stage of the process.

 
 
“The difference between Boss and other fabricators is they absolutely stand by what they make. I have had other fabricators that won’t return calls or owe us some items still - Boss one hundred percent will stand by their products. I think that that is invaluable when you are taking on a project like this, it’s also why I would hire them again in a heartbeat to do more exhibits…”
— Ainslie Brosig, Executive Director, expERIEnce Children's Museum
 
 

Recycling Rewarded

The experience culminates at the Plastic New Products station, where young guests witness the satisfying payoff of their recycling journey. Once enough materials reach the overhead ball drop, the system releases a dramatic shower of colorful balls—symbolizing the creation of new products—back into the gallery. Guests can even load balls into an air cannon and fire them into the cycle, restarting the fun and reinforcing the idea that recycling is a continuous, impactful process. By combining learning with excitement at every turn, Erie Recycles has become a cornerstone of the museum’s educational mission, inspiring the next generation of eco-conscious citizens through creativity, motion, and play.

 
 

Client Testimonial

Features:

  • Daily Recycling | Send multicolored balls up the station on the conveyor belt. Each recyclable “material” filters through the magnetic ball wall outfitted with graphics - signifying that recycling begins in each household. 

  • Collection Truck | Take the recyclable materials from the home and sort them into the miniature collection truck. Each color corresponds to a different category, after sorting, guests can send their materials up to the overhead collection bin. 

  • Plastic Sorting | Learn about various categories of recycling through this carnival-inspired interactive. Each category has a point value associated with them and guests can toss their materials into the collection points. 

  • Plastic Shredding |Displaying the next step in the process, visitors send their materials through a plink-o style grid and into the plastic shredder. Once activated, a flurry of shredded materials will fly around symbolizing the processing of the materials.

  • Plastic Separation & Identification | Users follow their materials through the four overhead air tubes and down to the collection bin. 

  • Plastic Palletizing | The stair stepper ball lift transports the materials up into the spiral palletizing machine. Once there they travel through the vertical screw up into the overhead ball drop. 

  • Plastic New Products | Guests can fill the overhead ball drop through the palletizing machine as well as the ball cannon. Once full - the materials rain down on the gallery signifying new products being created from the recycled materials.

 
 

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