The Logistics of Play

Great Lakes Science Center

Handle With Care

A new, immersive, 2,000-square-foot early childhood gallery is now open at the Great Lakes Science Center, specifically designed to engage guests ages eight and younger. Boss Display played a central role from the very beginning, partnering closely with exhibit designer Karen Katz and the museum team on the concept creation for Handle With Care. Together, we developed an environment that blends the technical world of shipping and logistics with the social-emotional development of empathy, centering on the idea that STEAM is a tool for helping others. Upon entering, guests kick off a play-driven narrative by creating a personalized care package for a loved one, which they then follow through every stage of the processing and delivery cycle.

 
 

The shipping themed climber is fitted with safety mesh ensuring visitors safety as they explore.

Each exhibit in the gallery represents a specific aspect of the logistics process.

The multi-tiered conveyor area encourages guests to simulate soorting their packages as they engage with simple machines.

 
 

Engineering Empathy

Taking the project from concept to reality, our team provided a comprehensive suite of services to bring this complex vision to life, including design development, engineering, fabrication, and final installation. One of the primary engineering hurdles was the large-scale, freestanding climber. Because the structure features an integrated viewfinder that overlooks the museum’s exterior, the positioning and structural integrity had to be dialed in with extreme precision. To truly immerse kids in the "logistics" theme, we also engineered a custom 10-foot-tall pulley and conveyor belt system, allowing young visitors to manually manipulate their packages through a bustling warehouse environment.

 
 

The conveyor system begins with a pulley rope lift, sending visitors boxes to the top of the exhibit.

The warehouse climber is outfitted with a multi-level talk tube system where guests can communicate from the ground floor to the top level.

Each of the vehicles are outfitted with dash graphics, buttons and an interactive steering wheel.

 
 

The Warehouse in Motion

The gallery is designed to keep kids moving while introducing them to fundamental engineering principles. At the heart of the space is a three-tiered platform climber that encourages gross motor discovery through climbing, talk tubes, and a high-level viewfinder. In the Conveyor Play Area, children engage with STEAM-powered play by using hand-operated wheels to move their packages across a distribution network. The experience is rounded out with highly detailed, scale-model vehicles—including a forklift and a delivery truck—where kids can step into the driver’s seat and explore the essential roles that keep a community connected.

 
 
“This exhibit was designed with expertise on opportunities for young learners to experience engineering principles, as well as studies on the importance of developing empathy skills for our youngest learners...”
— Kirsten Ellenbogen, President & CEO, Great Lakes Science Center
 
 

Delivering a Connection

The narrative journey concludes at a whimsical, imaginative neighborhood filled with houses and apartments. Here, guests complete the cycle of care by delivering their packages to their final destinations. This project serves as a perfect example of how thoughtful fabrication can turn abstract concepts—like shipping logistics and emotional awareness—into a tangible, playful experience. By combining physical play with a meaningful story about helping others, we helped the Science Center create a space where the next generation of engineers can learn that their work has the power to make a real-world impact.

 

Visitors load thier boxes into the back of the delivery truck before deliverying them into the miniature town.

 

Each exhibit is designed with cooperative play in mind, encouraging guests to work together.

Features:

  • Platform Climber | The freestanding climber encourages guests to explore various paths to get to upper levels of the structure. Interactive elements like multistory talk tubes or a mounted viewfinder can be accessed from the upper levels.

  • Conveyor Play Area | This interactive system invites guests to use hand-operated wheels and pulleys to hoist their packages to the top of the belt. Working together to navigate the boxes back down, children simulate a real-world sorting process while engaging with STEAM concepts.

  • Delivery Truck | This scale-model vehicle invites children to step into the driver's seat and engage in imaginative role-play. Positioned near the neighborhood area, it allows young guests to load up their custom care packages and act out the final leg of the delivery process.

  • Forklift | This detailed, pretend-play vehicle allows guests to climb behind the wheel and imagine operating essential warehouse machinery. It encourages dramatic play while helping children connect their individual roles to the larger logistics and distribution network.

 
 

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