Traveling Exhibit: Blue Man Group~Making Waves

  January 26–May 4, 2008

exhibit picJump into an amazing multi-sensory environment as you explore the science of sound and light with the dynamic Blue Men as your guide. Brilliant colors, shadows and luminescent objects create a visually engaging exhibit that explores science, sounds and senses. Children of all ages will have the opportunity to play the unique Blue Man Group instruments, learn how to use the human body as a percussion instrument and literally see and feel sound as they move through this immersive environment. The playful exhibit’s three-month stop at Long Island Children’s Museum represents its only New York metropolitan area stop during a national tour. 

Visitors will enjoy a range of activity areas during their exploration of Blue Man Group ~ Making Waves:


Entry tube

A sound and light tunnel—the LED entrance fuselage—beckons visitors into the exhibit. Directional arrows scroll forward in the LED lit floor while sonic tubes play elements of a tribal rhythm.

Intro Wall
Around the bend, Blue Man Group appears on a monitor bopping their heads rhythmically in time with the music. This exhibit introduction also gives us our first glimpse of the Blue Man character.

girl on exhibitTube Phones
Next, “Tube Phones” demonstrate the different characteristics of sound and how it can be manipulated. A visitor speaks into a microphone and hears his voice played back through lengths of tubing. Echo, distortion, and reverb are all demonstrated through this personal voice transformation.

Seeing Sound
What does sound look like? Here visitors can play a Theramin organ—an eerie sounding instrument played by moving closer or farther away. An oscilloscope shows the sound waves created and kids can watch the distinctive patterns of harmonies and dissonance while they play.

boy in exhbitSlide/Build-u-lum
In this area visitors put together PVC tubes—a signature Blue Man experience—to create instruments. At the Build-u-lum bins of color coded pipe provide the raw materials and different tube lengths result in different pitch. Song books with color-coded “notes” are attached making it possible to build and play a song. At the Slide-u-lum, percussion meets the slide trombone. Visitors slide PVC tubes into long or short configurations then strike their new instrument to produce the note they’re looking for.

Sand Drum

We all know that sound is a physical vibration in the air. But we rarely think about the physicality of sound. Here we’ll see, and feel that sound is a physical force with the ability to move things. Speakers mounted under drum heads will produce aural vibrations that form resonance patterns in sand. As we control the pitch and volume, the patterns respond giving a physical form to the aural experience.

PVC’s

Play PVC instruments just like Blue Man Group. Three sets of pipes let kids experiment separately—or join together in their own Blue Man performance. A pulsing black-light produces brilliant colors and the PVCs are positioned in front of a dramatic stage photograph from the show. A great place for collaboration between visitors, kids can follow a flashing light to play pre-set tunes or compose their own creations.

Belly Drum

No more pots and pans after visitors experience the Belly Drum wall. Learn from the Blue Men how to use the human body as a percussion instrument. Once the art of belly drumming is perfected visitors can play along as the Blue Men perform the Belly Drum Song.

blue man theaterSurround Sound Theater

The whole experience comes together in the intimate surround sound theatre. The Blue Men perform a song created specifically for this exhibit maximizing the use of surround sound technology while putting together the elements of sound showcased throughout the interactive exhibit .The musical crescendo like the Blue Man show itself, will leave visitors asking for more.

 


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Blue Man Group~Making Waves was produced by Boston Children’s Museum in collaboration with Blue Man Productions and JBL®, a registered trademark of Harman International. All underlying materials, including all artwork and the use of Blue Man Group characters are used with permission of Blue Man Productions. Local promotional support provided by Southwest Airlines.

 

Copyright 2008 © Long Island Children's Museum, 11 Davis Avenue, Garden City, NY 11530, (516) 224-5800. All rights reserved.