Latest phase of Reimagine Nauticus features highly interactive Design, Build, Sail! exhibition
Ever wonder what it’s like to sail a boat? Take a seat in Nauticus’ new “Push and Pull” exhibit, where you can manipulate real sails as a giant fan simulates being pushed downwind or pulled upwind to demonstrate the principles of lift—the wind blowing in your hair all the while and your seat spinning as you harness the forces of nature to change direction.
It’s just one of the exciting and highly interactive elements that are the heart of Design, Build, Sail!, the latest in a series of ongoing renovations and new exhibits that are part of the $21.5 million Reimagine Nauticus capital campaign and redesign.
Overlooking the Elizabeth River and the Sail Nauticus sailboat fleet, this state-of-the-art gallery blends hands-on experiences with dynamic exhibits that allow students and visitors to learn practical STEM principles like hydrodynamics, aerodynamics and buoyancy.
And they are just plain fun. There’s a sailboat in the center of the exhibition space with a cutaway that lets visitors imagine what it is like inside a real boat. Touching and turning knobs and pulling ropes is encouraged. There’s even a wall-sized digital display framed like museum art that changes colors and design elements in real time as guests turn a ship wheel or shift their weight on a balance board.
Design, Build Sail! also serves as a learning lab for students who are enrolled in the museum’s Sail Nauticus program, which develops leadership skills and promotes academic success through the art and science of sailing to underserved youth in the Coastal Virginia region.
It is one of several new exhibits scheduled to officially open to the public on the weekend of Nov. 9-10. Others include Heart of the Navy, an experience designed to advance public understanding of the Navy and the people and families that are its driving force, and Our Port, focused on Virginia’s maritime community.
Nauticus also recently unveiled The Goode Family Atrium, a refreshed grand visitor entrance with new lighting, open spaces and a massive media wall displaying messages, art and video.
A brand-new multicolored Nauticus logo was also introduced in October to reflect the future of this Norfolk destination, which originally opened in 1994. Opening weekend for Design, Build Sail! will include special events and a $5 admission rate.
Learn more at nauticus.org.
Photo Courtesy of Nauticus
