Game Masters and Mythbusters

In August 2016, I wrote about one of our favorite museums to visit in San Diego. Every year, the Reuben H. Fleet museum offers some of the coolest science related exhibits we’ve enjoyed. My 2016 article, Science Fiction, Science Future can be found here.  

In 2017, we returned  for the “Game Masters” exhibit which highlighted the scientific development of gaming systems since Atari and the original arcade all the way through what gaming has in store for the future.

The work of more than 30 video game designers who have made a significant impact in the field was explored through rare concept artwork, newly commissioned interviews, and interactive digital displays. This large-scale exhibition took visitors behind the scenes of how video games are made as well as spotlighting the people who actually make them. From Minecraft to Starcraft toWorld of Warcraft, this was a landmark collection of the most popular video games on the planet, as well as independent games with a cult-like following.

The 9,000 square-foot exhibition took visitors through the evolution of gaming from arcade classics such as Missile Command and Pac-Man, to iconic console-based games featuring Sonic the Hedgehog and Rock Band, through to today's indie hits like Real Racing 2, Fruit Ninja, Angry Birds and more. Other famous titles included Dance Central and The Sims.

In addition to allowing guests to experience all of these games firsthand, the exhibit offered an in-depth look at the designers behind some of the most popular games of all time through rare original game artwork, 2D objects, and revealing interviews with game designers. The key role played by smaller independent designers in game design and development was also explored.

Some of these exhibits included books and comics that inspired, or were inspired by, these games and their designers. So very interesting, and a wonderfully nostalgic remembrance for those of us who grew up with these games. It was also interesting to see their influence from and upon science fiction in general.

This year, the museum is hosting “Mythbusters: The Explosive Exhibition” based on the popular Mythbusters series produced by Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman.  I've enjoyed watching old episodes of this show with my kids, and as a result we've enjoyed some of our own experiments. 

This years exhibit offers:

1) Use scientific observations and your own curiosity to search for the truth behind some commonly held beliefs.

2) Explore the Blueprint Room and relive some of the show's most exciting moments.

3) Test your hypothesis in The Workshop and decide whether the myth is plausible, busted, or confirmed.

4) Catch a live demonstration on the Demo Stage. There are multiple shows throughout the day, and the variables (people) are always changing, so results can change hour to hour!

5) Submit your own myths, and you could see them being tested on future episodes of MythBusters!

On display in the expanded upstairs galleries, the exhibition will overflow with hands-on props and gadgets from the show. The Fleet invites you to try your hand at busting some new myths, as well as some old favorites.

I'm so glad my girls enjoy science, creating their own stories, and experiments. I can't wait to see what this years visit inspires them to create.

This is definitely my favorite science museum. I’m not saying it’s impossible to find a better one, but it would be pretty difficult. This one always hosts some of the most unique, innovative, and certainly popular concepts that influence our fascination with scientific concepts and dreams. To learn more about this museum or this years display: https://www.rhfleet.org/exhibitions/mythbusters-explosive-exhibition 

WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE SCIENTIFIC INSPIRATIONS? HAVE YOU VISITED THIS MUSEUM OR THESE EXHIBITS? ARE THERE ANY PLACES YOU WOULD RECOMMEND?