Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum Opens 'Engineers on a Roll'

ANN ARBOR -- The Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum recently unveiled "Engineers on a Roll" in its preschool gallery. This exhibit was funded by a $100,000 donation from the Toyota Technical Center, whose engineering team collaborated with the Museum on the exhibit's design.

"Introducing engineering experiences for the very young directly supports the museum's mission to inspire the imagination," said Mel Drumm, executive director of the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum. "The support of the Toyota Technical Center made 'Engineers on a Roll' possible, and created an entirely new world of experimentation through simple hands-on manipulation. Developing a signature exhibit for our preschool area has been a goal of the museum for years and it's exciting to see children interact with the finished product."

Engineers on a Roll is a combined engineering lab, playscape and climber designed for preschoolers to have direct hands-on engineering experiences with the basic concepts of engineering, science and math. The brightly colored river of balls encourages children to direct, sort and experiment with the balls while in constant motion.

Dropping and bouncing balls in the Engineers on a Roll exhibit teach concepts including gravity and force. Long tracks that dip and curve teach children physics through play.  Engineers on a Roll also features a climber and playscape that offer hours of fun and activity, all around science, technology, math and engineering themes.

For more than 25 years, Toyota Technical Center (TTC), headquartered in Ann Arbor, has been the driving force behind Toyota's North American Engineering and Research activities. A division of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Inc., TTC is engaged in engineering design, prototype building, vehicle evaluation, evaluation and design of parts and materials, regulatory affairs, emission certification and technical research.

The Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum provides more than 250 interactive exhibits that spark the imagination. The museum is a regional destination attracting over 250,000 visitors every year. The mission of the museum is to inspire people to discover the wonder of science, math and technology. Visit www.aahom.org or call (734) 995-5439 for more information.