Pattern Wizardry

“Ideas are the building blocks of ideas.” —Jason Zebehazy

On Exhibit: February 22 – May 9, 2011

Pattern Wizardry is a magical exhibition that invites children’s inquiry through hands-on activity, introducing them to the fundamentals of patterns as the building blocks of our natural and man-made world.

Things to Do: 
  • Spiral Spells: Follow a winding spiral path and experience the ‘round and round’ of a spiral. Walk into a giant spiral and see the world from a different angle. You’ll discover collection objects encased in the spiral walls and the musical spiral finger mazes will definitely keep you entranced. Don’t forget to test your new powers at the Tilt-n-Swirls, where slight movements of your body make spirals come to life!
  • Tessellation Station: Enter a land of hexagons, where special “friends” are buzzing overhead – you’re in a large honeycomb! Create colorful glowing mosaics with pattern blocks on a light box; build a new home for the honeybees using hexagon blocks; or explore the complicated pattern on a dance apron from Cameroon. Make your own tabletop quilt or conjure up some inspiration from artist M.C. Escher and create your own masterpiece by linking foam lizards into an unusual tessellating pattern.
  • Linear Lab: Your apprenticeship continues in a magical place where linear patterns abound through all your senses – sight, touch and sound! Pattern wizards can hop, skip and jump over a bridge into Linear Lab and, with a wave of their pattern wands, play a beat on one side of the bridge rail or compose a tonal and color pattern to play on the other side. Move different colored xylophone blocks on the outside of the bridge fence and create sound patterns. Once over the bridge, make a beaded pattern based on an authentic Apache bag. Behold the gigantic double-sided Magnadoodle! You will be enthralled with the beautiful block print designs you can make using over-sized stamps based on real printing blocks from Java and India. You can even weave your own masterpiece or add your touch to other woven patterns!
  • Branch Branch: Behold the enchanted forest in Branch Branch, where you are greeted by the giant tree that reveals the wonders of branching patterns. Touch, see and examine collection objects ranging from antlers to coral to microscopic organisms through a special wizard scope. You can even use a three-dimensional wooden puzzle to build a tree using forked puzzle parts.
  • Symmetry Sorcery: Explore the wonders of symmetry in butterflies, embroidered designs and yourself when you climb into a giant kaleidoscope and become part of a pattern!
  • Pattern Wizard Library: Learn more about patterns in this resource center and interactive computer station.
Learning Outcomes: 
  • Observation, identification, recognition, and creation of patterns and pattern units
  • Creativity, imaginative play, and artistic expression
  • Building awareness and appreciation for art, mathematics, music, nature and world customs
  • Work cooperatively
  • Develop gross and fine motor skills
  • Auditory and spatial awareness
  • Object study and understanding physical systems
  • Gain skills in investigation, inquiry, logical reasoning, research and critical thinking

Pattern Wizardry was developed by the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, with major funding provided by the National Science Foundation.