The Leonardo da Vinci exhibit at the California Science Center has been extended through January 5, 2025! Don’t miss this! It is a remarkable display of ingenuity, creativity and imagination from the mind of a 15th Century genius who envisioned many things that make up our modern world.
Leonardo da Vinci left drawings and instructions for some 1500 designs, 30 of which have been recreated by Italian artisans with the materials that were available some 500 years ago. The result is an intriguing display of artistry and prescience from the mind of a creator whose ideas were way ahead of his time.
The exhibit opens to a breathtaking show of the aerial inventions da Vinci envisioned so people could soar skyward. Aerial bicycles, helicopters and hang gliders float against the dark museum ceiling.
You will see the full range of Leonardo’s inventions, from flying contraptions to everyday inventions to weapons of war and even various musical instruments. Many of the pieces seem familiar, like the pipe organ, machine guns and two way doors. But amazingly, this exhibit is the first time da Vinci’s ideas have been constructed.
Artisans from the Leonardo3 Museum used 15th Century materials that were available to da Vinci in creating his inventions. Using mostly wood, rope and canvas cloth, they also added artistic touches:
There are many opportunities for interactivity:
The show includes weapons of war: a rapid fire crossbow, steam powered cannon, machine gun and submarine, among others. They don’t exactly work like the modern day versions (which all had to be reinvented over the centuries since Leonardo imagined them.) The submarine, for example, does not enclose the diver who swims the boat to the enemy to commit sabotage.
With clearly illustrated signage to accompany each piece:
Getting there was easy peasy, or as Pet Foolery’s Pixie says, “Easy squeezy.” A small group of (mostly) retirees took the Metro A line in eastern LA County and with one easy transfer (to the E line) rode a mostly empty train to the Rose Garden outside the California Science Center. It cost us 35 cents. If you are not retired, it would have cost you $l.75.
The most eastern Metro train stations are in Azusa, one near Citrus College and the other near the Target in downtown Azusa. If you don’t wish to drive to Azusa and live in San Bernardino or Riverside Counties, you might take Metrolink to Union Station, transfer (free) to the A line and at the Little Tokyo Station transfer again to the E line. It will cost more ($8 to $20) but transfers to the Metro line are free. (Yes, the names of the two separate lines are Metro and Metrolink. Don’t get confused.)
