The Springfield Museums is excited to announce the upcoming arrival of The Robot Zoo at the Springfield Science Museum. On view January 18-May 4, 2025, this special exhibition features three enormous robot animals that illustrate fascinating real-life animal characteristics, revealing the magic of nature as a master engineer.
“Natural science and technology are the perfect combination to bring in new kinds of learning and delight visitors of all ages,” says Science Museum Director Jenny Powers. “The Robot Zoo will be as fun and popular as it is educational.”
The larger-than-life-size animated robots include a chameleon, a platypus, and a house fly with a 3-foot wingspread. Machinery in the robots simulates the body parts of their real-life counterparts. In these robot animals, muscles become pistons, intestines become filtering pipes and brains become computers. By comparing anatomy, environments, and size of the actual creatures to their mechanical counterparts, The Robot Zoo provides fantastic new insights into how animals work.
Hands-on sensory activities include “Swat the Fly,” a test of visitor reaction time (one-twelfth as fast as a house fly’s), and “Sticky Feet,” where visitors using special hand pads can try to stick like flies to a sloped surface. Triggering the “Tongue Gun” demonstrates how a real chameleon shoots out its long, sticky-tipped tongue to reel in a meal.
At the exhibit opening celebration on Saturday, January 18, visitors can practice beginner coding skills, learn about animal adaptations with museum educators, create animal masks, and see demonstrations by a FIRST Lego League team. Opening day activities are presented free with museum admission.
“We are excited to welcome families and school groups to The Robot Zoo,” says Director of Educator Larissa Murray. “The comparisons made between biology and engineering provide many engaging learning opportunities.”
The exhibit is based on the book “The Robot Zoo” which was conceived, edited, and designed by Marshall Editions of London, England; and toured by Evergreen Exhibitions.
MassMutual is the season supporter of the Springfield Museums.