Ann Arbor, Mich. — The Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum is proud to present a new exhibit called “STEAM Park” in collaboration with engineers from Toyota. U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell cut the ribbon to officially open it to the press and public on Wednesday morning.
There are 18 individual exhibits within a total of 1,820 square feet of space. The gallery took a team of 26 people which includes artists, fabricators and engineers from Michigan, Wisconsin and as far as Germany. The goal of this exhibit is to help pre-schoolers and all children to discover the world of science through experimentation, exploration and education.
The STEAM Park exhibits include:
- Pulley Chair which visitors sit in a chair and uses a pulley to bring them up and down to demonstrate gravity.
- Rocket fuel which air is propelled quickly through a special kind of nozzle. The high pressure pushes the rocket in the air.
- Planetary gear chains reduce motor speed and increase torque used in mechanical devices from tiny motors in toys to large transmissions in cars and trucks.
Mel Drumm, President & CEO of the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, spoke about his vision and the story behind the STEAM Park gallery. “This is a brand new exhibit we’ve been talking about a long time ago. It took 20 years of thinking in collaboration with Toyota to spark interest in engineering and science. We wanted to create an exhibit for pre-school, yes pre-school. We worked tirelessly for four years to make this exhibit happen,” adds Drumm.
STEAM Park was made possible by grants from the Toyota USA Foundation and Toyota Motor North America which totals $1.5 million in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education.
Jeff Makarewicz, AAHOM/Toyota, says Toyota Research and Development has called Ann Arbor home for 40 years. “Steam education is essential to address today’s pressing challenges. Today our plans with Ann Arbor and non-profits and the new steam fund will help the community,” says Makarewicz.
Debbie Dingell, U.S. Representative for Michigan’s 12th congressional district, says this exhibit inspires our youth for jobs of the future. “Students are left to play naturally, looking for patterns and connecting their natural curiosity. We look to empower students to better learn from educators. Museums make them come alive for our students,” added Dingell.
STEM jobs continue to lead for prosperity, says Megan Schrauben, MI STEM Council. The Steam Park is about an engagement in students learning to become naturally inquisitive. Museums like this is critical for families to make sure all resources come together for point of entry in every students learning.
The Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum is located at 220 E. Ann in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Steam Park is included with regular admission to the museum. Admission is $16 per person, and free for members. Normal museum hours are Tuesday through Thursday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
For tickets and more information, visit https://www.aahom.org/
Pulley Chair 
Rocket Fuel 
Shock absorption 
Color Filters 
Bridge construction 
Stress analysis 
Outside the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum