The Lawrence Hall of Science Launches New Exhibition 'Making Music: Math and Science Out Loud'

 The Lawrence Hall of Science, UC Berkeley’s public science center, will celebrate the opening of its newest exhibition, Making Music: Math and Science Out Loud, on Saturday, June 24, with festivities, including music, a photo booth, and goodie bags. The exhibition, developed and constructed in-house at The Lawrence, explores the math and science of musical sounds, rhythms, and more.

Making Music is the latest exhibition at The Lawrence to explore the math and science that underpins relatable everyday experiences. Visitors will nurture their inner musicians as they engage in a variety of hands-on sonic exhibits and activities. These experiences will explore new technologies, the digitization of music, different instruments and music-making tools, and the importance of music in our lives. Visitors of all ages and skill levels will discover the joy of making music together.

Making Music exemplifies The Lawrence’s efforts to bring community partners and organizations into the exhibition design process. The exhibition will feature interviews with local Bay Area musicians about the importance of music in their lives and their understanding of the connection between math, science, and music. Exhibit developers also worked with community organizations to co-create the focal art piece for Making Music: a chandelier made from music notes. The Lawrence will host special events throughout the life of the exhibition featuring community groups like Cafe Ohlone, Cal Raijin Taiko, and more.

“Music is often really meaningful to individuals and communities,” said The Lawrence’s Learning Designer Tim Hurt, who co-developed the content of Making Music. “We want this exhibit to support visitors in connecting their musical knowledge and appreciation to some of the beautiful scientific principles related to sound and the mathematical patterns that permeate music. Our main hope is that museum visitors will enjoy spending time in the exhibit and experimenting with all of the different ways to explore and make music.”

“We are excited about Making Music not only because we enjoy bringing to life one-of-a-kind exhibitions of our own making but also because of the ongoing collaborative effort among The Lawrence staff and community who participate in our creative and iterative design process,” said John Ito, Production Studio Interim Director.

Making Music is only the latest new experience at the science center, as The Lawrence has added new ways for visitors to explore science within the past year. The Robert and Elizabeth Karplus Outdoor Nature Lab opened one year ago, giving museumgoers an opportunity to investigate nature and education researchers a venue to develop and evaluate outdoor learning experiences. This spring, The Lawrence reopened its interactive Planetarium after renovations, including new projectors, new software, and the construction of a new dome. The Lawrence will soon debut two new Planetarium shows, Diving Into the Blue Planet and Traditions of the Summer Sky. The museum’s pioneering interactive, inquiry-based Planetarium shows are world-renowned and serve as a model for planetaria across the globe.