As we wrap up our busy ‘25-’26 field trip season here at MOSAC, we like to reflect on all the fun times we’ve had with schools this year. One of our favorite field trip memories involves a small group of imaginative 5th graders and Rube Goldberg Machines. You know, those whacky gizmos mad scientists from 80’s movies always had in their office. First created by cartoonist/inventor Ruben Goldberg, these fantastical machines are comprised of several unrelated machines that chain together to perform a simple task in an overly complex way. For example, you hit a button that drops a boot that kicks a can that spooks a cat that pulls a string that drops a knife and hey! You’ve buttered toast.
While our methods are less random than those cartoon contraptions, I believe the interlocking parts of a Rube Goldberg machine act as the perfect analogy for these 5th graders’ visit at MOSAC.
Here’s how it went:
Step 1
In the school’s pre-visit survey, their teachers noted their class was studying Rube Goldberg Machines and would be thrilled if we could tie that into their MOSAC visit in any way. An unusual ask, but our staff was more than happy to take on the challenge!
Step 2
Fortunately, this school had also signed up for our 30-minute Build-It Lab. In this lab, students get a box of wooden planks and must build a functional bridge for a ball to travel across. While this sounds simple on paper, it’s quite tricky to master. As the lab progresses, more wrinkles are thrown in. How long can you make your bridge? Can you get a ball rolling over your bridge? How long can you keep your ball rolling?
Build-It’s meant to be a quick, simple introduction to the Engineering Design Process that sparks deeper curiosity. Each lab ends with a pitch of how students can continue their engineering challenge while on the museum floor. These 5th graders took that challenge to the next level.
Step 3
This’s where I come in. Hi, my name’s Julian. I’m one of the Curiosity Collaborators here at MOSAC. Part of my job is to encourage guests to engage with exhibits through open-ended questions and parallel play. So, when I arrived in our Design Challenge area and found a group huddled around a strange device made of wooden KEVA planks and rubber bands, my curiosity was piqued.
The 5th graders explained they were making a Rube Goldburg machine out of blocks, inspired by their Build-It Lab. They politely asked me if they could borrow pieces from our other exhibits for their machine and I said, “Why not?”
Step 4
We gathered rubberbands from our Pinball Machines, weights from our Balance Sculptures, and wooden dowels from our Tinker-Sticks. I even snuck them a few hidden pieces from our retired exhibits cabinet. Shhh, don’t tell. Those kids spent close to three hours upstairs tinkering on their machine! With each new attempt, they fine-tuned their creation and took new risks in pursuit of their vision. I bet they would’ve spent another ten hours experimenting if their bus hadn’t arrived to take them back to school.
Step 5
Like a Rube Goldberg Machine, MOSAC facilitated a chain reaction. From those 5th graders’ classroom studies to our Build-It Lab to their free exploration on the public floor, our museum helped connect the separate pieces of their education to help them make a literal machine of learning. How cool is that?
In a time where people prioritize results over process and avoid failure at all costs, MOSAC provides an important asset to our community: the space and permission to try, fail, and try again.
