Wind turbines are appearing more frequently, both in the news and along our highways. Learn how they transform wind into green energy, and track energy production in the Museum's Wind Lab, which includes five types of small, residential turbines mounted on the Museum's roof.
In Catching the Wind, visitors dive into the world of wind turbines, learning how they generate electricity, what sorts of factors need to be considered when selecting and siting them, and what trade-offs we make when choosing any energy source.
Visitors hear stories of sites across Massachusetts where turbines were — and were not — installed, including the Museum of Science's own case study. Through the exhibit’s live data tracking, visitors see which of the Museum's own turbines are currently producing electricity and hear about why and how we installed them. Visitors can also try their hand at wind turbine siting in the "Wind Power Challenge" game, where they choose a location and a turbine type, then see if it could power their home, business, or community.
Nearby, visitors can explore other sustainable and green energy sources in the Energized exhibit.
Catching the Wind is made possible by support from the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust, Bank of America, Davis Foundation, and the Charles Sumner Bird Foundation. Additional support provided by: ANSYS, Inc., Holy Name Central Catholic Junior Senior High School, Massachusetts Port Authority, Newton South High School, Andrew Stern, The Town of Hull, and TRC Companies, Inc.