Green by Design

Learn about renewable energy sources, and how to harness and use energy more efficiently by visiting Green by Design. Hands-on experiences will show you how powerful wind, water and the sun can be! Go green!

View from Space

The Tech Museum presents an amazing experience from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Imagine watching hurricanes form or seeing the spread of an El Niño event over a globe almost 6 feet in diameter. View from Space appeals to anyone who ever wanted to be an astronaut!

See the beauty of the nightscape spread across the globe. Observe Earth like you've never seen it before. This exhibit space allows you to observe complex and detailed scientific information in an easily understandable, visually stunning form. Stop by to enjoy the view and watch a presentation about Earth.

Dr. Alexander MacDonald, of the NOAA Forecast Systems Laboratory, was a Laureate of The Tech Museum Awards in 2003 for developing this visualization system.

Regenerative Braking

Learn how electric cars can recapture energy typically lost during braking. An electric motor is used to slow down the tire, while producing electricity to charge the batteries.

Design a Hybrid

Design and race a hybrid car to see how far they go on a cup of gas. You have the option of choosing the size of the electric motor and gas engine, body style, and tires to try to build the most efficient car.

Supercapacitors

Race two cars that are powered by supercapacitors instead of batteries. Supercapacitors have been called "lifetime batteries" since they can survive a million charges before they need to be thrown away.

Sun Power

To make solar cells more effective, many companies are experimenting with ways to focus the sun's energy. Using mirrors, you can build a solar dish that directs sunlight onto a solar cell, doubling its efficiency.