New Commission from the Mubarak Museum: Part 1 - The Magic Mirror

Challenge: After completing two space-related models for the Mubarak Museum in Cairo, Egypt, we were happy to receive an additional commission for three new exhibit pieces. There's always a special validation of our work when people choose to use our services again, and we were eager to exceed their expectations. This new order was for three interactive exhibits that would illustrate various scientific principles to children. The first exhibit we'll look at is the Magic Mirror.



Solution: The goal of the Magic Mirror was to combine 12 fun house mirrors in one box. By watching the mirror change shape in front of them, children will better understand the principles of reflected light and what we see. We chose a flexible reflective plastic to withstand the transformation into different shapes. Behind the panel, 18 small motors were attached to press or pull on the mirror. The 12 buttons on the right side of the mirror were each programmed with an individual configuration of the 18 motors, giving the mirror its array of shapes.



Result: The Magic Mirror had to be shipped off so quickly, we didn't even get a chance to play with it in the workshop. As with all interactive exhibits, we built the Magic Mirror to be durable and expect it to have a long life triggering giggle fits in Cairo.