Can you tell I'm excited?
So there have been science museums galore across the country, but now is the time for math to have its own museum.
I had hoped to do some field work at MoMath on the week it opened. But alas, weather got in my way. I will have to take a field trip another time.
In the run up to the opening of MoMath, there was a traveling exhibit called the Math Midway that visited various science museums. (Here are two of my kids riding square-wheeled trikes on the Midway) The Midway is still going around the country.
So what might you see at MoMath?
You could twist yourself into a hyperhyperboloid
Ride the aforementioned square-wheeled trikes
Turn yourself into a fractal
Play with zometool
Traverse in a shape of constant diameter
Obviously, there's a strong geometrical flavor to this stuff, as it's really the most accessible math to all – no numbers, no equations – just shapes one can manipulate and patterns to consider.
If you can't come to MoMath in person, and if the Midway is not on your way, of course they have some online stuff: activities, such as cutouts that can fold more than one way to make the same shape or a MoMath hexatetra flexagon.
And we have come to a close of 12 Days of Learning (before Christmas is over! Woot!)
Why not make 2013 a year of learning?
All 12 Days:
- The Gift of Tongues - free foreign language instruction online
- Learn Lots about History with Bob - long-running podcast on history
- Learn with Udacity - free online college classes, mainly in comp sci
- KHAAAAAAAAAN - free math videos and exercises at Khan Academy
- MIT education for free - online, of course
- Lectures on CD/DVD - with a few of my favorite instructors and courses (not free, but available at many libraries)
- YouTube - not just good for cute cat videos
- Helping those who can't read - cheap audiobook resources for those who need the help, and great volunteer opportunity for those who can help
- Free audiobooks for all! - public domain works easily downloaded
- More free college courses - online, with loads of subjects covered
- Learn to code - online, for free, in a fun way
- The Museum of Math! Woot! (I still need to go in person – maybe later this month)
