The illuminated glass-encased exhibit appears like a chaotic jumble of cold bent wires at first. But when the balls start moving inside the tracks, finding their war from top to bottom and going up and down again, passing through opening and closing gates, it’s really a kinetic art sculpture and a logical exercise in engineering. This is the Gravitram or the rolling ball sculpture, the newest exhibit at the Nido Fortified Science Discovery Center. It has fascinated people of all ages in many countries for more than three decades.
The original Gravitram was created by Shabtay Levy and George Hohnstein on September 20, 1973 and was first exhibited at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) in Portland, Oregon, United States. It is derived from two words: gravity and tramway. The balls move along tracks because of gravity. With glass doors and 10 moving balls, it is over 9 feet high and 4 feet wide.
Shabtay Levy’s Levy Designs has created many gravitrams through the years – few are made of hard wood and some use hard plastic balls – and they are exhibited in various museums around the world.
The Nido Fortified Science Discovery Center provides Filipino children the chance to experience and learn more about science and technology in amore engaging and interactive setting. It combines Entertainment and education with its world-class interactive galleries.
It has been accredited by the US-based Association of Science and Technology centers (ASTC).
Headquartered in Washington D.C., ASTC is an international organization of science centers and museums that promotes understanding and appreciation of science among diverse audiences.
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