The Designing Our Tomorrow project produced a bilingual Spanish/English 2,000 square foot traveling exhibition that engages visitors in biomimicry, an approach to engineering where we can learn from nature’s strategies to design solutions for the challenges we face in our own communities and around the world.
In the exhibit, visitors explore stories of nature and engineering from communities around the globe. They experience the diversity and wonder of nature, are introduced to the fundamentals of biomimicry and look to the natural world for inspiration. Hands-on engineering design challenges give visitors a chance to practice designing their own solutions inspired by nature. The exhibition guides visitors through a process of exploration, inspiration, and innovation with exhibits in three categories:
Pillars
Components introducing biomimicry and creating a community space.
Community Challenges
Design challenges focusing on how biomimicry solves community issues.
Nature’s Inspiration
Interactive components exploring nature’s amazing engineering solutions
The exhibit was developed by OMSI in partnership with Adelante Mujeres, Biomimicry Institute, and the Fleet Science Center and is informed by the first of two Designing Our Tomorrow research studies. The content, approach, and look & feel of the exhibit have been guided, in part, by a Youth Advisory Board comprised primarily of Latina girls aged 9–14 who, based on their own identities and worldviews, have provided valuable insights and perspectives into our target audience.
The Designing Our Tomorrow exhibit is on tour until 2030.