Leonardo da Vinci was without question one of the most imaginative and innovative minds in history. He developed technologies centuries ahead of their time and was a true visionary in the field of engineering and scientific advancement.
The Houston Museum of Natural Science’s new exhibit, Leonardo da Vinci: Man, Inventor, Genius, features re-creations of more than 60 of da Vinci’s famous machines, inventions and designs based on ancient codices.
The models, handcrafted in Italy, range in size from tabletop displays to life-size replicas, a handful of which are made available for patrons to handle and test out for themselves. Each item is accompanied by a short explanation of its intended function, as well as a copy of da Vinci’s actual blueprints of the device.
Da Vinci’s designs cover several fields of engineering such as flight, hydraulics, mechanics and military machinery.
Many of his concepts on flight were based off his study of the wings of bats and birds. Some projects were more successful than others, such as plans foreshadowing the development of the hang glider and the parachute. His designs for what he called the "air screw," essentially a proto-helicopter, proved to be impossible to realize using his blueprints.
Da Vinci also had an interest in aquatic machinery. For example, his underwater breathing device was a precursor to the first scuba gear. But even a genius like da Vinci had his failures; one particularly impractical design was a stilt-like device theoretically allowing people to walk on water.
Da Vinci designed a multitude of projects for military use, which may come as a surprise to some. The reasons for this are twofold; one, those were the projects that paid the best, and two, there was a fear in Europe at the time that if Constantinople fell to the Turks, they would turn their attention farther West, which is exactly what ended up happening, and Europeans had best be prepared.
One of da Vinci’s most interesting military machines was an early tank, which he saw as a safe way for soldiers to maneuver through dangerous combat areas. It was controlled by a series of cranks and wheels operated by eight men.
As unlikely as it may sound, da Vinci also had a fair share of robotic devices in his plans, most notably a programmable, spring-powered "automobile" that could be wound up and made to travel a pre-assigned path, of which a scale replica is featured in the exhibit. Another of his spring-based robots was an actual size robotic knight capable of sitting down, standing up, waving its arms, and opening and closing its jaw. It would have been a treat to see a complete recreation, but unfortunately it is only presented as a tabletop miniature.
While the exhibit consists mostly of these model replicas of da Vinci’s various projects, there is a short introductory video giving a basic overview of the inventor’s life and various projects, as well as a wall-sized timeline of the Renaissance period alongside a personal timeline for da Vinci.
There are also computer terminals throughout the exhibit at which one can test the physics of da Vinci’s inventions.
Leonardo da Vinci was a true visionary and anyone with an appreciation for the development of these technologies is sure to enjoy this tribute. Leonardo da Vinci: Man, Inventor, Genius will be featured at the HMNS through Sept. 1. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students.
