A two-part multimedia exhibit, Object Explorer tells the history of modern innovations —from such wide-ranging topics as energy, synthetic materials, refrigeration and others—through everyday objects these innovations made possible.  Placing a custom 3D printed object on the table activates interactive media related to that object.  But the discovery is more than the history of the object itself. Instead, the objects show us broader stories of innovations in multiple spaces, historical events and social change that they catalyzed.  A single object could expose stories of materials science, sanitation, advances in healthcare, and huge changes social and economic changes wrought by industrial mechanization.

Standing tall over the table and visible from just about anywhere in the museum is the media column where ultra high-resolution video showcases the museums collection of art, scientific instruments, rare books, and photos:  the who and what of scientific discovery across centuries.