ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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I don't think you'd have any copyright problems unless you are
planning to reverse engineer them for production purposes.
But I would contact the companies whose products you want to
deconstruct for several reasons:

• Out of sheer courtesy
• To make sure it's OK with them and save yourself a lawsuit
• They might have a better idea
• They might do it for you
• They may give them to you for free
• They might be interested in your idea and offer funding (hopeful, but  
maybe not likely)

Otherwise, it sounds like a great exhibit idea.

Aloha,
Richard Duggan

Dare Design
45-1112 Haleloke Place
Kaneohe, HI 96744
(808) 235-9585

"On blind faith they place reliance,
what we need more of is science"
	                       -MC Hawking

On May 15, 2006, at 10:04 AM, Bob Raiselis wrote:

ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology  
Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related  
institutions.
************************************************************************ 
*****

We're working on an exhibit about toys and how they work, and a lot of
the fun is seeing familiar toys busted open with their workings exposed.

Has anyone done any research or had any experience on the legal
implications of this? With the toy manufacturer, that is, in a copyright
sort of way. If we have dn exhibit with the workings of a familiar hula-
dancing plush toy exposed, alongside his fully-assembled self, is this
something for which others have asked the manufacturer's permission?

Thanks for any thoughts on this.

Bob Raiselis
Exhibit Developer, Montshire Museum of Science

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