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Hi Jane,

I worked at 3 science centers over 20 years (Buhl Science Center in Pittsburgh, now the Carnegie, South Florida Science Museum in West Palm Beach, and the Museum of Scientific Discovery in Harrisburg), and had a bed of nails at each one.  All three were constructed in-house by the exhiit department or by a volunteer.  I don't remember what they cost, but they was essentially 2' X 4' pieces of wood and enough nails to cover most of it.  Whatever those materials cost was the cost.  They were NEVER open unstaffed.  Even staffed, we had a couple of minor injuries, one to a volunteer and one to a visitor.  We used them in a program on motion (including smahing a cement block on the demonstrator's chest while on the BON), for some special events, such as overnighters, and in highly interactive discovery areas at Buhl and MSD.  I would absolutely do it again, and the only regret that I have is that I don't have one now.  A bed of nails properly used is a visitor magnet.  I used to lure visitors out of a line they had been standing in for over an hour for a major attraction, to see what we were up to.  We'd just bring out the bed of nails and have one of our staff lie on it.  Very quickly visitors would notice and come over to investigate.  All you really need is a staffer who is good with the public and who truly understands the physics of what is happening so that questions can be satisfactorily answered.

Hope this helped.

Bill Moser



-----Original Message-----
From: Jane Jolkovski <[log in to unmask]>
To: ISEN-ASTC-L <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tue, Nov 1, 2011 3:25 pm
Subject: Bed of nails - staffed or not? cost?


ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
ncorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
****************************************************************************
Hello Colleagues,
Here at the Museum of Science in Boston, we are considering the 
nstallation of a bed of nails. For those of you who have one, I would 
ppreciate your wisdom re:
- where - and for how much $$ - did you acquire it?
 do you open it only when you have staff to assist?
 would you do it again or are there any regrets?
Many thanks for your ideas and information!
Jane
[log in to unmask]
-- 
        /Jane Jolkovski/
           Project Manager, Exhibit Development
           Museum of Science
           617.589.4414
 
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