Leonardo da Vinci:
Machines in Motion

Leonardo da Vinci is celebrated as a painter, sculptor, musician, architect, engineer and anatomist.  Most enduring to his legacy are his inventions and designs. Leonardo da Vinci: Machines in Motion presents 40 full-scale machines that were built after in-depth study of Leonardo da Vinci’s designs by a group of scientists and skilled craftsmen in Florence, Italy.  Its uniqueness lies in the fact that many of the mechanisms are life-sized and fully operational. Visitors may touch and set them in motion, combining a fascinating hands-on experience with an exploration of the principles he employed to create each machine. The machines are grouped into four sections based upon applications linked to the elements–air, water, land and fire–which held a strong fascination for Leonardo da Vinci. Exhibits include such visionary inventions as the helicopter and glider, the armored tank, the drive transmission, the printing press and the bicycle. Most of the materials used in the construction of these machines were available in Leonardo da Vinci’s era, and are the ones proposed by him in his codices, including wood, rope and glue. The materials were crafted by hand (using tools prescribed by the master himself), and then reinforced for the traveling exhibition.

Leonardo da Vinci:
Machines in Motion

Leonardo da Vinci is celebrated as a painter, sculptor, musician, architect, engineer and anatomist.  Most enduring to his legacy are his inventions and designs. Leonardo da Vinci: Machines in Motion presents 40 full-scale machines that were built after in-depth study of Leonardo da Vinci’s designs by a group of scientists and skilled craftsmen in Florence, Italy.  Its uniqueness lies in the fact that many of the mechanisms are life-sized and fully operational. Visitors may touch and set them in motion, combining a fascinating hands-on experience with an exploration of the principles he employed to create each machine. The machines are grouped into four sections based upon applications linked to the elements–air, water, land and fire–which held a strong fascination for Leonardo da Vinci. Exhibits include such visionary inventions as the helicopter and glider, the armored tank, the drive transmission, the printing press and the bicycle. Most of the materials used in the construction of these machines were available in Leonardo da Vinci’s era, and are the ones proposed by him in his codices, including wood, rope and glue. The materials were crafted by hand (using tools prescribed by the master himself), and then reinforced for the traveling exhibition.

Exhibit Details:

  • Exhibit size: 5,000 square feet (2,000- and 3,000-square-foot versions available)
  • Target audience: 6- year-olds, families and schools
  • Available: Spring, Summer, Fall

Visitor survey findings:

  • 81% found the exhibit to be unique, unlike any they’d seen before
  • 92% found the displays satisfying
  • 91% found the exhibit truly interesting, 83% found the exhibit to be interactive 
  • 89% found the info they gained from the exhibit to be useful
  • 71% visited the gift shop, 33% made purchases 

Current/Upcoming Venues:

Watch here for upcoming venue announcements.

Sampling of Prior Host Venues

Museo Tecnologico, Mexico City, Mexico
Witte Museum, San Antonio, Texas
Grand Rapids Public Museum, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum, Ashland, Nebraska
Space Center Houston, Houston, Texas
Connecticut Science Center, Hartford, Connecticut
Aerospace Museum of California, McClellan, California
George Bush Library, College Station, Texas
Tellus Science Museum, Cartersville, Georgia
Herbert Hoover Presidential Library, West Branch, Iowa
National Museum of the USAF, Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio

Exhibition Video

40 full-scale machines built after in-depth study of Leonardo da Vinci’s designs!

To learn more about Machines in Motion: