Past Forward

Activating The Henry Ford Archive of Innovation

Mid-Century Math

October 4, 2016 Archive Insight

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In the early 1960s, designers Charles and Ray Eames set out to reveal the wonder they saw in math through an engaging and interactive exhibit they called Mathematica: A World of Numbers … and Beyond. The designers, perhaps best known for the iconic Eames lounge chair, used models and demonstrations to bring to life concepts such as probability, geometry, the Moebius strip, and more.

In 2015, The Henry Ford acquired an original Mathematica exhibit, and is currently working to restore the interactive components before installing the exhibit on the Museum floor in 2017. We’ve begun to digitize some of the signage and reading material from the exhibit, including this reading stand that discusses, among other things, the “Man Machine Interface.” 

Visit our Digital Collections to view zoomable detail shots, or to see the other Mathematica signage digitized so far.

Ellice Engdahl is Digital Collections & Content Manager at The Henry Ford.

Henry Ford Museum, by Ellice Engdahl, Eames, digital collections

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