DuPage Children's Museum Challenging Businesses, Organizations to Showcase Creativity

Rube Goldberg was a Pulitzer Prize cartoonist, best known for his wacky inventions. The adjective “Rube Goldberg” in now invoked daily – in the news, in print, and on the Web – to describe an overly complicated effort to accomplish a somewhat simple and singular task. 

As part of DuPage Children’s Museum’s year-long theme, Setting the Stage for Innovation, the museum invites local businesses and community organizations to participate in a team challenge to showcase creativity and innovation in the workplace.   

World-renowned contraptionist and creative technologist Brett Doar will serve on a panel of judges for the challenge. Doar is most notable for his Rube-Goldberg machine creations for pop band Ok Go, Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report,” GoldieBlox, Google, and Red Bull. For more information about Doar, visit www.brettdoar.net.

The Challenge

Using creative and extraordinary measures, organizations, businesses, school groups, and clubs are invited to work together to design and complete a Rube Goldberg machine that will complete a simple task, such as lifting a curtain or turning on a light bulb. Teams may spend as much or as little time working on the project as they like.

The Competition

Teams will be invited to a special preview event, Setting the Stage for Innovation: Organizations at Play to be held on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. at DuPage Children’s Museum (301 N Washington St, Naperville). The reception will feature each team’s imaginative and innovative creation on display. The top three machines will be decided by judges at the February 25 event. 

Each winning team will receive two tickets to DCM’s Annual Benefit Ball held on April 12, 2014, where the top three machines will be on display. The first-place winner will be announced at the April 12 Benefit Ball. There will also be a “Kids’ Choice” award selected by Museum members and visitors.   

Guidelines

·         Entries must include 8-10 interactions in order to complete a simple task.

·         Entries must fit on a 6-foot table, be easily portable, and fit through a standard doorway.

·         Entries must be delivered to DuPage Children’s Museum on Monday, February 24 from Noon – 4:00 p.m.

·         Business or organization logo should be included on each machine.

·         Video or photo documentation of the team’s building process must be submitted with entry and may be featured on press releases and publicity surrounding the events.

How to Register

Visit www.dupagechildrens.org/innovation/organizations-at-play-challenge to view a special video invitation and register, or contact Julie O’Keefe, Special Events Coordinator, DuPage Children’s Museum at jokeefe@dupagechildrensmuseum.org or 630-337-8000 ext. 3190. 

There is no cost to participate in the challenge.

Submitted by DuPage Children's Museum