After Dark: Strandbeest

Experience Strandbeest: The Dream Machines of Theo Jansen. On tour for the first time in North America, Du

tch artist Theo Jansen's strandbeests-or "beach animals"-are mesmerizing in their motions and eerily lifelike. Equipped with sensory organs and ever-evolving survival strategies, they walk a wandering, wind-blown line between art and engineering, mechanics and biology.

Featuring The Lighter Side of Wonder: Lena Herzog in Conversation with Marina McDougall

Tonight, immerse yourself in the evolutionary history of Jansen's unique, kinetic species. Take in the architectural grandeur of strandbeests at rest, and view artist sketches, video, and the lyrical photography of Lena Herzog, who will discuss her years documenting the project in a special conversation with Marina McDougall, Director of the Exploratorium's Center for Art and Inquiry.

Explore the mathematics behind the beests' complex ambulatory systems with Exhibit Developer Paul Stepahin, and experiment with making some mechanical linkages of your own with the help of Explainers and Explorables volunteers.

This program is presented in conjunction with Strandbeest: The Dream Machines of Theo Jansen, a temporary exhibition running Friday, May 27 through Monday, September 5, 2016.