Models and model-making, both the objects and the action, are vital to every research area at MIT and to the life of the Institute itself.

Explore a wide array of models for teaching, discovery, research, and documentation, from ships to crystal structures to architectural design.

Hiroshi Ishii and the Tangible Media Group at the MIT Media Lab have pioneered new ways for people to interact with computers, with the invention of the “tangible user interface.” It began with a vision of “Tangible Bits,” where users can manipulate ordinary physical objects to access digital information. It evolved into a bolder vision of “Radical Atoms,” where materials can change form and reconfigure themselves just as pixels can on a screen.This experimental exhibit of three iconic works—SandScape, inFORM, and TRANSFORM—is part of the MIT Museum’s ongoing efforts to collect the physical machines as well as preserve the user experience of, in Ishii’s words, making atoms dance.

Developed and operated at MIT, the Differential Analyzer, Whirlwind Computer, and Apollo Guidance Computer were massive and complex projects that involved thousands of people.

See historical components and artifacts from this critical era in programming during the mid-20th century and explore how these early programmers influenced today’s digital culture.

Through recordings of students, staff, researchers, and community members, listen to personal reflections and gain a sense of the Black experience at MIT.

This dynamic audio installation is co-curated with the MIT Black History Project.

Toys, puzzles, and play are a significant part of the creative process. Playful activity can shape a research agenda or an entire discipline. Extracurricular play—like MIT’s famous hacks—enhances creativity and community. And play itself is a rich field for scientific research.

Jump in and learn how curiosity is the fuel that discovery runs on.