Da Vinci Alive Debuts at the Science Museum of Virginia
May 13 – September 5, 2017

Da Vinci Alive – The Experience, the most comprehensive traveling exhibition on one of history’s greatest minds, opens at the Science Museum of Virginia on Saturday, May 13. The exhibition celebrates the life and work of Leonardo da Vinci as an inventor, scientist, engineer, architect, artist and musician.

Guests will experience da Vinci’s extraordinary legacy like never before in Da Vinci Alive – The Experience,the most detailed and inclusive exploration of da Vinci’s work ever created. The unparalleled exhibition will mark the North American debut of a unique state-of-the-art SENSORY4™ multimedia gallery, telling the story of da Vinci’s life and achievements in an unforgettable immersive experience.

“We are thrilled to host this exhibition as the inaugural summer experience in the Dewey Gottwald Center,” says Richard Conti, Chief Wonder Officer, Science Museum of Virginia. “Da Vinci Alive – The Experience offers an invaluable opportunity for the community to engage with one of the most revered and dynamic intellectuals of all time – and allows us to celebrate his substantial and lasting contributions to society.”

Da Vinci Alive – The Experience houses life-size replicas of da Vinci’s machine inventions, alongside animations depicting his most notable works and touchscreen versions of his actual codices. Themed areas highlight da Vinci’s contributions to engineering, flight, art and beyond, offering incomparable insight into the mind of the ultimate Renaissance man. The exhibit illuminates his groundwork for modern inventions such as the helicopter, airplane, automobile, submarine, parachute and bicycle.

The Museum will host da Vinci Family Festivals on select Saturdays throughout the summer to complement the compelling international exhibition. The all-day festivals will bring the culture of the Renaissance to life through hands-on activities, live performances and more.

da Vinci Family Festival Schedule:

Ingenuity Day

Saturday, May 13 ● 9:30 am – 5 pm

Celebrate the spirit of da Vinci by taking things and apart and discovering their inner workings.

Artistry Day

Saturday, June 3 ● 9:30 am – 5 pm

Create a large-scale community art project made with recycled bottle caps. Learn about forced perspectives, mirror writing and more.

Audible and Edible Delights Day

Saturday, July 1 ● 9:30 am – 5 pm

Sample Renaissance recipes and make musical instruments from over 500 years ago.

Architecture and Engineering Day

Saturday, August 5 ● 9:30 am – 5 pm

Construct a cardboard city and learn the basics of engineering by building structures.

Da Vinci Alive – The Experience was developed by Grande Exhibitions in Australia, under the auspices of the Commune di Roma, Commune di Firenze and Citta di Venezia, with the kind assistance of Pascal Cotte of Lumiere Technology, France. Presented locally by Altria Group.

Da Vinci Alive – The Experience tickets are $25 per person, with $1 discount for youth and seniors. Da Vinci Alive tickets include Museum exhibit admission and da Vinci Family Festival admission. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.smv.org or call 804.864.1400.

What is SENSORY4™?

Developed by Grande Exhibitions, SENSORY4™ is a unique system that combines multi-channel motion graphics, cinema quality surround sound and up to forty high-definition projectors to provide one of the most exciting multi-screen environments in the world. The resulting experience is dynamic, informative and visually spectacular. Incredibly detailed images flow through the mass of projectors and merge with digital surround sound to saturate the space in a breathtaking immersive display.