What's going on at SPARK?
SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention presented Western Washington University assistant professor Melissa Rice its first SPARK Award earlier this year. The award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to science education and advocacy, was presented at IGNITE!, the Museum’s inaugural fundraising gala. “We selected Dr. Rice for this award because she is someone who ignites curiosity in science not only in kids, …
“SPARK Museum is everything that a teacher could ask for,” says Kellie Goodman, a third-grade teacher at Alderwood Elementary School in Bellingham. “It’s an engaging place for my students to come and learn and inquire about the world.” At SPARK, we often say that electricity sparks imagination. The simplest way to prove that point is to watch students walk through …
Truly, necessity is the mother of invention. Imagine you’re an undertaker working in Kansas City in the late 19th century. You’re one of just two undertakers serving a city of more than 50,000 people, so business must be booming, right? Not if your competitor is stealing all of your clients. Legend has it that Almon Brown Strowger found himself in …
“This is not a movie. We’re going to do this live, right here in this room, right before your eyes. Let’s go!” The docent stands in front of the dark room, his voice quivering with excitement. A group of visitors sit in rapt attention, eyes wide with anticipation. Suddenly, 4.5 million volts of energy light up the room as a …
On display at The SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention are myriad devices that tell the exciting story of electrical history, including a string of devices that walk visitors from the early thought experiments of Michael Faraday to the electric induction motors of Nikola Tesla: Faraday Rotating Cup Experiment: Michael Faraday’s rotating cup device, which he invented in 1822, is one …
Thank you to everyone who came out for our MLK Day of Service! We had over 20 volunteers from Americorp Vista and the community and our building looks better than ever. We could never do what we do without the dedication and support from our regular volunteers and the community. Your involvement keeps us inspired to be better …
It’s OK to admit it. You’ve been searching for weeks for the perfect gift for that special someone who LOVES Bellingham, but you haven’t had much luck and it’s getting down to the wire. Well, we’ve got your back. There’s not much that says Bellingham more than a gift from the SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention (if we do say …
Have you heard our parody song “Down on Bay Street”? It’s great background music for reading this post. Check it out: Bellingham is well-known among travelers for its incredible setting and lively, college-town vibe. Delicious restaurants pepper the downtown district, and it’s hard to beat the views of the waterfront from along Chuckanut Drive or the walking trail between Bellingham …
After more than a decade of broadcasting from the SPARK Museum in Bellingham, Washington, KMRE 102.3 FM is looking for a new place to call home. The station, which launched in 2005, is one of the few independent nonprofit community stations on the local FM dial. According to SPARK Museum’s President and CEO, John Jenkins, there are some fundamental reasons …
Alessandro Volta. Heinrich Hertz. Guglielmo Marconi. William Gilbert. Benjamin Franklin. Undoubtedly, at least some of these names are familiar. After all, these luminaries are among the most famous names in the development of radio and electricity. Believe it or not, the SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention in Bellingham houses original books or scientific papers by each of these men, in …
