What's going on at SPARK?
As electricity became more commonplace in homes throughout the United States, appliances proliferated. Toasters, curling irons, shaving razors, space heaters, clothing irons, electric fans, sewing machines and many more devices were touted as major improvements in homeowners’ quality of life. A Hotpoint ad from 1919, for example, advertised coffee percolators, toasters and ovenettes that promised to “put an end to …
Ever since temporarily closing its doors on March 16 to wait out the COVID-19 pandemic, staff members at SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention in downtown Bellingham have been hard at work ensuring that the museum comes out of this strange time stronger than ever. “While we greatly miss our visitors and our volunteers, we have been able to use this …
What a community! It is a true honor for us at SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention to serve the Whatcom County community from our space here on Bay Street in downtown Bellingham. SPARK Museum might be shuttered temporarily, but please know that we’re working hard behind these closed doors (and from our computers at home) to ensure that our nonprofit …
Here at SPARK Museum in downtown Bellingham, we sometimes refer to them as “ships in a bottle.” The intricate glass tubes are individual works of art — swirling, colorful designs that truly could be ends in themselves, given how beautiful they are. But as gorgeous as Geissler and Crookes tubes are, they are much more than things to look at. …
Bellingham, WA — The SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention will present the third annual SPARK Award to Jamie Yoos, a noted local science teacher and advocate. The award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to science education and advocacy, will be presented at Ignite the Night, the Museum’s third annual Fundraiser, on February 29, 2020. “We selected Jamie Yoos for his unwavering …
SPARK Museum is all about hands-on learning. To encourage curiosity and scientific thinking, the downtown Bellingham museum loves it when visitors interact with the process of invention. Guests at SPARK don’t just observe electrical phenomena; they take part in them. One way SPARK helps visitors feel (often literally) the shock of invention is through interactive devices, of which there are …
Back in the mid-1800s, the match revolutionized the use of artificial light. In homes and businesses at that time, oil lamps were the predominant source of light after sunset, but getting them lit was no simple task until the match arrived on the scene. Before the match, however, a number of creative attempts were made to produce a portable and …
Inspiration. The Oxford English Dictionary defines inspiration as “the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.” That sounds a bit like the museum, right? Mentally stimulating others to do something creative is what we are all about here at SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention. And right now, we’re looking for one special …
Demystify haunted houses and spooky special effects! Join us at SPARK and learn the science behind your favorite haunted house tricks, and how you can replicate them at home. Come play with physics, chemistry, and perhaps a little hocus pocus for a fun-filled spooky weekend! All children must be accompanied by an adult. Activities are geared toward kids in second …
Moviegoers fascinated by the Hollywood film “The Current War” (opening in theaters Oct. 4) will be amazed at SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention in Bellingham, WA, where the collection includes actual artifacts from the historic War of the Currents involving the world’s greatest inventor and two of the world’s greatest engineers: Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse and Nikola Tesla. “The War …
