Hands-On Harley Davidson exhibit opens at the Discovery Center

Hit the road with America’s most iconic and beloved motorcycle in Hands-On Harley-Davidson™, an interactive exhibit that rolls into the Discovery Center at Murfree Spring on Saturday, Sept. 21, as part of a national tour.

Visitors can explore a kid-sized engineering lab and motorcycle dealership, and use science, technology, engineering, and math concepts to dream up a bike design, build a prototype, and take it for a “test drive.”

More information about the exhibit is at www.explorethedc.org/harley.

In the exhibit’s Engineering Lab, a set of eight unique activities will introduce children to science and engineering concepts through creative, hands-on experiments:

• Send golf balls through multiple test runs of jump tracks, loop tracks, roller coaster tracks, and more. Motion-tracking software will allow children to explore how different release heights and positions will impact the ball’s speed, distance, and trajectory.
• Visitors can design their own freestyle ramps, tracks, and jumps to see first-hand how different factors like friction and gravity affect a golf ball’s motion.

In a replica dealership, children will get a first-hand look at what goes into the ultimate riding experience:

• They’ll be able to customize their dream bike with decals, license plates, and more, and check-out their purchases at the cash register.
• A kid-sized motorcycle inspired by a real Harley-Davidson® Road King® and a selection of interactive videos that explore the best rides across the globe will let children feel the power of the engine and the wind in their face.
• In the service department, visitors will peak in on real motorcycle mechanics hard at work, building and repairing bikes.

Special activities on opening day (Sept. 21, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) will include:

• Combustion demonstration with Gummi Bears and potassium chlorate
• Rubber-making
• Biker patch design

The Discovery Center will welcome members for a special exhibit preview on Friday, Sept. 20, from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Registration is available by visiting www.explorethedc.org/harley.

National tour sponsored by Harley-Davidson Motor Co. Locally sponsored by Rutherford County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Hands-On Harley-Davidson was created by the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum in collaboration with Harley-Davidson Motor Company. Hands-On Harley-Davidson and Harley-Davidson are trademarks of H-D and are used with permission.