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Rube Goldberg exhibit opens at Children's Museum of Pittsburgh

"Rube Goldberg: The World of Hilarious Invention" opens at Children's Museum
"Rube Goldberg: The World of Hilarious Invention" opens at Children's Museum 01:29

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Kids and families are now enjoying the new exhibit at the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh called "Rube Goldberg: The World of Hilarious Invention." 

In fact, whole families are having fun figuring out how Goldberg's crazy contraptions work by creating their own chain reactions.  Among the hands-on exhibits is one where they can pull ropes to start a series of musical chain reactions in a large sound animation music machine.

The exhibit was designed in partnership with Rube Goldberg's family and also showcases his humorous cartoons that led to the physical inventions.  It was created in Pittsburgh and premiered here six years ago.  It's been traveling the world since then.  

Anne Fullenkamp, the senior director of creative experiences for the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, explains, "The most important thing to remember about a Rube Goldberg machine is it can be silly, made out of homemade objects and it's supposed to be funny.  You want to create the most complicated, silly, funny way to do something simple."

Tommy Bohanan of Monroeville, who has kids ages 3, 4 and 10, says, "It's just a bunch of little inventions you can mess with and make your own.  You can explore to see how things work.  It's something fun to do."

Kait Gerlowski of Ben Avon adds, "It's very hands-on, and it's been cool for kids to learn how things work and how one thing affects the next."

The exhibit is open through May 5. 

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