Bruce Rosenbaum Creates New Humachine Sculpture for Lobby of Hagley Museum’s “Nation of Inventors” Exhibit

Challenge: How to create a life size sculpture that celebrates and embodies the process of invention.

Solution: Draw inspiration from the United States’ rich history of patents and the art of designing patent models to reimagine familiar inventions as a time traveling vehicle that welcomes viewers to explore the creative process.

The Velocipede Time Machine was commissioned by the Hagley Museum, located on the grounds of the historic DuPont family estate and gunpowder works amid picturesque vistas of the Brandywine River, to welcome visitors to the museum’s newest permanent exhibit titled “The Nation of Inventors”.

This one-of-a-kind exhibition celebrates American innovation and showcases examples from the Hagley’s collection of 5,000+ U.S. Patent Models. For many years, patent applications had to be accompanied by a miniature model, built on a smaller scale, that depicted the life size invention that was being proposed.

Rosenbaum built a mini-version of his Velocipede Time Machine and also worked with Salmon Studios, LLC in Florence, MA to create the 1/2 ton, life-size version complete with motors, moving parts, and LED lighting – designed to spark the imagination and inventor inside all of us.

Rosenbaum said he drew inspiration from three historic patent models including a velocipede by inventor James Browne, Patent No. 240,300 issued April 19, 1881. An electric dynamo generator designed as an improvement in electro magnetic motors, invented by Charles Guame, Patent No. 156,920. And steam engine governor balls invented by William Mead, Patent No. 14,967.

“Guests have been responding very enthusiastically to Bruce Rosenbaum’s Velocipede Time Machine.  It is doing exactly what we hoped it would do:  Giving guests a moment of pause, encouraging all audiences to look more closely at the objects on display, creating a sense of wonder and sparking conversation about the exhibition.  The innovative kinetic sculpture helps to set the stage for the experience on which museum visitors are about to embark on and challenges them to ask, “how might this exhibit inspire me,” which is, after all, at the core of what Nation of Inventors strives to accomplish.

Multigenerational groups with school-aged children have particularly strong reactions to the sculpture and our frontline staff are able to use the work as a way to spark discussion about innovation and inspiration.  In short, our guests’ reactions to the work have been incredibly positive with equal parts curiosity, fascination and wonder.”

– Mike Adams
Director, Museum and Audience Engagement
Hagley Museum and Library