A Mirror Maze

: Numbers in Nature

Temporary Exhibit : Open Through April 25

Please note that although the exhibit is included with Exhibit Halls admission, during busy times such as weekends, school vacation weeks, and holidays, we may be issuing timed tickets at the entrance to A Mirror Maze: Numbers in Nature, first come, first served, on a space-available basis.

A Mirror Maze: Numbers in Nature, the Museum's newest temporary exhibition, reveals the mathematical patterns that surround us every day in the natural world — from the nested spirals of a sunflower's seeds to the ridges of a majestic mountain range to the layout of the universe.

At the center of it all: a 1,700-square-foot elaborate mirror maze where visitors can lose themselves in a seemingly infinite repeating pattern of mirrors. This arrangement of symmetry and tessellation is the ultimate introduction to patterns and how math is an integral part of our lives. Dead ends are scattered throughout, and a small secret room is hidden within, rewarding you with bonus puzzles and artifacts.

Step inside an immersive theater and watch stunning footage of nature, the human body, and even art and architecture. And by participating in hands-on activities, you can check out more math — fractal branching, spirals, Voronoi patterns, the golden ratio, and more. From measuring your own wingspan to viewing your own eyes' blood vessels, creating computer-generated landscapes to playing a multistring harp, you'll manipulate and create your own mathematical patterns. Throughout this interactive experience, you'll come to appreciate the beauty of our world through numbers!

Exhibit Design and Development: Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago