The Bakken Museum

[barondave]

DavE playing theremin
Bakken Museum, MN 11/11/08
photo by Cheryl
The Bakken Museum is a nifty place, for electrical device enthusiasts and anyone else who wants to step into a 50s sci-fi movie with a tinge of 21st century education. Founded by Earl Bakken who invented the pacemaker and started Medtronic, the museum is located in a nice neighborhood beside Lake Calhoun, in a terrific mansion.

I went with several friends to the Bakken Evening Out, which takes place every second Tuesday. For the price of admission, you get food (good quality hors d'oerves and wine) and can listen to a lecture, in addition to the usual chance to play with their toys. Also, they had a professional photographer on hand for one of the toys. He would take pictures, for free, you would help decide which one(s) was the best, and he e-mails you. I just got his picture yesterday, which is why I'm posting now.


Baron Dave channeling electrons
Bakken Museum, MN 11/11/08
photo by Bruce Challgren
I needed the prop to fully demonstrate the static electricity, not having quite enough hair to really be skiffy. To demystify the event and promote visits to the Bakken, here is a larger shot.


Cheryl and Brian at the Bakken Museum
as a staffer cranks the wheel for their official picture
Bakken Museum, Mpls, 11/11/08
picture by Baron Dave
The Mindball game isn't a great photo-op, but was fairly interesting. Two people sit down at opposite ends of a table and affix a strap around your head such that the electrodes touch your forehead. The table looks sort of like air hockey, but the object is to relax. Displays show the brain waves of both players. The player who has the better Alpha and Theta waves (that is, the player who is most relaxed) moves the ball from the center to his opponent's side. I played twice: The first time, I lost quickly to a slacker teenagers who's display was almost flatlined. The second, I beat Dennis, one of my other friends.

The Bakken is interesting and spacious. I still have fondness for the Pavek Museum of Broadcasting, funded by the Bakken, which is almost a warehouse of old equipment. The Bakken is a museum, with well-marked exhibits and friendly docents.

Side Note 1: While I was able to get sounds out of the theremin, and show others how to use it, I could only make skiffy noises and am not, alas, able to generate a tune.

Side Note 2: I believe this is the first time I've posted three pictures by three different people.

Comments

[powersalad.livejournal.com]

Was that a real RCA theremin??? Of course the cabinet was a lot shorter, maybe a replica but who knows...the actual guts didn't take up that much room inside the box...Very very cool. MOMMY I WANT ONE!!!!

[powersalad.livejournal.com]

Shoulda checked the link before I posted....I GOTTA get to this museum of broadcasting!!! To see the actual lathe that cut the Jazz Singer Vitaphone discs, or anything from Jack "Mr Ampex" Mullin would be a life-fulfilling kinda thingy...How far is St Louis Park from Bloomington?!?! I may have to add a day onto Marscon! This is so far up my alley it hurts!!!

I've been scouring the web looking for ANYTHING on radio on "the other side of the glass", it's always about the programs and personalities, which is obvious, but precious little about things like network operations, master control, line feeds & remotes, etc...There's a cool site about NBC Chicago's Merchandise Mart and their studios and master control, complete with the map showing the Red, Blue, and Orange networks. How the staff pianist never got the lighted cue to stop playing after the network fault was fixed, and kept playing thru to the end of his shift! Stuff like that...Behind the scenes on the technical side. We take TV so much for granted, what they accomplished with radio was nothing short of miraculous and paved the way for us now. I want to go to this place!!!!!!! [side old-time-radio note: I knew someone who played in the orchestra on the War of the Worlds broadcast!!]

[barondave.livejournal.com]

St. Louis Park is just a short commercial break from Bloomington. They connect via major hwys, so probably < 1/2 hour including traffic. Yes, make time, come early or stay late to Marscon. Let me know and I'll give you a ride if it's not during the con.

When you go to the Pavek, be sure to ask for a tour. If they're not busy (and they rarely are), they'll be happy to show you around. Perhaps call first, maybe get a group and arrange a tour. They love to talk about their toys! Shockwave Radio video'd (!) a segment in the control room...

The picture above is from Bakken; Pavek has one as well, but without Spiderman. They let you play with the equipment (though not the old stuff). You'll be in broadcast geek heaven.

Hi, Dave!

[7ivy7.livejournal.com]

Wow! Really cool pic of you "channeling". I've always meant to get myself and my daughter to the Bakken, but have not yet accomplished. Someone named Tesla should be there!

Incidentally, I've been lurking here in the LJ alleys, just not talking lately. Bravo your political posts! Been missing our occasional breakfast conversations, but kinda too broke to breakfast out.

Re: Hi, Dave!

[barondave.livejournal.com]

The Bakken is within walking distance if you're a hoofer. Yeah, Tesla would feel right at home. The Bakken Night Out features massage and wine, among other non-electrical things, and is worth the trip.

We'll connect for breakfast soon.