Gain perspective. Get inspired. Make history.
THE HENRY FORD MAGAZINE - JUNE-DECEMBER 2020 | Q&A WITH MARC GREUTHER | BIOMIMICRY | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODELS | INSIDE THE HENRY FORD
MAGAZINE
JUNE-DECEMBER 2020
THE SUSTAINABLE DESIGN ISSUE
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE LOOK TO NATURE FOR INSPIRATION? PAGE 40
THE HENRY FORD PIVOTS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC WITH #WEAREINNOVATIONNATION LENS OF OPTIMISM: CURATING THROUGH DESIGNERS’ EYES
THE HENRY FORD PAGE 11
THE SUSTAINABLE DESIGN ISSUE
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JUNE-DECEMBER 2020
MAGAZINE
JUNE-DECEMBER 2020
Contents
DEPARTMENTS FEATURES Our Mission 4 Letter from the President 6 #WeAreInnovationNation 7 Off the Shelf 12 A Look Back 78
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LENS OF OPTIMISM How The Henry Ford curates through the eyes of designers
INNOVATION 28 GENERATION 15 SUSTAINABILITY AT STAKE INSIDE THE HENRY FORD
Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation Greenfield Village Acquisitions + Collections Membership Spotlight Connect 3 Driven to Win: Racing in America
52 54 56 58 59 60
PLAN YOUR VISIT 63
STAY CONNECTED
Please visit thf.org, subscribe to our enews or follow us on Facebook for the most up-to-date information on venues, upcoming exhibits, events, programming and pricing.
A scientist shares her sense of responsibility for the environment and ignites ecological awareness among the masses
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MAKING MOTHER NATURE OUR MUSE Biomimicry gives context to why we need to pay closer attention to nature’s problemsolving skills
DIGITAL EDITION In the spirit of sustainability, the institution decided to distribute this issue of The Henry Ford Magazine as a digital publication, and print copies will not be available. The digital publishing platform, ISSUU, expands our distribution globally and provides readers with the ability to easily share content they love through social media and email.
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OUR MISSION
Who We Are and What We Do
Gain perspective. Get inspired. Make history. THE HENRY FORD: A NATIONAL TREASURE AND CULTURAL RESOURCE The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan, is an internationally recognized cultural destination that brings the past forward by immersing more than 1.8 million visitors a year in the stories of ingenuity, resourcefulness and innovation that helped shape America.
A force for sparking curiosity and inspiring tomorrow’s innovators, inventors and entrepreneurs, The Henry Ford fosters learning from hands-on encounters with authentic artifacts. Through its 26 million artifacts, unique venues and resources — Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation®, Greenfield Village®, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Benson Ford Research Center® and Henry Ford Academy®, as well as online at thf.org and through the TV programs The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation and Did I Mention Invention? — The Henry Ford helps all individuals to unlock their potential and help shape a better future. The Henry Ford leads the Invention Convention Worldwide community and works to make STEM + Invention + Entrepreneurship (STEMIE) learning accessible to educators and students worldwide. As part of our leadership in invention education, The Henry Ford powers events like Invention Convention U.S. Nationals and curriculum and professional development. For more information, visit thf.org.
We need your help now in securing our future. The Henry Ford is facing unprecedented financial challenges because of the COVID-19 impact, which caused a 14-week closure and reduced operations that is expected to last for several months to years. Without donations from people like you, we will struggle to provide the imaginative and inventive programming and experiences for which we are known and loved. Love The Henry Ford? Please support all that we treasure. Give today thf.org/donate.
STAY CONNECTED
MISSION STATEMENT The Henry Ford provides unique educational experiences based on authentic objects, stories and lives from America’s traditions of ingenuity, resourcefulness and innovation. Our purpose is to inspire people to learn from these traditions to help shape a better future.
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TO MAKE A DONATION OR A LEGACY GIFT
Chairman of the Board S. Evan Weiner Vice Chairman Sheila Ford Hamp President and Secretary Patricia E. Mooradian Treasurer Lisa A. Payne Board of Trustees Lynn Ford Alandt Gerard M. Anderson Linda Apsey Paul R. Dimond Edsel B. Ford II Henry Ford III William Clay Ford, Jr. William Clay Ford III Ralph J. Gerson Eliza Kontulis Getz Christopher F. Hamp John W. Ingle III Elizabeth Ford Kontulis Richard A. Manoogian Hendrik Meijer Bruce Meyer Mark L. Reuss Hau Thai-Tang Alessandro F. Uzielli Amb. Ronald N. Weiser Life Trustees George F. Francis III Steven K. Hamp Roger S. Penske The Henry Ford Magazine is published twice a year by The Henry Ford, 20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn, MI 48124. Copyright 2020. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.
J. Spencer Medford Vice President & Chief Advancement Officer 313.982.6016 spencem@thehenryford.org Jeff Dunlap Senior Director of Principal Gifts 313.982.6167 jeffd@thehenryford.org Sherri Howes Senior Director of Institutional Advancement 313.982.6028 sherrih@thehenryford.org SPONSORSHIP INFORMATION
Anna Cronin Head of Institutional Advancement Services and Foundation Relations 313.982.6119 annac@thehenryford.org MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
The Henry Ford Contact Center 313.982.6001 GENERAL INQUIRIES AND GROUP RESERVATIONS
The Henry Ford Contact Center 313.982.6001 RESEARCH INQUIRIES
313.982.6020 research.center@thehenry ford.org SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
The Henry Ford Contact Center 313.982.6001 or visit thf.org/contactus Subscription to this magazine is just one of the many benefits of being a member. Magazine-only subscriptions not available.
CHIEF CONTENT CURATOR
Kristen Gallerneaux, Curator of Communications & Information Technology, The Henry Ford DESIGN, PRODUCTION AND EDITORIAL SERVICES
313.974.6501 info@octanedesign.com Bill Bowen, Creative Director Julie Friedman, Art Director Jennifer LaForce, Editor Kathy O’Gorman, Copy Editor
Strength Through Technology
™
Creative minds translate new ideas, generated in motorsports to highvolume innovative solutions, including suspension and dampers, lightweight body structures and active aerodynamic devices.
multimatic.com
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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
The past few months have been filled with many challenges, to say the least, but through it all, we’ve seen the power of people coming together to persist, persevere and proceed to a new normal and demonstrate that #WeAreInnovationNation indeed. This issue of The Henry Ford Magazine, in development prior to the pandemic, focuses on sustainable design. The concept of sustainability has never been more relevant and needed than right now. As The Henry Ford carefully begins to implement a comprehensive multiphase reopening strategy, safety for our guests and staff is first and foremost. We’re also focused on building back financial and institutional sustainability, which was impacted significantly during the closure. Like so many organizations and cultural destinations around the world, we will soon be welcoming guests back to our campus, but we will not be operating with a business-as-usual mindset. Our objective is to sustain long-term
strategies during a time that is, quite frankly, unpredictable. We have spent nearly 100 years inspiring generations through the stories of innovation, ingenuity and resourcefulness to activate their potential to help shape a better future. As members, donors, friends and supporters, please help us continue to provide the programming, world-class exhibitions and experiences that help unleash potential and inspire that next generation. We are asking for your support to Reactivate The Henry Ford and help us get back to the place you know and love. Enjoy this new digital version of our magazine. And, as always, thank you for your continued support.
With gratitude,
PATRICIA E. MOORADIAN, PRESIDENT AND CEO
STAY CONNECTED
PHOTO BY ROY RITCHIE
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Harnessing Profiles of our people creative curious genius enough andto can-do challenge spiritthe to help rulesshape and risk a better the failures future
#WeAre Innovation Nation As the world confronted one of the greatest challenges to society in recent memory, each of us was called upon to rekindle our spark. Our inventiveness. An innovative mindset. During this time, The Henry Ford is dedicated to doing what it does best: provide inspiration, perspective, practical insight. We are collecting artifacts, repurposing our resources and recognizing our many Partners in Innovation, who are harnessing their own creativity and can-do spirit to care for our local communities and beyond in inspiring ways.
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#WEAREINNOVATIONNATION
SET TO REOPEN
The Henry Ford is excited to welcome back guests AFTER A TEMPORARY CLOSURE to prevent the spread of COVID-19, The Henry Ford is ready to reopen in phases. Beginning with a Members Preview Weekend — for current and new members — on July 2-5, 2020, before also opening to nonmember guests on July 9, the multiphase plan emphasizes the safety of guests and staff in compliance with state, federal and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. In the first phase, only Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and Greenfield Village will be open and operational Thursday through Sunday, with limited daily visitation and the elimination of hands-on activities. “We will monitor changing scenarios closely, and our hope is to ramp up as conditions allow,” said Patricia Mooradian, The Henry Ford’s president and CEO. “We appreciate your patience during this time, and we look forward to welcoming many of you back to the museum and village.” She added, “While our mission remains unchanged and steadfast, The Henry Ford, for now, will be a different institution in size, scope and visitation.”
RETURN-TOWORK GUIDE
For more information about timed tickets for entry and further details on safety guidelines, visit thf.org/welcomeback.
Joining together to stay safe and healthy on the job
V.1
As we continue to grapple with one of the most challenging times in our history, our priority is the health and well-being of our staff, students and visitors while continuing to be a place that activates a can-do spirit in all of us. Please visit thf.org, subscribe to our enews or follow us on Facebook for the most up-to-date information on venues, upcoming exhibits, events, programming and pricing.
DID YOU KNOW? / In the spring, our talented staff in the Period Clothing Studio, normally busy refining garments for the summer season, activated their skills at home to sew thousands of masks with supplies from The Henry Ford. Many were donated to the local health care community, and more masks were made for our own staff.
COLLECTING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
The Henry Ford launches initiative to document response MUSEUMS HAVE OFTEN COLLECTED contemporary materials. In fact, Henry Ford himself was doing that back in the 1920s. This is especially popular now as museums respond to today’s rapid-fire news, social media and divisive social justice issues. This so-called rapid-response collecting is both “just in time”— to capture and document aspects of an event as it rapidly unfolds — and a reflective looking back — to understand the larger significance of the event as a whole. The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic that we are currently facing is an extraordinarily significant moment in our history. The Henry Ford recently launched an initiative to document how we as a nation, as groups and as individuals are responding to this crisis. With our mission in mind, The Henry Ford’s collecting focuses on 3D objects, photographs and archival materials that reflect not only the challenges we face but how we are meeting those challenges through innovation, resourcefulness and ingenuity. — DONNA BRADEN, SENIOR CURATOR & CURATOR OF PUBLIC LIFE, THE HENRY FORD
Those interested in contributing to this collection can visit our website at thf.org/covid-19-collections to learn more.
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STAY CONNECTED
INNOVATION LEARNING
The Henry Ford opens classroom curriculum and resources for free to students everywhere ONE OF THE HENRY FORD’S BIGGEST achievements during these challenging times is how quickly it made online educational resources available to homebound learners worldwide as school closures were mandated. In just one week after closing its own doors to the public, The Henry Ford and its expert learning services team launched a new virtual learning series under the hashtag #WeAreInnovationNation. Filled with daily lessons, activities and content, the series is built around The Henry Ford’s collection themes of Mobility, Design & Making, Social Transformation, Agriculture & the Environment, Communications & Information Technology and Power & Energy. The lineup of free live programming is accessible via Facebook, Twitter and Zoom, and available on demand on The Henry Ford YouTube channel. The Henry Ford also waived its standard fees for its Innovate Curriculum, which is geared toward middle and high school students. Offering all four courses of its self-paced, hands-on online Innovate Curriculum for free (valued at $499 per classroom), along with its always-free Model i learning framework primer, The Henry Ford gave thousands of homebound students and their teachers the opportunity to connect core disciplines of STEAM and humanities together through digital content and activities. Just weeks after launching its new virtual series and offering its Innovate Curriculum for free, the impact and reach was significant,
READ
Teacher Spencer Kiper’s story on Page 16. A past winner of The Henry Ford’s Teacher Innovator Award, Kiper is an early supporter and user of the Innovate Curriculum and Model i learning frameworkc
ONLINE Visit Collaborative Genius on Twitter (@collabgenius) or watch YouTube to find out how former Teacher Innovator Award winners and elementary school teachers Rachel and Steve Lamb used The Henry Ford’s Model i learning framework to help create a unique Earth Day project in their virtual classrooms at tinyurl.com/y8jfxd63c
with participants signing up from all over the globe, including the U.S., Australia, Turkey and more. Early on, the Innovate Curriculum, for example, had more than 5,400 enrollments, while the Innovation Learning Virtual Series inched close to 4,000 registrations and earned 64,755 minutes of viewership on Facebook and YouTube. And those numbers continued to grow. “I take great pride in how we at The Henry Ford rolled up our sleeves and got creative on how we could be a resource during this time,” said Patricia Mooradian, The Henry Ford’s president and CEO. “Our expectations for reach and impact with our Innovate Curriculum and new virtual series have been far exceeded.” This summer, The Henry Ford is launching a new online learning experience, the #YouAreInnovationNation Summer Innovation Challenge. The eight-week series begins in early July with The Henry Ford sharing secrets behind how some of the greatest innovators achieved success, and then asking participants to put their STEAM, invention and entrepreneurial skills to work through problem-solving activities. Those who submit their solutions have a weekly chance to win prizes.
DID YOU KNOW? / During Teacher Appreciation Week May 4-8, The Henry Ford launched #WeAreInnovationNation Field Trip @ Home so students could virtually explore artifacts and experiences from each of The Henry Ford’s venues while accessing educational resource guides. DID YOU KNOW? / The Henry Ford launched THF Conversations as part of its #WeAreInnovationNation learning series in May. Held virtually on Zoom, the sessions feature leaders in their field discussing topics and challenges facing us today. The first session was with Josh Goldblum, CEO and founder of the experience design agency Bluecadet. Follow @thehenryford on Facebook for future conversation dates.
For more information on The Henry Ford’s online learning resources, the free Model i Primer and Innovate Curriculum, visit thf.org/learn-online. For the Virtual Learning Series, visit thf.org/innovation-learning-virtual-series and for the Summer Innovation Challenge, visit thf.org/summerchallenge.
Each Friday, kid inventors from c
Invention Convention Worldwide are interviewed to learn what they are doing to solve today’s problems. Featured inventor Lino Marrero, a sixth-grader from Texas, developed Kinetic Kickz, an energy harvesting technology that can be inserted in a shoe to collect waste energy from walking.
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#WEAREINNOVATIONNATION
PARTNERS PIVOT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE The Henry Ford’s extended family shines during challenging times
IN OUR NATION’S RESPONSE TO the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s been easy to find many examples of goodness, resourcefulness and ingenuity. The Henry Ford’s many Partners in Innovation and corporate supporters have been contributing their own stories of problem solving and innovation, from rapidly pivoting their business models to manufacture essential medical equipment to coordinating large-scale community efforts to feed the growing numbers in need. The Henry Ford’s Partners in Innovation General Motors and Ford Motor Co. transformed several of their manufacturing plants across the U.S. to produce high-demand medical equipment. In creating this new “arsenal of health,” which comes nearly 80 years after the companies responded to President Franklin Roosevelt’s call to create an “Arsenal of Democracy” during World War II, both auto manufacturers began producing essential items from ventilators and respirators to personal protective equipment. Following suit is Partner in Innovation Lear, which added capacity at one of its facilities to produce protective masks donated to the Detroit Medical Center and City of Detroit. Delta Air Lines, also a Partner in Innovation, was quick to offer medical volunteers free travel to states hard hit by COVID-19, including New York, Michigan, Louisiana and Georgia. Another Partner in Innovation, Rolex, contributed to the Red Cross, along with organizations such as City Harvest and the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. Other efforts by our partners: • Nearly 70 3D printers across Raytheon Technologies global locations were used to produce thousands of face shield headbands for hospitals and health care workers. • The Kroger Co. and the Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation established an Emergency COVID-19 Response Fund, directing millions of dollars in local, state and national grants to pandemic response efforts, such as rapidly deploying hunger-relief resources to foodinsecure communities. • Meijer made a multimillion-dollar gift to its Simply Give food pantry partners, worked with the State of Michigan as the official supplier of shelf-stable items for food pantry emergency relief and provided a multimillion-dollar donation to the United Way. • PNC Financial Services Group made a multimillion-dollar commitment in support of COVID-19 relief efforts to help people with basic needs and create hardship-relief programs in markets where the bank operates. Grant opportunities included were in the areas of early education, food insecurity and shelter. • Koch Industries partnered with Violet Defense Technology to provide hospitals mobile ultraviolet decontamination units for cleaning protective equipment.
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From top: General Motors Chairman and CEO Mary d
Barra (right) and GM Executive Vice President Global Manufacturing and Labor Relations Gerald Johnson (right center) join employees preparing to manufacture Level 1 face masks Wednesday, April 1, 2020, at the GM facility in Warren, Michigan; Workers build the first production ventilators at the General Motors manufacturing facility in Kokomo, Indiana, Monday, April 13, 2020. GM and Ventec Life Systems are partnering to produce VOCSN critical care ventilators in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
TOP PHOTO BY JOHN F. MARTIN FOR GENERAL MOTORS; BOTTOM PHOTO BY AJ MAST FOR GENERAL MOTORS
We need your help in securing our future. For over 90 years, The Henry Ford has worked to redefine what a museum can be and do as a force for change in education and society. As a trusted institution, we inspire millions through our unparalleled collections and destinations and by fostering learning from the past to help shape a better future. As we continue to face one of the most challenging times in our history, we greatly appreciate the steadfast dedication and encouragement of our members, key stakeholders and supporters. As an independent nonprofit organization and beloved national treasure, The Henry Ford is facing unprecedented financial challenges because of the impact of a 14-week COVID-19 closure and reduced operations, plus the investments needed for a safe reopening that will likely last for months. Without donations from people like you, we will struggle to provide the imaginative and inventive programming and experiences for which we are known and loved.
Love The Henry Ford? Please support all that we treasure. Give today thf.org/donate DID YOU KNOW? / The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation host Mo Rocca, along with The Henry Ford’s partner Litton Entertainment, has stepped in to support The Henry Ford with public service announcements, airing during Litton’s blocks of programming on CBS. youtu.be/z3TkRH0-IcUc youtu.be/CPaPn1-Gp0kc
#WEARE INNOVATION NATION MERCHANDISE VILLAGE PHOTO COURTESY OF @THECOZYHOMECHRONICLES
Shop the limited-edition line of #WeAreInnovation Nation merchandise to inspire friends, family or yourself and simultaneously support The Henry Ford. The lineup of available items — from travel mugs and T-shirts to totes and notebooks — continues to grow. Shop now at thehenryford.shop
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OFF THE SHELF
Recommended Films, Fine Reads and Dot-coms
WHAT ARE WE READING + WATCHING? Resolution 70/1 a
identifies goals essential for the survival of people and the planet.
Resolution 70/1 — Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Debra Reid, The Henry Ford’s curator of agriculture and the environment, encourages a read of a living document that lays out 17 sustainable development goals aimed at mobilizing global efforts to end poverty, foster peace, safeguard the rights and dignity of all people and protect the planet. At the heart of sustainable design lies the concept of sustainable development — that the needs of the present should not compromise the resources essential for the future. Sustainable design manages resources with the goal of ensuring their survival for yet unknown needs. This seems essential if the planet is to sustain life in the future. Yet the idea of sustainable design remains debatable. How do you “value” the sacrifice for future generations? Without quantification, this amounts to a tough sell when others argue in favor of financial gain realized through business practices that exploit natural resources, contribute to the global climate crisis or line the pockets of a few but leave the majority impoverished. The United Nations’ call to action, Resolution 70/1 — Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, identifies 17 goals around which independent nations can plan and implement actions unique to their cultures and resources. The target date — 2030, now only 10 years away — becomes even more sobering when you consider the high stakes. ONLINE Access Resolution 70/1 — Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at un.org/sustainabledevelopmentc
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DID YOU KNOW? /
The United Nations adopted Resolution 70/1 at its 70th anniversary General Assembly in New York City in September 2015.
SDG ICONS COURTESY OF THE UNITED NATIONS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INFORMATION
SEEKING SUSTENANCE
Charles Sable
Meredith Long
Curator of Decorative Arts, The Henry Ford
Senior Manager of Collections Operations, The Henry Ford
Micro Living: 40 Innovative Tiny Houses Equipped for Full-Time Living, in 400 Square Feet or Less by Derek “Deek” Diedricksen This picture-filled paperback shows the range of tiny houses around the United States and rates them by livability. Deek Diedricksen is a connoisseur of tiny houses. For anyone with even a modest interest in sustainable architecture, this is a fun read, even just to browse through the pictures and floor plans.
At Day’s Close: Night in Times Past by A. Roger Ekirch
Caroline Braden Accessibility Specialist, The Henry Ford
El Deafo by Cece Bell As an accessibility specialist, I am always looking for books that convey the mindset of people with disabilities. El Deafo is such a book. In this graphic novel, author Cece Bell tells her story of growing up deaf and how she was able to channel her differences to feel like she had superpowers. This captivating book will leave you thinking about the meaningfulness of acceptance long after you finish it.
Working alongside some of the world’s most important artifacts related to power and energy, I think often about humanity’s motivations to tame the natural world. The desire to bring light to darkness is an innovation with vast consequences, both environmentally and, as A. Roger Ekirch points out, socially. His At Day’s Close is an exhaustive look at the social history of darkness and an opportunity for the reader to reflect on possible motivations for the push to illuminate the night.
DID YOU KNOW? /
Staff of The Henry Ford often participate in worldwide Twitter chats, such as Ask a Curator (Sept. 16, 2020), Ask an Archivist (Oct. 7, 2020) and Ask a Conservator (Nov. 4, 2020). Themes change and sometimes it’s just an open discussion about all things curators, archivists and conservators do. Take to Twitter, tag @thehenryford, follow the hashtags and pose a question.
Searching for more resources on sustainable design and those innovators past and present who practice it? The Benson Ford Research Center can help connect you with artifacts, articles and everything in between The Henry Ford has collected with a sustainabilitybased theme. Email research.center@ thehenryford.org. BOOKS Merchants of Virtue: Herman Miller and the Making of a Sustainable Company by Bill Birchard Aluminum Upcycled: Sustainable Design in Historical Perspective by Carl A. Zimring Sustainable by Design: Explorations in Theory and Practice by Stuart Walker Why Design Now? National Design Triennial by Cara McCarty, Ellen Lupton, Matilda McQuaid, Cynthia Smith, Andrea Lipps (contributor) Design with the Other 90%: Cities by Cynthia E. Smith Textile Visionaries: Innovation and Sustainability in Textile Design by Bradley Quinn My Work Is That of Conservation: An Environmental Biography of George Washington Carver by Mark D. Hersey Something New Under the Sun: An Environmental History of the Twentieth-Century World by J.R. McNeill
#AskACurator #AskAnArchivist #AskAConservator
IMAGES COURTESY OF MICRO LIVING: 40 INNOVATIVE TINY HOUSES EQUIPPED FOR FULL-TIME LIVING, IN 400 SQUARE FEET OR LESS AND DEREK “DEEK” DIEDRICKSEN
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Profiles of people curious enough to challenge the rules and risk the failures
INNOVATION GENERATION The Henry Ford is committed to ALL audiences and to inspiring the next generation of inventors, entrepreneurs and innovators, regardless of backgrounds or barriers. Our Archive of American Innovation serves as the cornerstone for all of our innovation learning experiences, programs and curricula, which are designed to accelerate the innovative mindsets of all learners from across the globe.
Model i Innovation Learning Framework 16 Programming, Resources + Events 18 Invention Convention Worldwide 19
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INNOVATION GENERATION
INNOVATION LEARNING SUITE: MODEL i
MODEL EDUCATOR
The Henry Ford’s Model i innovation learning framework helps middle school teacher devise creativity roadmap Model i is the foundation of the Innovate Curriculum and the basis of learning experiences outlined and offered to teachers and students by The Henry Ford. Curated based on The Henry Ford Archive of American Innovation, this unique framework provides an interdisciplinary language and approach to learning based on the habits and actions of innovators. When Spencer Kiper, a middle school teacher in Bossier City, Louisiana, traveled to Dearborn in 2018 to receive The Henry Ford’s 2017 Teacher Innovator Award, Model i might have been in its infancy, but Kiper was hooked and put it into action in his classroom. DESIGNED TO SPARK an innovative mindset, The Henry Ford’s Model i framework promotes something even more fundamental: a sense of what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoes. “Understanding the perspective of others, or the struggles or strifes of groups of people, that is something we don’t spend a great deal of time doing in education,” said Spencer Kiper, the 2019 Louisiana State Teacher of the Year and the 2017 The Henry Ford Teacher Innovator Award winner. “With Model i, this is the first thing you do. From the get-go, it inspires a very different kind of feel in the classroom.” Connecting schools to The Henry Ford Archive of American Innovation, Model i intrigued Kiper when he was introduced to it during a trip to The Henry Ford to receive his Teacher Innovator Award. He’d been looking for ways to fuel designinspired thinking and problem-solving skills in his middle school STEM students — a framework that could generate fresh, insightful solutions and streamline coursework. At the time, Model i was in its early stages, much of its substance not yet finalized. That didn’t deter Kiper from dropping basic Model i concepts into his classroom. “One of the biggest hurdles I face as a teacher is overcoming that ‘I can’t do this because I’m not creative’ mentality,” said Kiper, who believes Model i is a roadmap back to creativity that hasn’t been nurtured over time. “By starting with small problems, you allow students to ease their toe back into being creative and see little wins, little successes. And then you introduce them to the big problems. That’s a pretty big dividend.” According to Phil Grumm, senior manager of learning services and on-site programs
at The Henry Ford, educators like Kiper have become pseudo co-authors of the ever-evolving framework. “When you put Model i into the hands of an expert teacher and superuser like Spencer, he finds his own connections and relevance, and deploys it in creative and innovative ways we never intended nor anticipated.” For Kiper and his students, Model i was a natural fit with STEM on Screen, a film festival/ mini invention convention Kiper had created to bring industry leaders to students to give real-world feedback on their world-enhancing innovations. It also found applications in his Campus 2 Campus Connection with Centenary College of Louisiana, which gave pre-med biology students the opportunity to strengthen empathy skills by mentoring Kiper’s STEM class. “Studying our artifacts and stories shows us that empathy is a critical habit for innovators to practice and develop to not only solve relevant problems but identify them in the first place,” said Grumm. Kiper likes to praise Model i’s focus on de-stigmatizing failure and why mistakes must be baked into every creative process. Embedding failure into learning also makes teachers better prepared to teach, which is why Kiper, who was recently named instructional technologist for Caddo Parish, Louisiana, readily employs Model i in his teacher education courses. “As an ideological concept, it can be placed in any sort of educational context and see success,” he said. “It’s a fun and engaging way of learning that’s going to stay with you for the long haul.” — SUSAN ZWEIG
To discover The Henry Ford’s innovation learning resources, including a free Model i primer, lesson plans, activities and worksheets, visit thf.org/education or thf.org/modeli.
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DID YOU KNOW? / The Henry Ford is now offering several unique online learning experiences and resources as teachers and students adapt to more virtual learning environments during these challenging times. Read the story on Page 9 and visit thf.org for more information.
d Teacher and Model i practitioner Spencer Kiper
TEACHER INNOVATOR AWARDS The Henry Ford’s Teacher Innovator Awards recognizes teachers who inspire their students to be bold and think creatively, who are resourceful and who make a positive impact on those around them, from their students to their community. Each year, 10 grand prize winners are chosen and given an indepth introduction to The Henry Ford’s Innovation Learning suite of products, among other special events and activities. To learn more or to nominate a teacher for the 2021 Teacher Innovator Awards, visit thf.org/teacherinnovator.
c At left: Middle school teacher Spencer Kiper’s Destination PHOTO BY NICK HAGEN
Imagination team constructed a working cardboard arcade to compete against teams from around the world at a recent Destination Imagination global final. thf.org
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INNOVATION GENERATION
PROGRAMMING, RESOURCES + EVENTS What to watch, read, do to inspire big thinking
INTERSECTION OF INNOVATION Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation’s new digital space unlocks the secrets and stories behind artifacts Once The Henry Ford reopens, share in the museum’s new Intersection of Innovation experience and spark the innovator inside of you. You can start with a sweeping view into The Henry Ford’s unprecedented collection of objects and stories, learning from selected artifacts and visionary minds about the connectedness of the collection and how it is relevant to you today. The Intersection of Innovation features large-format projection walls that involve you in the story of what The Henry Ford collects and why. Guided by The Henry Ford’s own groundbreaking Model i innovation learning framework, you can unlock the actual habits and actions famous innovators such as Rosa Parks, George Washington Carver and Cesar Chavez used to achieve their creative breakthroughs. To learn more about The Henry Ford’s Model i innovation learning framework, visit thf.org/education or thf.org/modeli.
d The 1939 Douglas DC-3
THE HENRY FORD’S INNOVATION NATION Celebrating changemakers creating solutions to meet real needs Watch the Emmy Award-winning The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation to get a real-world glimpse at innovators around the globe. The TV show’s most recent season — its sixth — is jam-packed with stories tied to this magazine’s theme of sustainable design, as well as a bunch of other segments showcasing creative ideas and solutions from innovators young and old. Scroll through the episode guide on thf.org/ innovationnation, and you can link to previous and current seasons. The sixth season features scientists working on an enzyme that can eat landfill plastic, a superstrong thread inspired by spider DNA, the work of Native American women as weavers of early computer core memory and a whole lot more. Plus, the show gives you a closer look at artifacts, experiences and collections of The Henry Ford with host Mo Rocca and our curators, like Marc Greuther, who, in a season six episode, shares his expert knowledge about the self-sufficient nature of the Tripp Sawmill in Greenfield Village (see story on Page 54). Check your local TV listings for CBS’ block of programming called CBS Dream Team ... It’s Epic.
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(above), a prominent artifact within the Heroes of the Sky exhibition, is a hovering centerpiece of the new Intersection of Innovation within Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. The stateof-the-art digital space features large-format projection walls (left), which engage visitors to explore connections between artifacts and stories of innovation.
DID YOU KNOW? / The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation has received three 2020 Daytime Emmy Award nominations, including best host in a daytime program for Mo Rocca and Alie Ward, best writing for a special class series and best sound mixing. The 47th annual Daytime Emmy Awards will be presented on June 26 on CBS.
PHOTO BY KMS PHOTOGRAPHY
PRACTICING WHAT WE TEACH Using resourcefulness and ingenuity to pivot U.S. Nationals in light of COVID-19 In early 2020, Invention Convention Worldwide was gaining a great deal of positive momentum. An inaugural Invention Convention San Antonio in March, for example, marked the increasing number of new state-level events on the calendar. More affiliate programs were also taking shape, with prestigious institutions such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology jumping on board. And everyone was ramping up for 500-plus kids to compete at Invention Convention U.S. Nationals at The Henry Ford in June. And then the COVID-19 pandemic threatened to put the brakes on everything. “We as an Invention Convention community had to practice what we preach,” said Veronica Lynagh, director of learning network engagement, The Henry Ford. “We had a problem to solve and had to use our resourcefulness and ingenuity to invent a new method of competition in light of COVID-19.” In a matter of weeks, Invention Convention affiliates throughout the country that had not yet hosted their state- and regional-level competitions quickly pivoted to an online format to better serve their students and their mission. Software licenses were purchased, accessibility issues were addressed, material requirements were revised and students and teachers were coached on what an online competition would look like. “The theme throughout the entire process of moving to an online competition was accessibility and still honoring the hard work of students,” said Lynagh. To participate, students were required to submit a video presentation of their invention, a prototype, an inventor’s logbook showing the journey of their
invention process and a poster board highlighting key points of the invention process. Thanks to a smooth transition, some 443 student inventors from 20 states qualified and participated — albeit online only — in this year’s Invention Convention U.S. Nationals. And on July 2, 2020, participants can attend the U.S. Nationals’ official awards ceremony online via the social channels of Invention Convention Worldwide and The Henry Ford. “The skills students develop through Invention Convention are more critical now than ever before,” said Patricia Mooradian, president and CEO, The Henry Ford. “We look forward to celebrating all of their hard work and providing them with the much-needed exposure and mentorship to take their ideas to the next level.” Part of that much-needed exposure includes offering up some of these students’ stories of invention as part of The Henry Ford’s Kid Inventor Fridays, which is an element of The Henry Ford’s #WeAreInnovationNation free online learning experiences (see special section on Page 7). Arianna Anderson is one of the showcased inventors. With unsuspecting foresight, Arianna invented and first presented her Epic Mask as a sixth-grader three years ago at an Invention Convention competition. With COVID-19 now a reality, her invention, a mask made of cotton and sterile pads that utilizes activated carbon as well as essential oils to relieve different symptoms and to protect against airborne elements, seems more relevant than ever.
d Three years ago,
Connecticut middle schooler Arianna Anderson heard a news report about the flu and an idea began to take shape. Today that idea has grown into her very own invention for health and protection, the Epic Mask. Now several iterations improved and more relevant than ever, the Epic Mask has made Arianna a nominee for this year’s Connecticut Invention Convention Inventor of the Year.
To learn more, connect with Invention Convention Worldwide on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
WATCH Student inventor Arianna Anderson’s video and find other inventor segments on The Henry Ford’s Facebook page as well as on Invention Convention Worldwide’s YouTube channel and website inventionconvention.orgc thf.org
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OF IMISM HOW THE HENRY FORD CURATES THROUGH THE EYES OF DESIGNERS By Bernie Brooks
I n 2013, the Sonos wireless subwoofer was the IDEA a
Awards’ Curator’s Choice winner. Find out why The Henry Ford’s Marc Greuther made this pick on Page 26.
PHOTO BY DAVE LAURIDSEN
E
very year in the spring, the boxes begin to arrive from all over the world. Just a few at first. Then more and more, day after day. They are carted from the loading dock, down a long hallway and into The Henry Ford’s Main Storage Building. There, they will fill dozens of shelves and tables. In each, a product: computers and smartphones, sporting goods and medical supplies, appliances and tools, all manner of things solving all manner of problems. They are entries in the Industrial Design Society of America’s International Design Excellence Awards (known as IDSA and IDEA, respectively), all finalists. Over the next several weeks, museum staff will process and sort them into 19 categories ranging from Automotive & Transportation and Service Design to Social Impact. Eventually, 41 esteemed jurors — essentially a microcosm of the wide-ranging practices and interests of the
industrial design community — descend upon the entries. The best will be declared winners and accessioned into The Henry Ford’s permanent collection, as they have been since 2010. This ongoing partnership was the result of a 2009 meeting former Chief Historian Christian Øverland and current Vice President of Historical Resources and Chief Curator Marc Greuther took with Clive Roux, IDSA’s executive director at the time. At the meeting, Øverland and Greuther pitched the idea that there could be a relationship between The Henry Ford and IDSA based on the latter’s yearly IDEA judging process. The storied professional association agreed. Greuther was asked to select the recipient of a Curator’s Choice Award each year and eventually given a spot on the jury. On the eve of the 40th anniversary of IDEA, The Henry Ford Magazine talked to Greuther about The Henry Ford’s relationship with IDSA, IDEA and curating through the eyes of designers.
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“WE’RE NOT SIMPLY TRYING TO DOCUMENT NEW OR NOVEL THINGS; WE’RE LOOKING AT THE DEPLOYMENT OF HUMAN CREATIVITY AND IMAGINATION.” — MARC GREUTHER
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THF Magazinec Why did the relationship with IDSA come about? Marc GreuthercIt partly came about because of a deeper institutional interest in design. That heightened a lot in the ‘80s under [former President of The Henry Ford] Harold Skramstad, who’d done work with the Eames Office. There was a deeper sense that The Henry Ford had good design holdings that got to the origins of the industrial design profession — and we wanted to continue building those collections. I think a lot of how I’d looked at it at the time related to the proliferation of designers and design in everyday life. I wanted to ensure that we could stay current but also work more closely with designers, partly to get their take on things but also to make them aware of us as a resource. Unlike many museums, we didn’t just collect spectacular things to put on a plinth. We were quite eager to collect prototypical material and process-related material. It could be drawings, sketches, false starts, dead ends. We were aware that designers could look at that and it would be useful. It was based on real mutual benefit. Because design is a discipline that touches people’s lives, IDSA were interested in being more visible, so their work was better understood. Industrial design for many companies was still seen as a styling exercise. But the design discipline had evolved to a point where, no, there’s human factors — the benefits of technologies can be rendered in more usable ways if people’s needs are being better anticipated. Designers are intermediaries for those kinds of processes. THF Magazinec How does the IDSA collaboration relate to and benefit The Henry Ford’s mission and collections? Marc GreuthercWe’ve been able to acquire items that we might not necessarily know about — because of the markets they serve — or even
be able to encounter. I think if we can build our collections in a literal sense, we’re always going to be able to get things out in front of the public that serve our mission to inspire people through America’s traditions of ingenuity, resourcefulness and innovation. The vast majority of the designers we’ve met are interested in the design discipline as a way of making the world a better place. And that’s a good subtext for our mission. We’re not simply trying to document new or novel things; we’re looking at the deployment of human creativity and imagination. One of the jurors once said that one of the things he loves about going to the IDSA conference is that you’re hanging out with optimists. I think that’s another slant on our mission, which is optimistic. It’s that sense that things can be improved. I think that’s one of the best readings of how Henry Ford collected for the institution and how we’ve built off that. Collecting via IDEA seems to create the potential for incredible contrast between the totally new and untested and the iconic artifacts already in the collection. It allows us to play with that edge, because we’re doing it through an industrial designer’s eyes. That’s why I value some of the earlier smartphones and gadgetry that have come in. You look at it and think, “Wow, I wouldn’t collect that now. That’s such a flash in the pan.” And it’s a good job that I didn’t collect it then with a future perspective of my own, because I would’ve been wrong. But it was the best guess of an industrial designer, and that has value. One of the first exhibits I enjoyed at The Henry Ford when I first visited in 1986 was called Yesterday’s Tomorrows. It was all about past views of what the future would be like. That applies to some of the IDSA materials we’ve got. It’s that notion of “Journalism is the first draft of history,” right? It’s going to get superseded pretty quick, but it’s still got value. Our IDSA collections are the first draft of an industrial designer’s sense of what’s important.
The Main Storage Building The Henry Ford’s Main Storage Building (MSB) is part of the Ford Engineering Lab behind Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. Spanning 400,000 square feet, the building is shared by Ford Motor Co. and The Henry Ford, with about 178,000 square feet allocated for collections storage. According to Jim McCabe, The Henry Ford’s chief collections manager, there are about 18,000 cataloged items currently in the MSB. After a storage consolidation effort is complete, there will be over 40,000. Thanks to MSB’s large exterior and interior doors, single-floor level and range of loading areas, McCabe and his team have improved their ability to safely handle and store all types of artifacts, including those that are more than 20 feet long and weigh more than 40,000 pounds. “We have a variety of unusual artifacts in MSB,” he said. “From a horse-drawn ambulance for horses to Jake, La-Z-Boy furniture’s full-size testing figure.” thf.org
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DID YOU KNOW? / World Industrial Design Day is an international day of observance every June 29.
DID YOU KNOW? / Each year, the collection of designers, thought leaders and visionaries who compose the IDEA Jury carefully review nearly 2,000 entries across 19 categories. For 2020, jurors represent a wide range of institutions, retailers and brands, from Nike, Apple and Fitbit to Sundberg-Ferar, Samsung Next and the University of Notre Dame.
THF Magazinec When you’re talking about an institution that has the kind of collections that The Henry Ford has, the relationship with IDSA is an incredible asset. In 10 years, if one IDEA award winner is a huge success, the museum might have the prototype already. Marc GreuthercOr we might have the very first production model. It gets to the fact that the institution is obviously very much wanting to see things through a lens of innovation, and innovation takes place across all of our collections, but it’s apparent in some more than others, simply because of the nature of what’s going on technologically in the world. It is interesting to think about how IDEA has grown collections that seem incredibly workaday. If you think about the impact of ergonomics and human factors research into the design of handles for ladles and traditional kitchen utensils, that grows our collection in those areas that seem utterly everyday. That’s where design is an interesting discipline. New materials come along, or new knowledge about the way the body works or doesn’t work. All the work that’s been done by companies like OXO Good Grips is deeply informed by research into arthritis and rheumatism, and just the sheer inappropriateness of so many everyday utensil designs. As someone who’s been on the jury for many years now, you get these things that come up — brand-spanking-new, out-of-the-box office concepts — and you’ll look at it and say, “Yeah, OK. I saw that in a Robert Propst drawing from 1962.” It’s good to be able to wield that historical perspective and say, “Hey, you know what? That’s been noticed before, and this is how it played out.”
THF Magazinec From your perspective, what are IDSA jurors looking for? Marc GreuthercI think over time, I’ve seen two distinct lenses that get played out in the jurying process. One is rooted in “good design is good business” and responsibility. So it’s about utility, user interface, user experience. It’s about effectiveness, about durability. It’s about the use of appropriate materials. The other has got much more to do with industrial design as a discipline and a certain kind of design purity, and it gets to how wellfinished something is. Where are the part lines on there? How do dissimilar materials join in a way that’s pleasing? If you’re in the wrong mindset, you can start looking at it as being incredibly fussy and overly judgmental, but it’s really the design discipline’s roots in craft. Part of what IDSA’s done well is put together a jury that has a wide range of backgrounds. People who know about assistive technology, the medical arena, gamers and all the rest of it. That’s part of the secret of its effectiveness — ensuring that such a wide range has got a presence. THF Magazinec How do you approach the Curator’s Choice? Marc GreuthercI’ve never tried to take it on as a kind of contrarian, but I’ve definitely seen things where I’ve felt like, “Holy cow, that’s been disregarded or knocked out of the spotlight for pretty poor reasons, and it needs to be rendered visible.” I have the great advantage of not having to ask permission for the ones I award. I just try to ensure that my winners are thinking about the use of good materials and the appropriate deployment of objects: their sustainability, their usability, their understandability. It’s an interesting motley crew of things.
WATCH Objectified. Produced and directed by American filmmaker Gary Hustwit, the feature-length documentary gives insight into our relationships with manufactured objects and, by extension, the people who design themc
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IDEA Judging Criteria
DESIGN INNOVATION: How new is the product or service? What critical problem is it solving? How clever is the solution? Does it advance a product category?
BENEFIT TO USER: How are users’ lives improved through this design? Can they accomplish things not previously possible?
BENEFIT TO CLIENT/BRAND: What is the business impact of this design? How has leveraging design proven to be a key market differentiator?
BENEFIT TO SOCIETY: Does the solution consider social and cultural factors? Is it designed/manufactured with sustainable methods/materials?
APPROPRIATE AESTHETICS:
SETTING THE BENCHMARK It’s almost like Chris Livaudais was fated to be an industrial designer. As a kid, he said he was always “interested in how things were made and constantly drawing.” As a young adult just learning of the profession, he “knew it was a perfect fit and never looked back.” Active in IDSA since his college days at Auburn University, Livaudais describes it as the backbone of his professional career. He took on his current role as the organization’s executive director in 2018, having previously worked on products ranging from architectural water features and digital interfaces to retail environments and smart mattresses. He was even tasked, he said, to “envision a new, autonomous, urban aerial vehicle and service.” So, if and when we actually get flying cars, we might owe Livaudais some measure of thanks. We got in touch with Livaudais to get his perspective on IDSA’s partnership with The Henry Ford, how IDSA helps to promote sustainability in industrial design and more.
THF Magazinec How has the partnership with The Henry Ford benefited IDSA? Chris LivaudaiscIDEA is celebrating its 40-year anniversary this year, making it one of the oldest design awards competitions around. Our collaboration with The Henry Ford provides an additional level of credibility to the program and helps preserve the legacy of design’s impact on our society. All winning IDEA products can be entered into the museum’s permanent collection, so this is a unique and huge incentive for designers to enter their work into the competition.
THF Magazinec Do you think the concerns of the IDEA jury have shifted over the years? If so, how? Chris LivaudaiscThe IDEA jury rotates each year, but it is always
composed of designers who are at the top of their field. In many cases, their work is what drives our profession forward and sets the bench other designers follow. As such, the interests of the jury do tend to shift with current trends or conversations within the industry. Sustainability and circular design are huge areas of interest right now, for example. To counter this, IDEA uses the same core judging criteria (at left) each year. This consistency helps keep things rigorous, while still providing a little room for interpretation and influence from current forces impacting design.
THF Magazinec How does IDSA hope to promote the continued growth of sustainable design practices going forward? Chris Livaudaisc IDSA has long been active in promoting responsible and
sustainable design practices to the design community. In 2014, for example, we supported the development and distribution of Okala Practitioner, a comprehensive resource for designers on materials and best practices related to the ecological impact and footprint of a given product or service. We also have an Ecodesign special interest section, which allows subject matter experts in this space to connect and generate content for publication throughout IDSA’s networks. It is very important for us as a professional association to advocate for this topic and to show that having responsibly designed products can in fact be positive for our planet, the people who use the products and the bottom line of the business.
Does the form of the design adequately relate to its use/function? Are the colors/materials/ finishes used befitting its purpose? thf.org
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MARC’S CURATOR’S CHOICE PICKS
T b he SNOO baby bassinet can detect a distressed
baby and responds automatically by combining gentle rocking with soothing white noise designed to help baby fall back to sleep.
PRODUCT SNOO YEAR 2018 DESCRIPTION Robotic bassinet DESIGNED BY Yves Béhar, Qin Li, Michelle Dawson and fuseproject design team, and Dr. Harvey Karp of Happiest Baby WHY MARC PICKED IT “It’s a beautiful object. Part of what I liked about it was that it was robotic. When you look at robotics from a cultural standpoint, it’s almost always very threatening. This is robotic technology, but it’s designed to take care of newborns, something incredibly vulnerable, so the robotic element is appropriately stated and deeply camouflaged. I thought that was an interesting kind of paradox.”
PRODUCT SONOS SUB YEAR 2013 DESCRIPTION Wireless subwoofer DESIGNED BY Mieko Kusano (at left) and Rob Lambourne of Sonos Inc., and Wai-Loong Lim of Y Studios LLC for Sonos Inc. WHY MARC PICKED IT “Sonos had committed themselves to backwards compatibility, and they were building things that had enough redundancy in them that new functionality could play out in them. The Sub sounds really good. It’s a very enigmatic looking thing, and it was designed to work with their earliest equipment. It’s got kind of a Kubricklike quality to it.” PHOTO BY DAVE LAURIDSEN
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JUNE-DECEMBER 2020
SNOO PHOTOS BY TRAVIS RATHBONE
PRODUCT FLIP REEL YEAR 2015 DESCRIPTION Handline fishing reel DESIGNED BY Brandon Liew, Robert Tiller and Lisa Gyecsek of Tiller Design for Squiddies Pty. Ltd.
FLIP REEL PHOTO COURTESY OF TILLER DESIGN
PRODUCT PILLPACK YEAR 2014
WHY MARC PICKED IT “This was an interesting use of new materials. It was very minimal. The irony for me is that I don’t fish. I’ve never fished. I never intend to. But I did like the idea that this was something that could be easily pocketed, casually used. I like that notion of design that just slips into its place, because it’s so usable and so readily apparent in its usage.”
EZYSTOVE PHOTO COURTESY OF MCKINSEY DESIGN
PRODUCT EZYSTOVE YEAR 2012 DESCRIPTION Wood-burning stove for use in developing countries as a replacement for cooking over an open fire
DESCRIPTION Delivery and management service for people with multiple medications PRODUCT HYDROPACK SELF-HYDRATING DRINK POUCH
DESIGNED BY TJ Parker and Elliot Cohen of PillPack, and Jennifer Sarich-Harvey, Sophy Lee, Katherine Londergan and Gen Suzuki of IDEO
YEAR 2011 DESCRIPTION Water-filtering pouch that becomes a flavored drink rich in electrolytes
WHY MARC PICKED IT “This is rooted in my sense that as medications have proliferated as conditions become treatable in one way or another, the complexities of managing those medications almost exponentially increase, and the chances of missing a dose or peculiar interactions increase as well. This was a way of managing that complexity. It’s almost infrastructural.”
DESIGNED BY HTI Water
PILLPACK PHOTO COURTESY OF PILLPACK
HYDROPACK PHOTO COURTESY OF HYDRATION TECHNOLOGY INNOVATIONS LLC
WHY MARC PICKED IT “This was for use in disaster situations to purify water. It hadn’t been given the recognition I thought it deserved. There were some designers who said it wasn’t designed. That, to me, was of interest, because sometimes you don’t need to design any more. Why? It was that notion of design almost getting out of the way. It’s about exercising restraint. Less is better in this instance.”
DESIGNED BY Ergonomidesign, Mårten Andrén, Håkan Bergkvist, Jonas Dolk, August Michael, Stefan Strandberg and Elisabeth RamelWåhrberg for Creative Entrepreneur Solutions WHY MARC PICKED IT “This was about cleaner, more efficient use of existing resources in places where people would be improvising all manner of ways of cooking or heating. It wasn’t trying to be the complete solution. It was partially reliant on charity and the local skills of the users. I liked that it seemed hackable and that people could bootleg this thing. It was about effecting change.”
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SUSTAINABILITY AT STAKE A scientist shares her sense of responsibility for the environment and ignites ecological awareness among the masses By Linda Engelsiepen
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e live in an era where environmental sustainability, social responsibility and renewable resources are keywords for how to live our lives and operate our businesses. But it wasn’t always this way. In the early 1960s, writer and biologist Rachel Carson was one of the lone voices sounding the alarm that the rapid, destructive changes we were making to our own environment were having disastrous consequences. With her groundbreaking 1962 book, Silent Spring, which exposed the damage caused by indiscriminate use of pesticides manufactured by powerful chemical companies, Carson showed that she was a scientist motivated by a sense of responsibility to serve the best interests of the wider community. Carson’s eloquence reminded us that we are all part of a delicately balanced ecosystem, and by destroying any piece of it, we risk destroying the whole system. It would become unsustainable. Thanks to Carson’s passion and perseverance, a movement of ecological awareness was born. (See story on Page 39.) Her work is credited with giving birth to the modern-day environmental movement, and other direct results were the banning of the pesticide DDT and the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. In an era of “living better through chemicals,” Rachel Carson was a changemaker who brought our awareness to the effects we had on our environment. But she also knew that we could be part of the solution. The battle for the health of our communities and our planet is ongoing. And there are a number of innovators today who are laying the path for long-term progress. Call it “living better through sustainability.”
W
B a iologist Rachel Carson exposed the
Trained scientist Rachel Carson and wildlife artist d
Bob Hines conduct research off the Atlantic coast in the early 1950s. The two formed an extraordinary partnership, which brought awareness of nature and conservation to the forefront.
damage caused to the environment by pesticides and helped spark the modern-day environmental movement. Today, you don’t need to be a trained scientist like Carson to have an impact on making the world a better place. Citizen scientists are ordinary people who collaborate and participate in real scientific research, data monitoring and collection programs.
RACHEL CARSON PHOTOS COURTESY U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE/PUBLIC DOMAIN
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SUSTAINABILITY AT STAKE
GREAT LAKES BREWING CO. Great Lakes Brewing Co. has been around for more than 30 years, brewing award-winning craft beer in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood. Its founders, brothers Daniel and Patrick Conway, focused on sustainability from the start by renovating the 19th-century buildings that house their brewery and brewpub. By the early 2000s, they’d also decided they wanted to do more for their community, the environment and the health and well-being of their workers. “We view business as a force for good in our communities,” said Daniel Conway. “Our role is essentially one of stewardship.” The brothers have developed a triple bottom line business model that addresses profit, people and planet, with initiatives that include water stewardship, renewable and clean energy and inclusive economic growth. An early adopter in the local food movement, the company established its own farm (Pint Size Farm) in 2008 to supply its brewpub, and in 2010 co-founded Ohio City Farm, one of the largest urban farms in the United States.
The solar panels on their brewery offset 13 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. (They even have a widget on their website that shows how much beer is brewed using solar energy.) And by inviting employees to become owners through an employee stock program, the company allows everyone a stake in its sustainability. Great Lakes’ Brewing Good giving program also commits a percentage of company sales back to the community through initiatives that preserve history, advocate environmentalism and focus on critical needs in the local area. The company’s nonprofit Burning River Foundation, which annually hosts the Burning River Fest, strives to maintain and celebrate the vitality of the region’s freshwater resources. The Conway brothers have long had an understanding of how each part of their business ecosystem feeds into the next. By continuing to innovate new strategies of sustainability, they’ve led by example and helped to revive an industry and their community.
BY THE NUMBERS
40K+
cases of beer brewed and bottled using 100% solar power
62
solar panels on the roof of the brewery
$500K+ donated by Great Lakes Brewing to local nonprofits through its Burning River Foundation
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DID YOU KNOW? / Great Lakes Brewing’s award-winning pale ale, Burning River, references a particular incident: the Cuyahoga River fire of 1969, in which an oil slick on the heavily polluted river caught fire and caused damage in the six figures. The incident sparked further outrage and interest in environmentalism, driving significant policy changes for the Cleveland area and beyond. Burning River is a toast to how far things have come in protecting our waterways.
POUR IT ON Clockwise from left: Whether through their established local farming initiatives, their Brewing Good community cleanup efforts or by serving a beer in their Ohio City neighborhood, Great Lakes Brewing founders Daniel and Patrick Conway are committed to a business model that addresses people and planet as well as profit. PHOTOS COURTESY OF GREAT LAKES BREWING CO.
UPDATE While the COVID-19 pandemic forced Great Lakes Brewing Co. to close its brewpub temporarily, the beer continued to be brewed and to flow through its local distribution footprint and to-go service. Beers such as the 107 IPA and Siren Shores Passion Fruit Saison, the first employee team recipe ever created on Great Lakes Brewing’s Small Batch Pilot System, debuted this spring. Social media channels continued to keep the community in the know on what Great Lakes was up to, from its Hop College going online and posting video tutorials and sessions on Facebook to owner Daniel Conway’s heartfelt request to join him in supporting the Race for Relief fundraiser benefiting the Society of St. Vincent de Paul - Cleveland hunger centers. thf.org
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SUSTAINABILITY AT STAKE
RAPPAHANNOCK OYSTER CO. As early as 1920, Chesapeake Bay’s seemingly limitless oyster population had been diminished by up to a third, both by overharvesting and habitat destruction caused by siltation and dredging. By 2001, the harmful effects of pollution and disease had taken their toll, and the bay’s native virginica oysters dwindled to less than 1% of their historic numbers. The bay had all but collapsed. It was under these conditions that cousins Ryan and Travis Croxton decided to revitalize their family’s historic oyster farm, Rappahannock Oyster Co. Founded in 1899 by their great-grandfather, James Croxton, on Virginia’s Rappahannock River, the company wasn’t much more than mud by the time the cousins took over the leases in 2001. But in that rich tideland, the cousins saw an opportunity to salvage a family legacy and renew their community. Because they were starting from the mud up, the cousins were able to develop sustainable new methods that not only produce the highest-quality shellfish but also contribute to the health of the bay and repopulation of its aquatic life. “Aquacultured oysters are a win-win for everybody — the farmer, the waters, the consumer that gets a better product,” said Travis Croxton, whose off-bottom method
BY THE NUMBERS
21K
bushels of oysters harvested in 2001
600K
bushels of oysters harvested in 2018-19
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of growing oysters in wire cages not only protects the oysters but also allows them to reproduce naturally — a vital factor in restoring native oyster populations. And because oysters feed on excess nutrients in the water, their presence also helps keep the bay clean as well as helping native grasses and other sea creatures to proliferate. Perhaps the most satisfying thing for the cousins has been the ability to provide an opportunity to work, grow and live in what has been a depressed rural economy. “Too often, rural communities such as ours lose promising talent as people look elsewhere due to lack of opportunity,” said Croxton. “We’re proud that our employees have a reason to stay.” By 2004, Rappahannock had developed a thriving wholesale business. Now with their tasting room, Merroir, four stand-alone oyster bars from D.C. to L.A. and a restaurant, Rappahannock, in Richmond, Virginia, the cousins are able to share their oysters and their dedication to “good people doing great things.” By trying to sustain nature, not tame it, the Croxtons have carried on their great-grandfather’s legacy, this time on a foundation of sustainability.
FARM OF THE FUTURE In 1899, James Croxton (below) laid claim to two acres of Rappahannock River bottom for the purpose of growing oysters. More than a century later, fourth-generation cousins (at right) Travis (left) and Ryan Croxton have transformed their great-grandfather’s oyster farm, Rappahannock Oyster Co., into a model of sustainability that is practicing food production methods that are healthier for the consumer, the Chesapeake Bay they call home and the native oyster they are 100% committed to preserving. PHOTOS COURTESY OF RAPPAHANNOCK OYSTER CO.
UPDATE Owner Travis Croxton doesn’t deny that it has been tough for Rappahannock Oyster since the COVID-19 pandemic hit. He and cousin Ryan Croxton had to furlough hundreds of employees at their oyster company and restaurants. But, as Travis Croxton said, “You have to perform a hard pivot and await what the future may hold.” Rappahannock quickly set up an employee relief fund for those in need and shifted their restaurants to solely curbside pickup/takeout. On the oyster company side, they had to make additional hard pivots, focusing mostly on internet sales (which Travis Croxton said have greatly increased) and designing completely new business models, which included working with vineyards and breweries to sell 25-count bags of their oysters on consignment on weekends. thf.org
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SUSTAINABILITY AT STAKE
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“AQUACULTURED OYSTERS ARE A WINWIN FOR EVERYBODY — THE FARMER, THE WATERS, THE CONSUMER THAT GETS A BETTER PRODUCT.” — TRAVIS CROXTON
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DETROIT DIRT Pashon Murray could be called a next-generation Rachel Carson — fearless, outspoken and willing to take on the big boys. Murray saw that food waste had become an epidemic — a 2020 estimate in the American Journal of Agricultural Economics valued food waste by U.S. consumers at $240 billion a year — and that was a driving factor in developing Detroit Dirt, her full-circle composting company. Detroit Dirt’s mission is to push forward a low-carbon economy by way of organics diversion. Murray designed a closed-loop system that treats waste as a resource, saving 50 to 70 tons of renewable waste annually from landfills and turning it into fertile compost. Murray asks: “Why truck food waste 30 miles outside the city? Composting is a natural process. All communities should be composting and managing their waste streams.” Murray started simply with a pilot program that composted food waste from General Motors and Blue Cross Blue Shield offices in Detroit. Now her company works with a wide selection of
restaurants, coffee shops and corporations that look to Murray to help them manage their waste streams more efficiently. Detroit Dirt’s composting site near downtown Detroit is producing rich, healthy soil for local farms, backyard gardeners and community gardens, and demand for Murray’s delicious dirt grows daily. A one-woman force with a dedicated team of collaborators — including the Detroit Zoological Society, which provides the herbivore waste critical to her compost — Murray has helped to change the carbon footprint of Detroit by revitalizing neighborhoods and finding solutions for everyday waste. “Our health and the health of the planet depend on the soil,” said Murray. “If we’re not investing in soil, then the consequences are detrimental to the ecosystem. Globally, we can make byproducts with food waste. It’s a resource, not a waste.” Murray has shown that with a small shift in perspective, you can empower and influence people to take big steps toward protecting and enriching their environment so that we can all thrive.
BY THE NUMBERS
267.8
million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) produced in the U.S. (U.S. EPA, 2017)
4.51
pounds of waste produced per person per day
1.3
pounds of food scraps Americans throw away daily — translating to almost 13% of the nation’s MSW stream
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TALKIN’ DIRT Pashon Murray (clockwise from above) believes communities should be composting and managing their own waste streams. Her company, Detroit Dirt, has a composting site that is transforming renewable waste from local restaurants, coffee shops and corporations into rich, healthy soil. It’s packaged (at left) and available for purchase, starting at $15 for a five-pound bag. DETROIT DIRT PHOTOS BY C’MON TEAM
UPDATE Yes, production of Detroit Dirt’s rich compost has slowed significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. Obviously, the waste stream from local businesses hasn’t been flowing in typical fashion since everything went on lockdown. For Pashon Murray, these challenging times have given her opportunity for reflection, brainstorming and collaboration. She is looking for ways to work more closely with local officials, food distributors, urban farmers, other composters, food banks and more to develop better crisis management models for recovering and repurposing food surplus. “I believe this pandemic is going to help us in the future, shining a light on the voids and giving a heightened focus to our broken food system,” said Murray. “We all have to look at our own footprints and waste streams to understand why there is an abundance for some and some don’t have enough — and start painting a picture of why a viable waste material management model is so important.” thf.org
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SUSTAINABILITY AT STAKE
“We view business as a force for good in our communities. Our role is essentially one of stewardship.” — DANIEL CONWAY
DID YOU KNOW? / Bottled water company Evian recently created a sustainable design collaboration and contest called Activate Movement, and introduced limitededition, sustainably made Evian glass bottles designed by Virgil Abloh and his creative studio Alaska Alaska.
DID YOU KNOW? / April is designated as Citizen Science Month.
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DID YOU KNOW? / When Rachel Carson’s 1962 book, Silent Spring, was published, many responded defensively, attacking her and her theories. But Carson also gained an important ally — President John F. Kennedy, who took action, establishing a committee to look into the negative effects of pesticide use.
DID YOU KNOW? / Protesters concerned with the environment’s destruction organized the first Earth Day 50 years ago in April 1970. The globally recognized annual demonstration is dedicated to supporting environmental protection.
DID YOU KNOW? / A group of 17-year-old students from Pennsylvania who call themselves Absolute Zero have created a biodegradable, renewable and green alternative to traditional polymer-based plastics. Plastioca: The Tapioca Bioplastic of the Future, an entrant in the 2019 Invention Convention U.S. Nationals held at Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, was developed by Hailey Foreman, Morgan Cummings, Annie Dickinson, Lauren Natkin and Kelly Barr.
DID YOU KNOW? / You can help the University of Queensland create more public awareness of the value of coral reefs and the effects of coral bleaching and climate change. Become a citizen scientist in the well-established program CoralWatch (coralwatch.org), which has been helping to quantify the world’s coral health since 2002.
BE A CITIZEN SCIENTIST While Rachel Carson was a trained scientist and biologist working toward the greater good, a citizen scientist is a nonscientist who works with the scientific community to affect positive change. By paying attention to our environment and taking an interest in the science behind sustainability, we all can make a difference.
MEET RACHEL CARSON IN THE MUSEUM Lots of changes have recently occured in and around the Agriculture and the Environment exhibition in Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation (see story on Page 52), including an interactive experience known as a gallery column. On this column, you can dive deeper into the story of Rachel Carson through digital labels that explore her seminal book, Silent Spring, and the resulting birth of the American environmental movement. Other interactives allow you to learn more about the widespread use of pesticides then and now, examine postWorld War II advertisements that marketed pesticides to Americans or discover how pesticides accumulate in an ecosystem and affect wildlife. The Rachel Carson content, along with the column’s other stories inspired by the museum’s extensive collections, was created in collaboration with the curatorial staff at The Henry Ford and Bluecadet, an experience design agency. Of the column’s five sides, one serves as a title banner for the exhibition; another is reminiscent of traditional museum labels and focuses on three interesting artifacts you can see on the museum floor. A third side is devoted to an eight-minute film that examines the history of three of the exhibit’s biggest machines and their impact on the production of food, fuel and fiber. The remaining two sides provide guests with an interactive experience that allows them to explore the important work of Carson as well as horticultural mastermind Luther Burbank and agricultural scientist George Washington Carver.
AT HOME It was Carson’s friend who raised the alarm about bird die-offs in her backyard that prompted Carson to write Silent Spring — proof that big change can start small. A few small steps worth considering in your sustainability quest: •J oin the annual Great Backyard Bird Count. The count (birdcount .org) is a great way to get kids involved with nature. •U se your smartphone to help scientists gather data on animal populations. You can count Costa Rican wildcats at Instant Wild (instantwild.zsl.org) or share observations on your local wildlife at inaturalist.org.
IN YOUR COMMUNITY Look for opportunities for neighborhood involvement — you’ll stay socially connected and help your community at the same time.
IN YOUR WORKPLACE If you are motivated to make a difference, become an advocate for sustainability and social change within your company.
•U se resources like greenamerica.org to find and support businesses and brands that are striving toward sustainability.
•G oing green is a differentiator that gives you a leg up on recruiting and marketing. Recycle office waste, implement inventory controls (which prevents unnecessary purchases and wasteful spending) or research tax credits for becoming energy efficient at energy.gov.
•S tart a community garden. It’s a great way to shift away from packaged, processed foods and to get to know your neighbors. National Garden Clubs: gardenclub.org •P articipate in crowdsourced data gathering like noisetube.net, which measures noise pollution, or createlab.org, which trains artificial intelligence to identify smoke emissions.
•L et your company’s unused computing power contribute to scientific research projects at scienceunited.org.
ONLINE For how-to videos on becoming a citizen scientist, visit SciStarter’s YouTube channelc
— RYAN JELSO, ASSOCIATE CURATOR, DIGITAL CONTENT
ONLINE Explore the recently published expert set, “Luther Burbank’s Experimental Gardens,” which showcases the prolific horticulturist’s vast experimental gardens in California, where he developed more than 800 new fruits, veggies, flowers and other plants, at thf.org/burbank-gardensc
Triple bottom line (TBL) is a business framework that addresses social and environmental concerns along with making some coin. During the Ford Rouge Factory Tour, you can see a successful TBL model at work. That’s because the Dearborn Truck Plant, where the Ford F-150 truck is built, has set world-class standards for efficiency and environmentfriendly manufacturing processes. They include: • A 10.4-acre living sedum roof as part of its stormwater management system • Zero-waste-to-landfill practices, such as a scrap recycling program • An on-site ecosystem with an orchard full of songbirds and two bee colonies • Retooling the plant to operate using renewable energy, reducing carbon emissions thf.org
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MAKING MOTHER NATURE OUR MUSE Biomimicry gives context to why we need to pay closer attention to nature’s problem-solving skills By Christa Avampato Illustrations by James Round
In the face of a challenge, a walk is one of the best ways to jump-start imagination and pave a creative path forward. Take that walk in nature, or better yet spend a few days in nature without technology, and research shows our problem-solving abilities soar by as much as 50%. Inventors and problem solvers need a constant supply of potent inspiration. Books and journal articles, as well as brainstorms with mentors, colleagues and friends, help. However, in many instances our greatest teacher lives right outside our doors. There, we can find knowledge, wisdom, experience and a solid track record of success. Nature has the answers we need to solve every problem — if only we know where to look and how to ask the right questions.
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MAKING MOTHER NATURE OUR MUSE
WHAT IS BIOMIMICRY? Biomimicry is innovation inspired by nature. Whether we’re working on a challenge related to product development, process generation, policy creation or organizational design, one of the smartest questions we can ask is: “What would nature do?” Asking this question, and then studying nature to find the answers, is a way to discover new sustainable solutions that solve our design challenges without negatively impacting the planet. Undoubtedly, biomimicry is best learned by doing. It’s a field that requires us to open our eyes, ears and hearts as we roll up our sleeves to dig deep (sometimes literally into the dirt) to understand, interpret and then utilize nature’s design principles to solve the challenges we face in our lives. “Biomimicry applies strategies from the natural world to solve human design challenges,” said Alexandra Ralevski, Ph.D., director of AskNature at the Biomimicry Institute based in Missoula, Montana. “This is a field that has the power to radically transform any industry.”
AT WORK IN THE WORLD One of the best ways to illustrate biomimicry’s power is to look to some of its most well-known examples. A trio composed of a marine biologist, mechanical engineer and entrepreneur created the most efficient fans and turbines in the world through inspiration found in humpback whales. On the surface, this may seem like an odd connection. How could humpback whales possibly teach a highly skilled group to build a turbine? It turns out that these whales were experts at the exact function these humans wanted to achieve.
The bumps on a humpback whale’s flipper are nature’s answer to what makes a wind turbine extra efficient.
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Humpback whales are among the world’s most agile animals. Though they can reach 16 meters (52 feet) in length and 40 tons in weight, they can lift a large portion of their bodies up out of the ocean and into the air in an acrobatic feat that leaves whale watchers breathless. A single jump or leap (called a breach) requires humpback whales to expend only 0.075% of their daily energy intake. Not only is the breach a stunning display of athleticism, it’s also a remarkably efficient action. Marine biologist Frank Fish suspected the bumps (called tubercles) on the leading edges of the whale’s flippers held the secret to bending the ocean waters to their will. Working with Fish to study this mystery was engineer Phillip Watts: “I had been working in biomechanics and understood the importance of biomimicry, drawing engineering ideas from evolution,” shared Watts.
Together, Fish and Watts found that humpback whales achieved a rare point of design greatness: The tubercles on their flippers could increase lift while simultaneously reducing drag. A genius combination that gave these magnificent creatures such remarkable agility. Along with a third collaborator, entrepreneur Stephen Dewar, Fish and Watts decided to model their turbine design on the humpback’s flippers. Not surprisingly, their newly fabricated turbines not only produced supreme performance like the whales but were highly efficient. Soon after, the trio’s newly formed corporation, WhalePower, became a leading manufacturer of energy-efficient rotating devices for various applications. “Because nature had done so much work on this [for us],” said Dewar, “we were able to understand what was possible.”
“LEARNING ABOUT THE NATURAL WORLD IS ONE THING. LEARNING FROM THE NATURAL WORLD — THAT’S THE SWITCH. THAT’S THE PROFOUND SWITCH.” — JANINE BENYUS, CO-FOUNDER, BIOMIMICRY INSTITUTE, 2005 TED TALK
FOR THE BIRDS Transportation aficionados know that Japan’s Shinkansen, known as the bullet train, is one of the world’s finest examples of efficient and elegant design. What many people don’t know is that the Shinkansen has a bird to thank for its performance. Known for its silent diving abilities, the kingfisher can break the water while barely making a sound or a splash to claim its favorite meal — minnows and stickleback fish. Shinkansen engineers faced a serious structural challenge while designing the bullet train: It created a sonic boom as it emerged from tunnels at high speeds. One of the team’s engineers, who had observed the kingfisher’s precise diving technique, suggested they mimic the bird’s beak shape in the train’s design. Voila! The sonic boom disappeared. The bullet train’s unique design also had other unforeseen benefits. Its new nose safely increased travel speeds, lowered fuel consumption and reduced operating costs.
The sleek shape of a certain bird’s beak is nature’s answer to conquering a bullet train’s unwelcome sonic boom.
ONLINE To learn more about biomimicry, visit the Biomimicry Institute’s website to view the 20-minute film, The Promise of Biomimicry biomimicry.orgc
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MAKING MOTHER NATURE OUR MUSE
PUSH THE BOUNDARIES Building on the success of innovations like the bullet train and WhalePower, biomimicry is finding its way into nearly every industry today. To promote local agriculture, NexLoop focuses on creating renewable water infrastructure for sustainable food systems. Its main product, AquaWeb, captures, stores and distributes just the right amount of water at just the right time for local food production. How does it strike this balance? AquaWeb takes its cues from the efficiency of nature, incorporating learnings from multiple organisms: beehives to create structural strength, spider webs to capture water, ice plants to store water and mycelium to distribute water. Biomimicry also guided the strategy of Nucleário, winner of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation Ray of Hope Prize. Company founders wanted to repopulate the forests of their home country, Brazil, where young tree seedlings face overwhelmingly adverse survival odds. Their roots are choked by grasses while their leaves are devoured by leaf-cutter ants. Of the small handful that reach their first birthday, 95% don’t live to see their second. It’s these long-shot odds that Nucleário sought to combat. Like NexLoop, Nucleário combined the designs of several natural models to create its tree seedling pods, from the protective abilities of leaf litter and water accumulation talents of bromeliads (think of a pineapple) to the graceful air dispersal skills of anemocoric seeds. “Our connection to nature and deep-rooted gratitude for all life inspires and sustains us,” said Bruno Rutman Pagnoncelli, CEO and founder, Nucleário. “We look to nature to guide our decisions, from design to raw material selection and everything in between.” Combining the natural models that inspired them, Nucleário’s founders have built a planting system that provides protection as well as nutrient and moisture maintenance with less human intervention and tending. Their design is both lightweight and strong, with water chambers that collect and distribute water the same way nature does.
WATCH Janine Benyus’ TED talks on biomimicry on youtube.comc
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NEW FRONTIERS “Using nature as a model for sustainability means that we always have a benchmark for our designs,” said AskNature’s Ralevski. “This benchmarking is critical to determine success and improve our iterations.” A hallmark of nature, and by extension biomimicry, is that there is a progression of continuous improvement over time within the context of a specific situation that could include the geography, environmental circumstances and economic situation in which a design solution must exist and operate. Biomimicry successes in energy management, transportation and architectural design are spurring design experiments in fields as varied as medicine, materials science, textiles and urban planning. We’re also beginning to see social science applications of biomimicry in community organizations, economic development and communication systems. “Biomimicry’s greatest legacy will be more than a stronger fiber or a new drug,” said Janine Benyus, co-founder of the Biomimicry Institute. “It will be gratitude and an ardent desire to protect the genius that surrounds us.”
A beehive’s structure, a spider web’s power of attraction and an ice plant’s water storage system are nature’s answers to creating more sustainable food systems.
BEING A BRIDGE
With varied fields of expertise, including scientific knowledge, business planning, design thinking and operations, to name just a few, practitioners of biomimicry serve as the bridge between professional groups, such as scientists, business managers, policymakers, engineers and designers, who are often siloed from one another. If all the world is an orchestra of voices, those who study biomimicry are the conductors making room for each of them, ensuring that they rise, shine and harmonize together for the benefit of all. It’s impossible to utter a single word about the theory and practice of biomimicry without paying homage to Janine Benyus. A biologist, author, innovation consultant and self-proclaimed “nature nerd,” Benyus’ groundbreaking book, Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, has made its way onto bookshelves and into the hearts, hands and minds of problem solvers. “We’re awake now,” she said. “And the question is, how do we stay awake to the living world? How do we make the act of asking nature’s advice a normal part of everyday inventing?” To explore this question and bring passionate and multitalented collaborators into community with one another, Benyus co-founded the nonprofit that would become the Biomimicry Institute in Missoula, Montana. Over a decade later, the organization continues to provide education, support and innovation inspiration for anyone and everyone who wants to bring the study and application of nature’s design genius into their work and into their lives.
HOOKED BY NATURE In 1941, Swiss engineer George de Mestral was hunting and noticed his pants were covered with burdock burrs. He wondered how the seedpods could hold on and took to his microscope, examining the burr’s “hooks” and how they clung to fabric. After years of research, de Mestral was granted a U.S. patent in 1955 for what became Velcro, his famous hook-and-loop fastener.
DID YOU KNOW? / The Biomimicry Institute is not the only organization versed in this field of study. Entrepreneur Tom Tyrrell started Great Lakes Biomimicry in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2010 and has created a biomimicry-based economic hot spot, working with educational institutions, such as the University of Akron’s Biomimicry Research and Innovation Center.
READ
Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature by Janine Benyusc
BOOK PHOTO COURTESY OF BIOMIMICRY INSTITUTE
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MAKING MOTHER NATURE OUR MUSE
FROM THE COLLECTIONS OF THE HENRY FORD The Henry Ford Magazine asked its expert curatorial team to go on a search-andfind discovery of their own — looking for examples of biomimicry and natureinspired artifacts in The Henry Ford’s vast collections. Here are some of their picks.
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WHO:
WHO:
Charles Sable
Katherine White
Curator of Decorative Arts
Associate Curator, Digital Content
WHAT:
WHAT:
Wallpaper Sample, 1860-1880
Favrile Bowl, circa 1918
WHY:
WHY:
“The mimicry of nature here involves the use of the egg motif alternating with the dart or spear. Take a closer look, and you’ll see that strategically located between the egg-and-dart bands are a series of lettuce-like acanthus leaves.”
“This iridescent glass bowl comprises a shimmering multitude of colors, mimicking the natural iridescence found on the wings of a dragonfly or the mother-ofpearl coating of a seashell.”
ARTIFACT DESCRIPTION: Dentil (rectangular decoration), egg-and-dart and acanthus motifs were common patterns in just about all ancient Greek and Roman architecture, represented in the gray, tan and cream imagery of this architecturethemed wallpaper sample.
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ARTIFACT DESCRIPTION: Art glass is ornamental and decorative glass dating from the mid-to-late 19th century through the early 20th century. Makers of art glass employed newly developed technologies for producing vibrant colors and surface textures, most famously seen in the iridescent surfaces of Louis Comfort Tiffany and his contemporaries. See it in Greenfield Village in the Davidson-Gerson Gallery of Glass.
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ONLINE Want to explore more nods to nature from The Henry Ford’s collections? Discover Ruth Adler Schnee’s textiles in this expert set thf.org/schnee-textiles • Type “Mako Shark concept car” in the Digital Collections search box on thf.org • Read “What If Bicycles Held the Secret to Human Flight” at thf.org/what-if/wright to learn how the Wright brothers’ study of birds in flight influenced their plans for putting humans in the airc 46
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WHO:
WHO:
WHO:
WHO:
WHO:
Kristen Gallerneaux
Ryan Jelso
Jeanine Miller
Matt Anderson
Debra Reid
Associate Curator, Digital Content
Curator of Domestic Life
Curator of Transportation
WHAT:
WHAT:
WHAT:
Curator of Agriculture & the Environment
Electronic Toll Pass Holder, 2010
The Siberian by Antonio Stradivari, 1709
1951 Beatty Belly Tank Lakester Land Speed Race Car
Langstroth-Style Beehive
WHY:
WHY:
WHY:
“The elegant scroll of this violin suggests the curled fronds of certain ferns or the graceful swirl of a nautilus shell. Look around. The design often appears in nature — including spiral galaxies.”
”Ask an engineer for the perfect aerodynamic form, and they’ll likely point to the human teardrop. Fuel tanks like this used that shape to great effect — first on fighter planes and then as bodies on land speed cars.”
“Bee-havior inspired Lorenzo L. Langstroth to design an apiary (beehive) most suited to bee needs.”
Curator of Communications & Information Technology
WHAT: Zenith Royal 555 Sun Charger Transistor Radio, 1965
WHY: “Just as plants and algae harvest sunlight for their survival through photosynthesis, the solar cells in the handle of this radio convert light energy into stored battery power.”
ARTIFACT DESCRIPTION: This radio was made portable thanks to the miniaturizing effect of transistors. The forwardthinking design of the Sun Charger radio also used rechargeable NiCad batteries, which drew their power from solar energy filtered through its “miracle” sunray handle.
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WHY: “Figuring out the physics of a suction cup might have proved challenging for us humans, but marine life like octopuses and clingfish have had suction cups figured out for millions of years. Today, scientists study these animals in order to create stronger suction cups for a wide range of applications.”
ARTIFACT DESCRIPTION: In the 1990s, many American toll roads introduced electronic collection devices. Often mounted to the interior of an automobile windshield in a container like this, the devices transmitted a signal to the toll plaza. Tolls were deducted from participating drivers’ prepaid accounts as they cruised through the gates.
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ARTIFACT DESCRIPTION: This Antonio Stradivari violin — with its beautiful form and exquisite tone — was created by the famed violinmaker in 1709 during his golden period of production. Its carved scroll is decorative — it doesn’t affect the violin’s tone, yet it certainly adds to the instrument’s visual harmony. See it in Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation.
ARTIFACT DESCRIPTION: After World War II, hot rodders started using external fuel tanks from fighter planes as car bodies. Californian Tom Beatty crafted this tank, once the world’s fastest. See it in the new Driven to Win: Racing in America exhibition when it opens later this year in Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation.
WHAT:
ARTIFACT DESCRIPTION: Langstroth’s careful study documented “bee-space,” the area bees prefer to move within as they build their combs, store their honey and preserve the bee colony.
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“ASK AN ENGINEER FOR THE PERFECT AERODYNAMIC FORM, AND THEY’LL LIKELY POINT TO THE HUMAN TEARDROP.” — MATT ANDERSON ONLINE Learn more about all of these artifacts in our expert set at thf.org/biomimicryc
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MIDWEST PREMIERE EXHIBITION The biggest Marvel exhibition ever chronicles the story of Marvel and its influence on visual culture, while also uncovering the stories of individual characters like Captain America, Spider-Man, Black Panther, Captain Marvel and Doctor Strange. From comics to film, Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes features more than 300 artifacts, including some of Marvel’s most iconic and sought-after pages, costumes and props. Spectacular artifacts thrill both avid collectors and casual fans, while immersive set pieces, soundscapes and interactive elements bring the Marvel Universe to life for the hero in all of us. ADDITIONAL TICKET REQUIRED.
HENRY FORD MUSEUM OF AMERICAN INNOVATION®
Visit tHF.oRg FoR DEtAils. AN EXHIBITION BY
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© 2020
Prepare to be astounded by our attractions and resources
Please visit thf.org, subscribe to our enews or follow us on Facebook for the most up-to-date information on venues, upcoming exhibits, events, programming and pricing.
INSIDE THE HENRY FORD Flip through the following pages to find out what’s happening inside this mind-blowing cultural institution and how to make the most of your annual membership.
Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation Greenfield Village Acquisitions + Collections Membership Spotlight Connect 3 Driven to Win: Racing in America
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INSIDE THE HENRY FORD
HENRY FORD MUSEUM OF AMERICAN INNOVATION
FOOD IN PROCESS
Two new museum experiences help visitors see connections between farming and food THE UPDATED Agriculture and the Environment exhibition in Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation tells the story of farming in America. The nearby new restaurant — Plum Market Kitchen at The Henry Ford — features locally sourced foods, well-prepared, as well as high-quality packaged goods. Food stories connect these attractions. Every artifact in the exhibition conveys an authentic story about daily routines, seasonal rhythms and technological choices that farm families made from the 1750s to the present. Raising food for themselves and for their livestock drove most of their choices. A cutaway of a 1926 Fordson tractor — an eye-catching example of 20th-century functional design — helped Antonio Stabile, a Ford dealer in Rosario, Argentina, convince farmers to buy a machine that could help them increase cultivated acreage. An 8N Ford tractor was the bestselling tractor of its time (1948-1952). A newly restored 1925 Farmall tractor with a 1930s frontmounted cultivator and a 1925 New Idea corn harvester stand next to, and in stark contrast to, the ever-popular 1975 Sperry-New Holland combine. The combination helps convey 50 years of technological change in field corn production — corn that you may
ONLINE To learn more about the Agriculture and the Environment exhibition, visit thf.org/museum/agriculture.aspxc
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consume in products from corn syrup and corn oil to pork, beef or poultry fattened on ground corn. People who did not live on farms depended on public markets in city centers for their fresh foodstuffs, but by the 1880s, companies such as Heinz mass-produced affordable pickled and processed foods. Farm families got in line at grocery stores after the 1930s as canned goods became less expensive and family farmers prioritized off-farm employment over food production. Canned tomatoes got their start as a farm crop, handpicked until 1969 when 30 years of research into plant breeding and mechanical engineering resulted in the Cascade tomato harvester, though it still carried 12 laborers through the fields to sort tomatoes from plant debris. What farm crops do you find in Plum Market Kitchen? During a future visit, peruse the artifacts in the updated exhibition. Then learn more about three artifacts by watching the video in the gallery column that features the tomato harvester, the New Holland combine and the cotton picker. Tie these back to your Plum Market dining experience. — DEBRA REID, CURATOR OF AGRICULTURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
DID YOU KNOW? / Several artifacts now a part of the updated Agriculture and the Environment exhibition help visitors learn about power on the farm, including a McCormick-Deering engine in common use during the early 20th century that pumped water and ground corn for feed, a 1937 Wincharger windmill that helped power radios in farm homes before rural electrification and an electrified International Harvester cream separator.
The proximity of Plum Market c
Kitchen (inset) to the updated Agriculture and the Environment artifacts, such as the McCormickDeering Farmall Tractor, gives museumgoers the opportunity to make connections between agriculture and food production systems.
PHOTOS BY JILLIAN FERRAIUOLO
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INSIDE THE HENRY FORD
GREENFIELD VILLAGE
MAKING THE CUT
The Tripp Sawmill was a self-sufficient industrial operation that mirrored the needs of its community VISIT THE LIBERTY CRAFTWORKS district in Greenfield Village, and a red structure stands out at the far end of the pond. That’s the Tripp Sawmill, which once operated in Tipton, Michigan, in the mid-1800s under the ownership of Rev. Henry Tripp and his family. “It’s an interesting example of a logical, sequential, flowing process,” Marc Greuther, vice president of historical resources and chief curator of The Henry Ford, said of the sawmill. “It’s not a stretch to think of the building as a kind of machine, if you will, a single-purpose machine that is quite refined.” The sawmill was built and run solely by the Tripp family, tailored to the needs of the surrounding community. Tipton, an early American startup of sorts, was not necessarily looking for a large-scale logging operation in its midst. Instead, it needed a self-contained, functioning sawmill that could cut and process lumber from the area’s felled trees. It most likely operated only during the winter months, when residents could easily move felled trees from their properties across the frozen ground. “The Tripps were quite adept at figuring out how to start a business and find a niche,” said Greuther. “They were venturesome, entrepreneurial and had that can-do attitude.”
ONLINE For the latest information, visit thf.org/villagec
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While many such sawmills in the U.S. at this time were water-powered, especially those started in newly founded communities, the Tripp Sawmill was powered by steam from the outset — finely tuned and aligned to the resources within its vicinity. A well, for example, was on-site. The mill collected and used rainwater. Its boiler was fueled with waste wood and sawdust from the mill’s operation. “The mill exemplifies a judicious use of resources and technology and human personnel and output all working together,” said Greuther. Undoubtedly, small sawmills played a fundamental role in rural communities in 19th-century America. The Tripp Sawmill was a modest, self-sufficient, integrated industrial unit comfortably wedded to its location, a model of how technology dovetails with human needs and available resources to play an important function in the life of a growing community. “It doesn’t surprise me that Henry Ford would be fascinated by this mill,” shared Greuther. “If you think of assembly lines, flowing material within a factory, this has all the hallmarks. It’s logical, visible, and mills like this, I think, were very inspirational to a great many inventors of the era.”
ROUGE RIVER OXBOW RESTORATION Started nearly two decades ago, the Rouge River Oxbow Restoration Project, located within Greenfield Village, has restored valuable aquatic and land habitats and re-established wetlands lost because of the river’s channelization in the 1970s. Last fall, the project’s latest phase was completed, restoring the oxbow channel, or U-shaped bend, and wetlands providing habitats for various wildlife and fish species. In addition, another 10 acres of existing and restored woodlands and meadow now buffer the new natural expanse from highvolume Greenfield Village visitor areas. “The Rouge River Oxbow Project is one part of a many-faceted initiative to reclaim the Rouge as a natural, educational, recreational and aesthetic asset for the community and generations to come,” said George Moroz, spokesman for The Henry Ford. The island in the middle of the oxbow can also serve as an interpretive area for educational programming, such as summer camps. It also furnishes Greenfield Village with an inspiring space for future program development.
— JENNIFER LAFORCE
WATCH Episode 133 from season six of The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation for a segment about the Tripp Sawmill with The Henry Ford’s Marc Greuther at thf.org/innovationnationc
DID YOU KNOW? / The Tripp Sawmill was operated in Greenfield Village for a period of time. Wood processed at the mill in the 1980s, for example, was used for restoration of the Firestone barn in the village.
c The Henry Ford’s Marc Greuther
(left) gives The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation host Mo Rocca a short lesson on the steampowered simplicity of the Tripp Sawmill’s operation.
PHOTO COURTESY OF
LITTON ENTERTAINMENT
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INSIDE THE HENRY FORD
ACQUISITIONS + COLLECTIONS
ARCHITECT OF THE EVERYDAY The influential career of designer Michael Graves gains a permanent presence at The Henry Ford THIS YEAR, The Henry Ford acquired Michael Graves Design’s (MGD) extensive product design archive as part of its permanent collection — more than 2,500 objects in total. In celebration of the significant acquisition, a selection of 21 artifacts from the archive was quickly put on display inside Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation as a pop-up exhibition for visitors to enjoy. “In its entirety, the Michael Graves Design’s product archive tells a 39-year history of art, culture and commerce, along with countless stories about the power of design,” said Patricia Mooradian, president and CEO, The Henry Ford. “We are honored that the team chose The Henry Ford as the location to house this collection that shows that everyday products can be designed with both purpose and playfulness.” The MGD archive consists of finished products, models, prototypes and production samples representing partnerships with Alessi, Target, Stryker, Disney, Steuben,
ONLINE To see digitized Michael Graves Product Design Collection artifacts, visit thf.org/gravescollectionc
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JUNE-DECEMBER 2020
Swid Powell, Sunar, Lenox, Dansk, Duravit and Dornbracht, among others. Graves’ groundbreaking 15-year partnership with Target transformed mass-merchandising strategies, elevated consumers’ expectations for design and made Target a design destination. In addition to high-end client relationships, MGD’s revolutionary approach to common home products, known as “Art of the Everyday Object,” solidified it as a pioneer in the contemporary design industry. “Michael Graves and his designers performed a kind of design alchemy, transforming often humble things — thousands of them — into objects of delight, humor and elegance,” said Marc Greuther, vice president, historical resources and chief curator at The Henry Ford. “He showed that seeming near-opposites, such as practicality, whimsy, affordability, decoration and modernity, could actually coexist — and move swiftly off the shelves of everyday retailers.”
AMERICAN ART POTTERY Near the pop-up exhibit of the newly acquired Michael Graves Design archive, you’ll find an all-new permanent collections platform showcasing artifacts from The Henry Ford’s collection of 20thcentury art pottery. Installed this year, the exhibit tells the story of the evolution of American art pottery, from its origins as a pastime for wealthy Victorian ladies through the studio ceramics movement of the late 20th century. The collections platform also tells the backstories of Detroit’s Pewabic Pottery, Cincinnati’s Rookwood Pottery, and famed Ohio potteries such as Weller and Roseville, as well as California potteries.
— JENNIFER LAFORCE
ONLINE To learn more about Michael Graves’ architecture and design, visit michaelgraves.comc
DID YOU KNOW? / Michael Graves’ first designs for Target debuted in 1999. The collaboration eventually brought over 2,000 products to market across 20 categories, including kitchen electrics, gadgets, cleaning supplies, home decor, and storage and organization.
c The Arch Alarm Clock (1999)
is one of 21 Michael Graves Design products on display in Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. For more than three decades, Graves and his collaborators designed everything from humble household items like this clock to limited-edition luxury goods for clients ranging from Alessi and Target to Steuben glass and Disney.
HOTO FROM THE HENRY FORD P ARCHIVE OF AMERICAN INNOVATION
thf.org
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INSIDE THE HENRY FORD
MEMBERSHIP SPOTLIGHT
NAME: Alice McAlexander & Warren Flood + Malcolm
NUMBER OF YEARS AS MEMBERS:
1
MUST-DOS: Seeing the different trains, carriages and Model T’s throughout the museum and then watching them spring to life in a whole new way in Greenfield Village. Letting their son feed his obsession for the Mold-A-Ramas in the museum. He has collected nearly every mold.
MEMBERSHIP SPOTLIGHT
FAVORITE MEMBER PERK:
WHAT’S YOUR SPARK?
“Our 2-year-old wakes up and asks to go to the museum or Greenfield Village all the time, and every trip is a guaranteed great adventure full of new sights and experiences.”
Members Alice McAlexander, Warren Flood and their son find wonder in a bus, a collection of trains and a carousel
A PERENNIAL FIRST STOP for Alice McAlexander, Warren Flood and their son, Malcolm, is the Rosa Parks Bus in the museum’s With Liberty and Justice for All exhibition, where powerful storytelling offers an affecting, unforgettable journey from then to now without fail. After moving to Michigan during the frigid winter, this trio found The Henry Ford a twice-weekly indoor wonderland, smoothing their transition from sunny Los Angeles. Euphoria for Malcolm is when he is perched on the museum’s New Holland Combine or the village’s Herschell-Spillman Carousel. For the couple, The Henry Ford delivers hope and optimism for their son and all the next generations, linking historical creativity and invention with future innovation.
WHAT’S YOUR SPARK? Let us know what inspires you on your next visit and what takes you forward from your membership. Email us at membership@thehenryford.org. 58
JUNE-DECEMBER 2020
PHOTO COURTESY OF WARREN FLOOD
Take It Forward as a Member Enjoy benefits like free admission and parking, discounts on events and tours, exclusive member previews and more. ONLINE thf.org/ membershipc
INSIDE THE HENRY FORD
CONNECT 3
FANNING MILL, a
CONNECT
3
Curators uncover curious connections between artifacts and ideas
Powered by Wind: What do a 17th-century windmill, an 1830s mechanical winnower and a 1960s dream car have to do with one another?
FARRIS WINDMILL c In the mid-1600s, settlers on Cape Cod designed a sturdy structure that could mill their flour from grain. MAKE THE CONNECTION: It was the wind off the ocean that turned the windmill’s large canvascovered arms that drove the millstones that ground the grain.
“WE’VE HARNESSED THE WIND FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS, TO POWER BOATS, TO PUMP WATER AND TO GRIND GRAIN, AND WE MAY ONLY BE GETTING STARTED.”
CIRCA 1830 When farmers winnow, they manually separate wheat’s grain from chaff. With winnowing basket in hand, even the slightest breeze with each basket bounce would carry away the chaff.
MAKE THE CONNECTION: It was the artificial wind that a fanning machine made that helped blow and separate the grain and chaff — mechanizing much of the process for farmers.
1963 CHRYSLER b GAS TURBINE SEDAN Fifty of these experimental vehicles were built for public testing in the ‘60s, all with engines powered by a fan-like turbine rather than those popular pistons. Unfortunately, poor fuel economy nixed future production.
MAKE THE CONNECTION:
I t was a very fast and hot wind that turned the turbine that turned the sedan’s rear wheels.
— MATT ANDERSON, CURATOR OF TRANSPORTATION, THE HENRY FORD
PHOTOS FROM THE HENRY FORD ARCHIVE OF AMERICAN INNOVATION
WATCH The Powered by Wind Connect 3 video authored by Matt Anderson, curator of transportation at The Henry Ford thf.org/connect3/powered-by-windc thf.org
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INSIDE THE HENRY FORD
DRIVEN TO WIN: RACING IN AMERICA
HENRY FORD MUSEUM OF AMERICAN INNOVATION
Driven to Win: Racing in America Coming Soon: Check thf.org for details Take an exhilarating ride and immerse yourself in the images, settings, speed and sounds of auto racing in Driven to Win: Racing in America presented by General Motors. In this new permanent exhibition, you’ll be transported to the winner’s circle through interactive displays that include race cars, a theater and multisensory experiences that take you behind the scenes into the excitement and risk, and the inspiring stories of how motorsport fans and professionals fuel their passion.
1965 Lotus-Ford, d
winner of the Indianapolis 500
PLUS, see professional rally driver Ken
PIONE E RS OF RACING
DRIVEN TO WIN : Racing in America
lb/hp 93.5 lbs
hp 26
hp 80
hp 120
lb/hp 34.1
lb/hp 18.4
RAC IN G F LAGS Start of the race or end of a caution period
Conditions are too dangerous to continue race
Caution: Hazard on or near the track
Disqualification: Return to the pits
Final lap
End of the race 96�
117�
FORD “SWEEPSTAKES�
FORD “999�
1901
IN DY C A R hp 150
lb/hp 13.2
L AN D S P E E D hp 400
lb/hp 5.4
hp 500
lb/hp 4.4
hp 355
lb/hp 11.7
LOCOMOBILE “OLD 16�
1902
hp 1,200
hp 650
lb/hp 1.9
1906
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110�
lb/hp 5
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hp 650
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100�
110�
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126�
100�
110.5�
110� 96�
110� 98�
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CHRYSLER 300-B
WILLYS GASSER
CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1 1LE
MOORE/UNSER
FORD FIESTA ST
1935
1967
1951
1956
2018
1933
1958
lb/hp n/a
67.5�
2012
SOAP BOX DERBY 1939
hp 400
lb/hp 4.7
hp 2,400
96�
MESKOWSKI
207�
110�
FORD THUNDERBIRD
lb/hp 2.5
hp 312
hp 610
lb/hp 5.8
lb/hp 4.6
104.5�
CHEVROLET CORVETTE C5-R
lb/hp 1.5
lb/hp 3.45
hp 775
lb/hp 5.3
103�
106.5�
110�
FORD GT
FORD FUSION
hp 740
hp 250
hp 11,000
LONG ISLAND PUBLIC ROADS
1908 Vanderbilt Cup
lb/hp 2.3
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1985
hp 900
lb/hp 1.6
2015
lb/hp 2.3
hp 400
84�
hp 335
lb/hp 5.9
84�
WINGED SPRINT
122�
MIDGET
2019
hp 380
FORMULA E
2019
hp 650
lb/hp 6.9
99� Hill Climb
Pikes Peak International Hill Climb
2019
lb/hp 4.9
hp 870
lb/hp 1.9
Sports Car
CIRCUIT DE LA SARTHE
BONNEVILLE SPEEDWAY
Bonneville Speed Week
24 Hours of Le Mans
DALLARA IR12-CHEVROLET 2019
Land Speed
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY Daytona 500
FORMULA 1
2020
2020
NHRA WINTERNATIONALS .25 mi
mi 2.5
Sports Car, Stock Car, Indy Car
Sports Car, Stock Car
mi 9
145.5�
TRUCK SERIES
2020
mi 2.5
mi .25
NHRA Winternationals
112�
RALLY
mi 8.47 Drag
AUTO CLUB RACEWAY AT POMONA 121.5�
24 HOURS OF LEMONS
mi 12.42
PIKES PEAK HIGHWAY mi 23.46
1988
hp 700
lb/hp 0.2
lb/hp 18.8
DEMOLITION DERBY
Road Race
115�
PENSKE PC17-CHEVROLET
hp 9
40�
2017
NOTA BL E R AC E T R AC KS
lb/hp 2.2
lb/hp 29.1
100.5�
300�
lb/hp 2
111�
hp 88
1973
2018
2016
OFF-ROAD 1971
lb/hp 18.6
122�
TOP FUEL DRAGSTER
1984
hp 720
lb/hp 6.9
92�
WID E R WO R L D O F R AC IN G lb/hp 4.3
CHEVROLET COBALT SS
MARCH 84C-COSWORTH
hp 400
HOT ROD
lb/hp 7.7
101�
2004
lb/hp 13.7
106�
2019
2011
McLAREN M16A 1972
hp 180
FORD GT
1960
110�
hp 500+
lb/hp 4.7
106.5�
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FORD FUSION
2001
hp 1,100
hp 647
96�
hp 450
118.5�
GM ECOTEC LAKESTER
hp 900
lb/hp 5.5
1932
96�
2004
hp 220
1987
LOTUS-FORD 1965
lb/hp 5.9
GOLDENROD 1965
1960
hp 495
hp 625
lb/hp 3.3
INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Indianapolis 500
Race Lengths
BONNEVILLE SPEED WEEK 1 mi PIKES PEAK INTERNATIONAL HILL CLIMB 12.42 mi VANDERBUILT CUP (1908 Race) 258.06 mi INDIANAPOLIS 500 500 mi DAYTONA 500 500 mi 24 HOURS OF LE MANS 2,878.78 mi (2016 – GTE Pro Class winner)
EXPLORE the 6-foot-wide
graphic display board adjacent to the Driven to Win: Racing in America theater. It gives visitors a visual of the vehicles within the exhibition as well as highlights popular forms of racing and racetracks.
HOTOS FROM THE HENRY FORD P ARCHIVE OF AMERICAN INNOVATION
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JUNE-DECEMBER 2020
Block’s 2012 Ford Fiesta ST HFHV that he drove in his popular Gymkhana YouTube video series. A recently announced acquisition, the Gymkhana Five Fiesta is now a permanent part of The Henry Ford Archive of American Innovation and will be on display in Driven to Win: Racing in America, along with some 28 other vehicles.
Focused on the future
Our purpose is to inspire human progress. As a company built on innovation, we are proud to encourage the next generation of scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs through our presenting sponsorship of Invention Convention U.S. Nationals. Learn more at RTX.com
COLLINS AEROSPACE PRATT & WHITNEY RAYTHEON INTELLIGENCE & SPACE RAYTHEON MISSILES & DEFENSE
How to make your travel plans to The Henry Ford quick and easy
PLAN YOUR VISIT At The Henry Ford, you’ll discover America — its culture, inventions, people and can-do spirit — and hundreds of ways to explore it, enjoy it and be inspired by it. Maximize your visit — whether it’s for three hours, three days or a full year — and see for yourself why The New York Times called The Henry Ford one of the world’s coolest museums.
OUR PARTNERS
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PLAN YOUR VISIT Preferred Hotel Partners
OVERNIGHT VACATION PACKAGES The Henry Ford offers overnight packages through several lodging partners that meet a variety of needs, including full service, limited service, historic charm, B&B style or campground. When you book with one of The Henry Ford’s official lodging partners, be sure to ask about available double and family vacation packages, which include attraction tickets and overnight accommodations.
FULL SERVICE
FULL SERVICE
HISTORIC
BEST WESTERN GREENFIELD INN
DOUBLETREE BY HILTON DETROIT DEARBORN
THE DEARBORN INN, A MARRIOTT HOTEL
3000 Enterprise Drive Allen Park, MI 48101 313.271.1600 bestwesterngreenfield.com
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5801 Southfield Expressway Detroit, MI 48228 313.336.3340 dearborn.doubletree.com
20301 Oakwood Boulevard Dearborn, MI 48124 877.757.7103 dearborninnmarriott.com
See ad on Page 68
See ad on Page 73
Packages start at $139.99. Don’t wait, book your date at America’s Greatest History Destination today at thf.org/vacations. Double Package
Room and two tickets to two attractions (Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge Factory Tour) Family Package
Room and four tickets to two attractions (Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge Factory Tour)
HISTORIC
LIMITED SERVICE
LIMITED SERVICE
THE WESTIN BOOK CADILLAC
COMFORT INN & SUITES - ALLEN PARK
COMFORT INN & SUITES - DEARBORN
1114 Washington Boulevard Detroit, MI 48226 313.442.1600 marriott.com/dtwcw
3600 Enterprise Drive Allen Park, MI 48101 313.323.3500 choicehotels.com/mi463
See ad on Page 76
See ad on Page 76
20061 Michigan Avenue Dearborn, MI 48124 313.436.9600 choicehotels.com/ michigan/dearborn/ comfort-inn-hotels/mi385
See ad on Page 67
Contact hotel directly for room availability. Packages and pricing vary by hotel.
LIMITED SERVICE
LIMITED SERVICE
LIMITED SERVICE
COMFORT INN & SUITES - TAYLOR
COMFORT SUITES SOUTHGATE
COUNTRY INN & SUITES - DEARBORN
6778 S. Telegraph Road Taylor, MI 48180 313.292.6730 choicehotels.com/ michigan/taylor/ comfort-inn-hotels/mi189
18950 Northline Road Southgate, MI 48195 734.287.9200 comfortsuitessouthgate.com
24555 Michigan Avenue Dearborn, MI 48124 313.562.8900 countryinns.com/ dearbornmi
See ad on Page 70
See ad on Page 68
See ad on Page 72 LIMITED SERVICE
HAMPTON INN - DEARBORN 22324 Michigan Avenue Dearborn, MI 48124 313.562.0000 detroitdearborn.hamptoninn.com
See ad on Page 69
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JUNE-DECEMBER 2020
PLAN YOUR VISIT Accommodations at a Glance
CAMPING
BED & BREAKFAST
LIMITED SERVICE
HISTORIC
FULL SERVICE
HOTEL
LOCATION AREA
DRIVE TIME*
SLEEPING ROOMS
POOL
PETS
MEETING ROOMS
MEETING SPACE (sq. ft.)
AD ON PAGE
4
1,047
67
16
12,000
73
14
26,000
70
11
6,600
69
14
14,000
77
17
17,000
68
20
36,658
76
Best Western Greenfield Inn
Dearborn (I-94 corridor)
10
209
Indoor
DoubleTree by Hilton Detroit-Dearborn
Dearborn
10
347
Indoor
The Henry, an Autograph Collection by Marriott
Dearborn
5
323
Indoor
Detroit Metro Airport Marriott
Airport (I-94)
15
249
Indoor
Sheraton Detroit Metro Airport
Airport (I-94)
15
359
Indoor
The Dearborn Inn, a Marriott Hotel
Dearborn
3
229
Outdoor
The Westin Book Cadillac
Downtown
15
453
Indoor/ Spa
Comfort Inn & Suites - Allen Park
Dearborn (I-94 corridor)
10
163
Indoor
2 (15 each)
Comfort Inn & Suites - Dearborn
Dearborn
4
116
Indoor
1
Comfort Inn & Suites - Taylor
Dearborn (I-94 corridor)
10
78
Indoor
1 (15)
72
Comfort Suites - Southgate
Downriver (I-75 corridor)
15
78
Indoor
1 (50)
70
Country Inn & Suites - Dearborn
Dearborn
7
100
Indoor
1 (55)
68
Courtyard by Marriott - Detroit Dearborn
Dearborn
10
147
Indoor
2
Hampton Inn - Dearborn
Dearborn
3
96
Indoor
0
Hampton Inn & Suites - Allen Park
Dearborn (I-94 corridor)
10
101
Indoor
1
650
70
Holiday Inn Express & Suites - Allen Park
Dearborn (I-94 corridor)
10
106
Indoor
1
300
70
Holiday Inn Express & Suites - Southgate
Downriver (I-75 corridor)
15
114
Indoor
1
400
72
Red Roof Inn - Dearborn
Dearborn
7
111
Staybridge Suites - Dearborn
Dearborn
7
99
York House Bed & Breakfast
Dearborn
10
3
Camp Dearborn
NW Oakland County
45
191
Outdoor
Detroit Greenfield Campground/RV Park
I-94 corridor
20
212
On lake
Indoor
•
•$
•
•
•
76 250
1,274
67
72 69
•
0
69
•$
1 (35)
69
0
77
0
77
•
Outdoor pavilion
600
77
*Drive time in minutes to The Henry Ford.
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Proud Parter of The Henry Ford
Meet Cosm Like all of our products, Cosm upholds our commitments to sustainable design: in its materials, manufacturing process, and recyclability. hermanmiller.com/cosm
Š 2020 Herman Miller, Inc.
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JUNE-DECEMBER 2020
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R E V I V E TH E PLE A SU R E O F TR AV EL .
The Dearborn Inn puts you at a distinct advantage of being just three blocks from The Henry Ford. Built in 1931, this 23-acre colonial retreat offers a setting reminiscent of a classic American inn, with a AAA four-diamond rating and the level of service and amenities you expect from Marriott. For reservations and group bookings, call 313-271-2700 or visit DearbornInnMarriott.com THE DEARBORN INN, A MARRIOTT HOTEL 20301 OAKWOOD BOULEVARD DEARBORN, MICHIGAN 48124
Stay PRODUCTIVE. Feel REFRESHED. • Free high-speed Internet access • Complimentary hot ‘Be Our Guest’ breakfast • Comfortable spacious rooms • Indoor heated pool • Fitness center • And more!
24555 Michigan Avenue Dearborn, MI 48124 (313) 562-8900 • countryinns.com/dearbornmi
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JUNE-DECEMBER 2020
Stop by and see the BRAND-NEW Detroit/Dearborn location for yourself. You’ll see why travelers love Hampton, with amenities like our hot breakfast, free Wi-Fi, and our clean and fresh Hampton bed. • Complimentary breakfast • Complimentary shuttle within 5 miles of the hotel • Easy access to businesses, Detroit attractions, malls, casinos and sports venues • Walking distance to many local restaurants Hampton Inn Detroit/Dearborn 22324 Michigan Ave. Dearborn, Michigan 48124 313.562.0000 www.detroitdearborn.hamptoninn.com
• Indoor heated swimming pool • Free business center • Free internet/Wi-Fi access in every room • Gym/fitness center
Nice Place. Nice Price. ®
g ® urin Feat xtGen e N s! new gn room desi
• Free Breakfast Daily • Complimentary Dinner Mondays-Wednesdays • Complimentary Wi-Fi • Courtesy Shuttle Anywhere Within 5 Miles of Hotel and Detroit Metro Airport • Business Center • Indoor Swimming Pool • Hot Tub • Courtyard with BBQ Pits • Living Room with Big-Screen TV • Extended Stay 24105 MICHIGAN AVE. DEARBORN, MI 48124 • 313.565.1500 STAYBRIDGESUITES.COM
Enjoy our friendly staff, comfortable rooms and our relaxing lobby lounge area. Check in to the Detroit Metro Airport Marriott Hotel. • Free Shuttle Service to and from Detroit Metro Airport • Complimentary Wi-Fi • Enclosed Heated Pool and Jacuzzi • Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Restaurant • Room Service • Gift Shop • Private Meeting Rooms Detroit Metro Airport Marriott
30559 Flynn Drive Romulus, MI 48174 734.729.7555 • marriott.com/dtwrm
Discover the newest Red Roof redesign in the country and the next generation of Red Roof design and style. • Large, flat-screen TVs • Free Wi-Fi, local calls, long-distance calls in the continental U.S. and up to 10 fax pages in the continental U.S. • #1 in Customer Satisfaction — online reviews, Market Metrix, 2010 & 2011 • Superior King Rooms with large workstation, in-room coffee, microwave and refrigerator • Free Redi-Set-Go breakfast • Children 17 and under stay free • Pets stay free Red Roof Detroit-Dearborn – #182 24130 Michigan Avenue • Dearborn, MI 48124 phone: 313.278.9732 For reservations visit redroof.com or call 800.RED.ROOF (800.733.7663)
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16400 Southfield Rd Allen Park, MI 48101 313-383-9730
Brand New Hotel Where Guests are Treated to Award Winning Hamptonality! Our Spacious rooms feature microwave, refrigerator and free WiFi. Indoor pool, 24 hour Fitness Center, Business Center and Treat Shop. Complimentary Breakfast served daily!
www.hamptonallenpark.hamptonbyhilton.com • 308 Guest Rooms and Suites • Indoor Swimming Pool and Fitness Center 9000 Enterprise Dr. Allen Park, MI 48101 313-383-9790 www.hiexpress.com/allenparkmi
• TRIA Restaurant for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner • Discount Tickets available at the Front Desk • Close to Shopping and Area Restaurants.
BRAND NEW HOTEL: we keep it simple and we keep it smart
Our Spacious rooms features microwave, refrigerator and free WiFi. Indoor Pool, 24 hour fitness center, business center and pantry. Complimentary hot breakfast served daily.
FAIRLANE PLAZA, 300 TOWN CENTER DRIVE DEARBORN, MICHIGAN BEHENRY.COM | 313 441 2000
A better us. For the best you. • •
reakfast
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• Luxurious, Spacious Suites
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JUNE-DECEMBER 2020
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A M I LLI O N M I LE S AWAY, R I G H T D O W N T H E S T R E E T.
MotorCity Casino Hotel and MotorCity Casino Hotel design are trademarks of Detroit Entertainment, L.L.C. ©2020 Detroit Entertainment, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
19MFM0139_A-MFP Motor City Casino Hotel_MF Henry Ford Magazine Close 11/15; Insert 6/1/2020 4C Magazine M. Puhy
J. Fetterman
4.625
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Michigan’s Largest Outlet Center 90000001 204277
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11/15/19 10:04 AM
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1 of 1
Over 185 shopping, dining and entertainment options with more than 25 that can’t be found K. Hawkey V. Roberts anywhere else in Michigan.
Text “PASSPORT” to 248.294.0005 to receive exclusive visitor offers.
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thf.org
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VACATION PACKAGES
STARTING
UNDER
$140 • Complimentary breakfast • Indoor pool & fitness center • Business center • Free shuttle to The Henry Ford with package purchase • Free parking • Shuttle within 5 miles of hotel • 15 minutes from Detroit airport & downtown Detroit
13333 Heritage Center Dr. Southgate, MI 48195 734.324.5800 www.ihg.com
INCLUDES: tickets to any two attractions and overnight accommodations. Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation®, Greenfield Village® or Ford Rouge Factory Tour.
MORE PLAY IN YOUR STAY With ideal comfort and accommodations, we’ll help you craft the ultimate getaway. Located just minutes from the Henry Ford Museum and offering our own Henry Ford Package, you’ll experience a weekend to remember. Book your room or package by visiting DearbornCourtyard.com Courtyard by Marriott Detroit Dearborn 5200 Mercury Drive Dearborn, MI 48126 313.271.1400 DearbornCourtyard.com
THF.ORG/ PACKAGES
NEWLY UPGRADED AND REMODELED!
4 *XHVWURRP WLI
BY
C HOIC E
HOT ELS
6778 South Telegraph Road Taylor, Michigan 48180 %UHDNIDVW WLI
ENJOY A COMFORTABLE STAY WITH OUTSTANDING HOSPITALITY!
A ME N I TI E S I N C LU D E
At the Comfort Inn & Suites of Taylor, we specialize in package rates including tickets to Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village.
• Popcorn and %OXH 7LPH WLI Cookies (Monday-Thursday)
• Free Hot Deluxe Breakfast
• Dry Cleaning Services
• Free Wireless Internet Access
• Guest Laundry Facility
• Board Room
• Premium Bedding
• Indoor Heated Pool and Fitness Center • 40” Flat-Screen TVs and Premium Cable
We’re centrally located within a few miles of The Henry Ford, downtown Detroit and Windsor, Canada.
• Each Room Contains Refrigerator, Microwave, Ironing Set, Hair Dryer, Coffee and Coffee Maker, In-Room Safe
COMFORTINN.COM • (PHONE) 313.292.6730 • (EMAIL) GM.MI189@CHOICEHOTELS.COM
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detroit’s favorite pizza Check the back of your ticket for a special offer
ANN ARBOR • AUBURN HILLS • BLOOMFIELD HILLS • DEARBORN • DETROIT • FARMINGTON HILLS • GRAND RAPIDS GROSSE POINTE • LANSING • LIVONIA • NOVI • PLYMOUTH • SHELBY TOWNSHIP • ROYAL OAK • WARREN • WOODHAVEN
5801 Southfield Freeway Detroit, MI 48228 Phone: 313-336-3340 Fax: 313-336-7037
The Perfect End to a Great Day The DoubleTree by Hilton Detroit-Dearborn is a distinctively designed hotel located minutes from The Henry Ford. Enjoy all of the full-service features we have to offer, starting with the excellent cuisine in Grille 39, the indoor pool and state-of-the-art fitness facility, and our 12-passenger shuttle bus that will take you to and from The Henry Ford. Finish your evening relaxing in one of our signature Sweet Dreams beds. Our hotel is consistently ranked in the top 10 for overall guest satisfaction. Packages for The Henry Ford and assistance with group tour planning are available.
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featuring
Nourish your next big idea, and taste American farm-fresh foods at the new Plum Market Kitchen in Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation®. Stop by for a Zingerman’s pastry and coffee in the morning or a lunch featuring organic, sustainable and artisanal soups, salads, sandwiches and entrees. MEMBERS: Show your card to save 10% on dining and grab-and-go meals. No museum admission is necessary to visit Plum Market Kitchen at The Henry Ford.
Visit thf.org/plummarketkitchen for menus and more information.
Love Your Local. Reimmerse in commerce.
Downtown Dearborn has attracted more locals and visitors alike than ever before. With more than 200 retailers and dining options, we’ve become one of Southeast Michigan’s most diverse and dynamic destinations. Now’s the time to go local and discover worldclass choice and convenience right outside your door.
downtowndearborn.org
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neighbors helping neighbors. honored to serve our communities thf.org
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T:7”
Redefine Your Detroit Experience T:4.625”
Explore a revitalized downtown at The Westin Book Cadillac Detroit, conveniently located near restaurants, nightlife and casinos. A 1924 landmark restored to its former grandeur, our hotel offers modern furnishings, enriching amenities and unique layouts. Relax in one of our 453 guest rooms, including 35 suites, featuring our signature Heavenly® Beds and Heavenly® Baths. Dine at one of our five award-winning restaurants, including Motor Bar or Roast from celebrity chef Michael Symon. With the rejuvenating Spa 19 and AAA Four Diamond service, every stay with us is a refreshing experience. To make a reservation, visit Marriott.com/DTWCW or call 313.442.1600
©2019 Marriott International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. All names, marks and logos are the trademarks of Marriott International, Inc., or its affiliates.
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Studio Artist Q.C. Client
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Eric Simon / Lania Yu OMG-USNY-OSX-019 / Eric Simon 10-24-2019 10:37 AM 10-24-2019 1:58 PM
Detroit Metro Airport Hotel
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Complimentary airport transportation to/from hotel
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Indoor pool and spa
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24-hour Sheraton Fitness
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Sheraton Club floor
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Two restaurants: Cultivate and Connections
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Complimentary Wi-Fi
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Convenient expressway access to all of metropolitan Detroit and Ann Arbor
8000 Merriman Road Romulus, MI 48174 734.729.2600 sheratondetroitmetroairport.com
Great People. Great Camping. DETROIT GREENFIELD RV PARK 6680 Bunton Road Ypsilanti, MI 48197 PHONE 734.482.7722 FAX 734.544.5907
· Private spring-fed lake and scenic forest setting · Large private beach and lakeside trails · Excellent boating, fishing and swimming · Long pull-thrus and full hookups + 50 amp · Holiday weekend family events · Just 35 miles from Detroit attractions
Plan your trip and make reservations at www.detroitgreenfield.com
Camp Dearborn
• 20-, 30- and 50-amp RV campsites • Two beaches and three stocked fishing lakes • Heated pool with lifeguards • Laundromats 626 acres of rolling hills, trees • Extensive seven-day and lakes that offer a wide variety recreation program for kids of amenities for outdoor activities • Paddle boat rentals and Canteen food service • 27-hole championship Mystic Creek Golf Course & Banquet Center • 18-hole miniature golf course • Resort-style cabins, rustic cabins and tent rentals 1700 General Motors Rd., Milford, MI 48380 (248) 684-6000 • campdearborn.com thf.org
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A LOOK BACK SHASTA DAISY One of America’s most beloved garden inhabitants, the Shasta daisy is the flower child of the father of modern horticulture, Luther Burbank. It took Burbank 17 years and multiple crosspollination experiments before he introduced his quadruple hybrid in 1901: an ideal daisy designed to have large, pure white flowers and smooth, strong stems; a sturdy plant with early and persistent blooms. It became one of the longest-living garden perennials ever created. Burbank introduced more than 800 plant varieties to American agriculture. Some were designed to be stronger and more sustainable, others to be spineless, and a few, like his infamous potato, to be blight resistant. His Shasta daisy and many of his other gardengrown innovations can be admired in several Greenfield Village gardens.
READ
The Garden of Invention: Luther Burbank and the Business of Breeding Plants by Jane S. Smith, which is, according to members of the Greenfield Village Herb Associates, a great garden reference tool as well as historical account of Burbank’s life, business struggles and friendships with Henry Ford and Thomas Edisonc
ONLINE Watch the Luther Burbank segment featured on The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation 150th episode for a deeper dive into his great plant invention thf.org/explore/innovation-nation/episodesc DID YOU KNOW? / If Luther Burbank liked a plant that was growing in his test gardens, he would often tear off a piece of his shirt and tie it around the plant to mark it.
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DID YOU KNOW? / During the dedication of The Edison Institute (now The Henry Ford) in 1928, Thomas Edison inserted one of the late Luther Burbank’s garden spades into a block of cement. Signed by Edison, that cement block is now the commemorative cornerstone inside Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation.
OUR ELECTRIC FUTURE IS NOW General Motors has been designing for the future for more than a century. As we pursue our vision of Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion, we’re thoughtfully reimagining mobility for generations to come.
gm.com Š2020 General Motors. All rights reserved.
MAGAZINE For access to past issues of THF Magazine, please visit issuu.com/thfmagazine.