Jan 17, 2023
Robert Boyd
AIA Tampa Bay President Jonathan Moore and MOSI collaborate on new exhibit
How do you fit the Eiffel Tower, the Great Wall of China and the Golden Gate Bridge all in the same museum? The answer is, you make them out of toothpicks.
These are just three of more than 50 iconic structures to be featured at the Museum of Science and Industry’s new exhibit, "Wooden Wonders of the World."
“Wow, wow, wow, wow,” said Jonathan Moore.
Moore was among a group of local builders from the American Institute of Architects Tampa Bay to be on site as MOSI officially opened the exhibit Monday.
“It’s amazing what we see here, millions and millions of toothpicks, glued together with amazing patience, to build some of the tallest structures in the world,” said Moore.
This is the first time that New York artist Stan Munro has had all these structures under one roof, and MOSI was the perfect place because it covers everything they stand for.
“It uses all of the STEAM—science, technology, engineering, art and math—that’s necessary to do this and to be an architect,” said Moore.
According to MOSI, every structure is built 1:164th scale.
The exhibit even includes a 40-foot-long Golden Gate Bridge, making it the longest toothpick structure ever created, according to Guinness World Records.
“This exhibit, if it does anything, it’s going to create some new enthusiasm for tomorrow’s architects,” said architect Patrick Sullivan.
Sullivan was excited to share the experience with his own kids.
"Wooden Wonders of the World" will be on display at MOSI through Memorial Day.