3 exhibitions open at idea Museum in Mesa

idea Museum has opened three new exhibitions to its museum featuring the traveling exhibit, “Rube Goldberg: The World of Hilarious Invention! Exhibit,” “Artfully Absurd: Quirks, Questions and Creative Chaos” and a new gallery with works by Alanna Airitam.

The museum at 150 W. Pepper Place in Mesa is open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, noon-4 p.m. Sunday and closed Monday. Admission is $10 per person, free for members and those under age 1, it states at https://www.ideamuseum.org.

“Rube Goldberg: The World of Hilarious Invention! Exhibit” will be in idea Museum’s Whiteman Family Exhibition Gallery and is created by the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh in partnership with the heirs of Goldberg. The exhibition shows Pulitzer Prize winning humorist and inventor Goldberg’s iconic contraptions and celebrates his humorous storytelling and inventive cartoons. The exhibition will be open through September 2026, according to a release.

Inspired by Goldberg’s original illustrations, the exhibit contains a collection of new 3D, life-size machines and hands-on, interactive components that connect Goldberg’s iconic cartoon contraptions to the way things work in the physical world. These experiences provide insight into the legacy of Goldberg and how classic engineering principles can be reimagined as entry points for deeper exploration of STEAM concepts for 21st century learning, the release states.

Visitors can activate and create crazy chain-reaction contraptions that use everyday objects to complete simple tasks in the most overcomplicated, inefficient and hilarious ways possible. Rube Goldberg machines are many things, but they aren’t perfect. Find the fun in failure as you step into the role of illustrator, storyteller and inventor, the release states.

You’ll find these things and more in the exhibit:

• Move balls and ramps to trigger chain reaction machines in Wall Machines, then figure out how they work by resetting each part.
• Be inspired by Rube Goldberg’s drawing techniques to create your own hilarious cartoon in the Art Studio and then see how it looks at the Revolvometer.
• Pull ropes to start a series of musical chain reactions in the large-scale sound animation Music Machine.
• Step into one of Rube’s iconic wearables, “Self-Operating Napkin.”®, for a one-of-a-kind photo op.

“Rube Goldberg: The World of Hilarious Invention! Exhibit” is locally sponsored by GFiber with additional support provided by the Arizona Commission on the Arts, an agency of the state of Arizona, as well as the idea Museum Foundation.

“Artfully Absurd: Quirks, Questions and Creative Chaos” is a Rube Goldberg companion exhibition featuring works by local Arizona artists. The exhibit invites visitors to further explore how artists use humor, defy common sense and bring oddities to life with a range of media like mural, felt, costume, collage, beadwork and more.

Highlights of “Artfully Absurd: Quirks, Questions and Creative Chaos” include:

• Pack of Strays: An original art experience where guests can mix and match silly illustrations to create absurdly fun, life-sized characters. Created by Phoenix-based artist and illustrator Sarah Hurwitz.
• Silly Sketch-Up: A fun “Mad Libs” drawing game that combines language learning and imagination! Card illustrations by Phoenix-based artist and illustrator Sarah Hurwitz.
• Collage Chaos: Using cut out images and glue, guests will mix and match a variety of images to create absurd new works of art.
• Spot the Silly!: Visitors become art detectives as they look closely at Luster Kaboom’s painting “Thesworld,” uncovering strange, silly or impossible details!

Additionally, idea Museum will open a new exhibition space, the Spotlight Gallery, with works by Alanna Airitam, an Arizona photographer that is influenced by the power and beauty of Black people and the strength and creativity of women. She finds inspiration in the syncopation of jazz and the transportive nature of music, the art of storytelling and the endless possibility of the human spirit.

Airitam incorporates elements of other materials such as metal, resin, varnish and gold leaf into her captivating compositions. With a focus on lighting, staging and processes referencing particular eras in art history, her portraits and still life’s often takes on a painterly quality that invites viewers to explore hidden histories and stories that have led to a lack of fair and honest representation of Black Americans. To accompany her works, visitors can create their own portraits or drawings with charcoal pencils.

“Rube Goldberg: The World of Hilarious Invention! Exhibit,” “Artfully Absurd: Quirks, Questions and Creative Chaos” and “Alanna Airitam” are included in regular museum admission and memberships.

idea Museum is owned and operated by the City of Mesa with support from the idea Museum Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. Located in the heart of Downtown Mesa, the Museum offers interactive art exhibitions and engaging STEAM activities designed to foster creativity, curiosity and connection, building a vibrant community where children can thrive. For more information, visit ideamuseum.org.