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This tiny model was used to illustrate the articulation of the human body. It is
similar to an illustration in Hieronymus Fabricius’s Surgical Works, first published
in 1582. That he chose to explain the human body as intricate iron parts, rivets and
screws, suggests that machines were becoming more commonplace and could be
used as helpful comparisons to communicate ideas to people.
NEW ROBOTS EXHIBITION AT THE
SCIENCE MUSEUM
Throughout history, artists and
scientists have sought to understand
what it means to be human. The Science
Museum’s new Robots exhibition will
explore this very human obsession to
recreate ourselves, revealing the
remarkable 500-year story of humanoid
robots.
Featuring a unique collection of over
100 robots, from a 16th-century
mechanical monk to robots from science
fiction and modern-day research labs, this
exhibition will enable visitors to discover
the cultural, historical and technological
context of humanoid robots.
Visitors will be able to interact with
some of the 12 working robots on
display. Among many other highlights
will be an articulated iron manikin from
the 1500s, Cygan, a 2.4m tall 1950s
robot with a glamorous past, and one of
the first walking bipedal robots.
Robots have been at the heart of
popular culture since the word ‘robot’
was first used in 1920, but their
fascinating story dates back many
centuries. Set in five different periods
and places, this exhibition will explore
how robots and society have been
shaped by religious belief, the industrial
revolution, 20th century popular culture
and dreams about the future.
The quest to build ever more complex
robots has transformed our understanding
of the human body, and today robots are
becoming increasingly human, learning
from mistakes and expressing emotions.
In the exhibition, visitors will go behind
the scenes to glimpse recent
developments from robotics research,
exploring how roboticists are building
robots that resemble us and interact in
human-like ways.
The exhibition will end by asking
visitors to imagine what a shared future
with robots might be like. Robots has
been generously supported by the
Heritage Lottery Fund, with a £100,000
grant from the Collecting Cultures
programme.
Ian Blatchford, Director of the Science
Museum Group said: ‘This exhibition
explores the uniquely human obsession
of recreating ourselves, not through
paint or marble but in metal. Seeing
robots through the eyes of those who
built or gazed in awe at them reveals
much about humanity’s hopes, fears
and dreams. The latest in our series of
ambitious, blockbuster exhibitions,
Robots explores the wondrously rich
culture, history and technology of
humanoid robotics. Last year we moved
gigantic spacecraft from Moscow to the
Museum, but this year we will bring a
robot back to life.’
Ben Russell, Lead Curator for Robots
said: ‘I’ve always been fascinated by
robots, and it’s only now that we are
able to share their fascinating story at
the Science Museum.’
For further information or for tickets,
visit www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/robots
Humanoid robot, ‘Cygan’.
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum.
t h i s i s l o n d o n m a g a z i n e • t h i s i s l o n d o n o n l i n e