Places of Invention

Nonfiction, Science & Nature, Technology, Engineering, History, Americas, United States
Cover of the book Places of Invention by , Smithsonian
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: ISBN: 9781935623694
Publisher: Smithsonian Publication: September 15, 2015
Imprint: Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press Language: English
Author:
ISBN: 9781935623694
Publisher: Smithsonian
Publication: September 15, 2015
Imprint: Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press
Language: English

The companion book to an upcoming museum exhibition of the same name, Places of Invention seeks to answer timely questions about the nature of invention and innovation:  What is it about some places that sparks invention and innovation? Is it simply being at the right place at the right time, or is it more than that? How does “place”—whether physical, social, or cultural—support, constrain, and shape innovation? Why does invention flourish in one spot but struggle in another, even very similar location? In short: Why there? Why then?
 
Places of Invention frames current and historic conversation on the relationship between place and creativity, citing extensive scholarship in the area and two decades of investigation and study from the National Museum of American History’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation. The book is built around six place case studies: Hartford, CT, late 1800s; Hollywood, CA, 1930s; Medical Alley, MN, 1950s; Bronx, NY,1970s; Silicon Valley, CA, 1970s–1980s; and Fort Collins, CO, 2010s. Interspersed with these case studies are dispatches from three “learning labs” detailing Smithsonian Affiliate museums’ work using Places of Invention as a model for documenting local invention and innovation.
 
Written by exhibition curators, each part of the book focuses on the central thesis that invention is everywhere and fueled by unique combinations of creative people, ready resources, and inspiring surroundings. Like the locations it explores, Places of Invention shows how the history ofinvention can be a transformative lens for understanding local history and cultivating creativity on scales of place ranging from the personal to the national and beyond.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

The companion book to an upcoming museum exhibition of the same name, Places of Invention seeks to answer timely questions about the nature of invention and innovation:  What is it about some places that sparks invention and innovation? Is it simply being at the right place at the right time, or is it more than that? How does “place”—whether physical, social, or cultural—support, constrain, and shape innovation? Why does invention flourish in one spot but struggle in another, even very similar location? In short: Why there? Why then?
 
Places of Invention frames current and historic conversation on the relationship between place and creativity, citing extensive scholarship in the area and two decades of investigation and study from the National Museum of American History’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation. The book is built around six place case studies: Hartford, CT, late 1800s; Hollywood, CA, 1930s; Medical Alley, MN, 1950s; Bronx, NY,1970s; Silicon Valley, CA, 1970s–1980s; and Fort Collins, CO, 2010s. Interspersed with these case studies are dispatches from three “learning labs” detailing Smithsonian Affiliate museums’ work using Places of Invention as a model for documenting local invention and innovation.
 
Written by exhibition curators, each part of the book focuses on the central thesis that invention is everywhere and fueled by unique combinations of creative people, ready resources, and inspiring surroundings. Like the locations it explores, Places of Invention shows how the history ofinvention can be a transformative lens for understanding local history and cultivating creativity on scales of place ranging from the personal to the national and beyond.

More books from Smithsonian

Cover of the book Air Vagabonds by
Cover of the book The Museum in Transition by
Cover of the book The Bald Eagle by
Cover of the book Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley by
Cover of the book Smithsonian American Women by
Cover of the book Lines in Long Array by
Cover of the book The Garden Club of America by
Cover of the book Astride Two Worlds by
Cover of the book Smithsonian Journeys Cultural Guide: Venice by
Cover of the book Spacefarers by
Cover of the book The Kremlin's Nuclear Sword by
Cover of the book Seeing the Universe From Here by
Cover of the book Smithsonian Civil War by
Cover of the book Hope Diamond by
Cover of the book Glorious Mud! by
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy