Through the centuries and around the world, people have devised imaginative puzzles for both our enjoyment and frustration. Join the Spurlock Museum in January for two puzzle-related events for family members of all ages.
January 29 is National Puzzle Day. Join Museum staff and puzzle enthusiast Philip Nyman from 1:00–3:30 pm for a hands-on celebration of the ‘World of Puzzles’. Test your wits on familiar paper puzzles like crosswords, word searches, and Sudoku, as well as dozens of puzzles that include logic and dexterity, like mazes, the Soma cube, Tangrams, and magic squares. Many of the wood and metal take-apart puzzles are themselves works of art. See the world’s oldest puzzle, the ‘Stomachion,’ invented by Archimedes over two thousand years ago! Of course, the fun would not be complete without several different colorful Rubik’s cubes. Those completing any of the puzzles will receive a button, so they can brag about their accomplishments.
Many of the puzzles out on National Puzzle Day will be provided by Philip Nyman, who served as the guest curator for the Spurlock temporary exhibit “Fall to Pieces: Ingenious Mechanical Puzzles from Around the World.” The exhibit was on display in the Campbell Gallery during the summer of 2019.
