Da Vinci
Machines
Exhibition in Bradenton
By Megan Brewster
About the Da Vinci Machines Exhibition
The exhibit is the life work of three generations of Florentine artisans.
They have painstakingly brought to life the creations and concepts
devised by the scientist, inventor and artist. The exhibition models are
presented in four major themes: Military machines, Flying machines,
Nautical & Hydraulic machines as well as devices and inventions illustrating the Principles of Mechanics. The uniquely interactive machines are a
popular aspect of each exhibition as visitors can touch and handle these
models to gain a first-hand appreciation of how they work. Explanatory
notes and illustrative panels with Leonardo's drawings from his codices
accompany each model. For additional information, visit www.bradentongulfislands.com/DaVinci
The Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau is
pleased to announce that the Da Vinci Machines Exhibition, which opened in mid-November at the Bradenton
Municipal Auditorium has extended its stay through
July 7 due to an overwhelming response from locals
and visitors to the area.
Originally scheduled to return to its home at the Museum of Leonardo Da Vinci in Florence, Italy in April, the
exhibition has attracted more than 15,000 guests, all
seeking the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view more
than 60 hand-crafted inventions built from Da Vinci’s
500-year-old designs and experience one of just three
such exhibitions in the world.
“The Bradenton Area has seen overwhelming interest
since the exhibition opened in mid-November,” said
BACVB executive manager, Debbie Meihls. “Through
the exhibit extension, we are thrilled that an even
greater audience will have the opportunity to immerse
themselves in art history. Unique opportunities such as
these help to further establish the Bradenton Area as a
leading arts community in the state and beyond.”
“We are excited to extend our exhibition stay in Bradenton and expand our reach into the community,”
said Mark Rodgers, North America Director and Curator of the exhibition. “We are thrilled to continue to
enhance the experience for visitors to the area and
provide more of them a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
to discover.”
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6 FOCUS of SWFL 2014
The Bradenton Area Convention & Visitors Bureau promotes tourism to
Bradenton, Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key area and the rest of
Manatee County, including Palmetto, Holmes Beach, Bradenton Beach,
Cortez, Ellenton, Myakka City, Ft. Hamer, Lakewood Ranch and Parrish,
through domestic and international advertising, public relations and marketing efforts. For more information on the Bradenton, Anna Maria Island
and Longboat Key area, please visit www.bradentongulfislands.com.
About the South Florida Museum
South Florida Museum, located at 1005 1st Avenue in Bradenton, is the
largest natural and cultural history museum on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The
museum interprets the region from the Pleistocene to the present. Highlights include fossil evidence of Florida’s earliest mammal s and marine
species and the Montague Tallant collection of prehistoric and early postcontact archeological artifacts. Recently opened is the Environmental
Wing focusing on Florida’s ecology and bio-diversity in the Pine Uplands
and Riverine Galleries.
Photos courtesy of the Bradenton Area Convention & Visitor Bureau
About the Bradenton Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Bradenton, Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key area is located on
Florida’s gulf coast between St. Petersburg and Sarasota. It is bordered
on the north by Tampa Bay, and to the west by the Gulf of Mexico. Easy
to get to, but off the beaten path, filled with “Old Florida” ambience
brimming with opportunities to experience Florida at its most real and
authentic, the Bradenton/Anna Maria Island/Longboat Key area is a part
of the state worth discovering and exploring again and again.