Museum of Science, Boston Gets Into Small Wind in a Big Way

Who: The Museum of Science in Boston, Massachusetts, has the nation’s first rooftop Wind Turbine Lab. Prior to starting the Wind Turbine Lab, the Museum of Science installed anemometers in various locations on the roof of its building to determine best locations for the wind turbines. The final locations were based on wind speeds and visibility for visitors to the Museum.

What: Across the Cambridge and Boston sides of the roof are nine total wind turbines which include five different brands of wind turbines of varying size and power capacity. The Windspire wind turbine is the only vertical axis wind generator participating in the Wind Turbine Lab. Visitors to the Museum are able to view the energy output from the turbines and learn more about wind power at a special exhibit.

Where: Museum of Science, Boston

When: May 2009

Why: Museum exhibit, science teaching opportunity, community awareness

Video/Testimonial – “This is a giant science experiment,” said David Rabkin, Farinon Director for Current Science and Technology at the Museum. “No one has tested five different small turbines in a rooftop laboratory.”