HELENA — ExplorationWorks new exhibit is all about the brain. “The Human Super Brain” debuts on Saturday, Dec. 14, and it takes a creative brain to design and maintain an exhibit like it.
Matt Jetty has officially been a part of the exploration works team for a little over six years now as exhibits and facilities director, although he volunteered for several years before that. A graduate of the US Merchant Marine Academy with a degree in marine engineering, he’s always had a passion for building and working with his hands.
“I liked construction and welding, plumbing and electrical and all the trades. So here in this shop I kind of get to use a little of all of it,” explained Jetty.
On the walls of Jetty’s workshop in the basement of ExplorationWorks are fliers of old exhibits and a picture of Norman “Jeff” Holter’s workshop in Helena where they developed the Holter Heart Monitor.
Jetty has spent about a year researching, designing and building ExploratioWorks’ latest interactive exhibit with help from other staff members. The goal is to show just how impressive the human brain is. Part of the research was getting input from neurologists and other experts who deal with brains and emotions.
The clientele of ExplorationWorks also poses some unique challenges when making exhibits. Jetty knows his key demographic though, making sure the exhibits are durable while being interactive.
“When you’re a toddler in ExplorationWorks it’s just fun to be here. So it’s fun for me to make things that toddlers get a kick out of,” Jetty said. “So I add layers and layers of epoxy to stop the toddlers from ripping things off the mount.”
While being designed to be popular with kids, Jetty says the goal is to bring families together through fun hands-on activities.
“We’re a science center so we’re trying to educate people about science, but really the important part is getting families in here interacting with each other. Maybe learn something new, maybe just have fun together too,” noted Jetty.
Building the exhibit in-house is a no-brainer according to the nonprofit’s staff. It saves them considerable money and other science centers can rent the exhibit from ExplorationWorks once its run is done in Helena providing added revenue.
As for Jetty, his favorite part is just seeing the kids have fun with his work. An added bonus, is and maybe inspiring a few kids to be engineers like him.
“That’s what we do at ExplorationWorks, we try to create these engineers in a sneaky way. I think by making science and math fun. Maybe not math, but science fun,” Jetty said with a grin and a laugh.
The Human Super Brain exhibit was made possible thanks to sponsorships from St. Peter’s Health, Stockman Bank, Montana Surgery Center and support from their members.
More information about ExplorationWorks, the programs they offer and their hours can be found on their website.
