Do you have an idea for the next great invention? Here's your chance to show it off! Build a prototype of your invention and enter it in the 24TH Annual Young Inventors' Showcase of Houston, a once in a lifetime chance to patent your idea for free. The Children's Museum of Houston (CMH) is ready to host this thrilling competition in which wits, imagination, engineering and creativity combine with pure fun!
Take creativity to the next level and devise a totally original creation, or develop your own invention based on an existing product. Use household materials to create designs and follow the common rule of invention: "How can I make something better?"
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The Grand Prize winner will receive a free patent application and will join the ranks of other famous inventors, including Thomas Edison (who invented the light bulb), Arthur Fry (who invented Post-Its) and George de Mestral (who invented Velcro) at the Inventors' Gates in Invention Convention.
Invention Convention is an exhibit in which you experience the processes involved in invention and ingenuity. Dream up and design in a workshop filled from floor to ceiling with half-finished contraptions, bins of spare parts, drafting tables and instruments, improving critical thinking skills and applying knowledge creatively through open-ended invention challenges.
Entry in the Showcase is free and open to all childrenin Kindergarten through 8th grade. Entrants must have their application and a photograph of their invention postmarked by April 14, 2012 for evaluation. Those chosen for the finals will be notified by May 1, 2012. Finalists must be on site with their prototype and display for final judging from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 19, 2012 at CMH. Each age category includes a first, second and third prize winner.
CONTACT INFORMATION TO APPLY
Applications for the competition along with photos and videos from last year's event are available on CMH's web site at http://www.cmhouston.org/inventors-showcase/ or contact Will Rice (713) 535-7286 or wrice@cmhouston.org.
ABOUT CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF HOUSTON
America's No. 1 Children's Museum" by Parents Magazine, winner of Nickelodeon Parents' Picks "Best Museum in Houston 2009 & 2010," Click2Houston's "Best Museum 2010," the Children's Museum of Houston is a Citysearch.com's nationwide 5-star children's museum. It is dedicated to transforming communities through innovative, child-centered learning with a vision to spark a passion for lifelong learning in all children. Founded in 1980 and housed in a whimsical building designed by internationally acclaimed architect Robert Venturi, the Children's Museum of Houston offers a multitude of innovative exhibits and bilingual learning programs for kids ages birth to 12 years. The Museum serves more than 1,100,000 people annually and operates as a 501(c)(3) under the direction of a Board of Directors. It is located at 1500 Binz in Houston's Museum District. Admission is $9 per person and $8 for seniors 65 years and older and for members of the military. Children under one and Museum Members receive free admission.
Free Family Nights are offered Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m. courtesy of the Houston Endowment, the Wortham Foundation, Inc. and the John P. McGovern Foundation. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from Noon to 6 p.m. The Museum is open at 9 a.m. on the Second Saturday of every month for Museum Members. The Museum is closed Mondays but open on Federal Holidays, during Houston Independent School District's Spring Break and during the summer months from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, please visit www.cmhouston.org or call (713) 522-1138. The Children's Museum of Houston is A Playground for Your Mind™ Can your mind come out to play?™