Everyday Objects Become ‘Extra’ in New Exploratorium Exhibit

The Exploratorium, the 55-year-old San Francisco institution full of frenetic energy, hands-on science and roving gangs of ecstatic children, might not seem like a place for visual art. And it’s true this museum doesn’t contain the sort of white-walled, hushed gallery spaces you find in certain cultural institutions.

But what the Exploratorium does provide in terms of a viewing environment is perhaps more immediate and compelling: art that is accessible to all ages, and finds guests in the midst of other discoveries to broaden their understanding of what art is.

ExtraOrdinary!, the museum’s newest exhibition of seven artists and collectives, meets all of the above criteria. Tied together by bright pink signage and lighting across several zones of the museum, this is a show of artwork made from everyday materials. The artists have taken cotton balls, wooden blocks, Lego bricks, burned-out lightbulbs and so much yarn, and turned them into sculptures, installations and interactive artworks.

‘ExtraOrdinary!’ in on view at the Exploratorium (Pier 15, San Francisco) through Sept. 8, 2024.