Circles Circus Acts Stage Show
Weekends and Holidays Through May 2

Join us on Saturdays & Sundays throughout Secrets of Circles at our SunStage for a stunt-packled, fun-filled stage show "Circles Circus Acts." See how the scientific properties of circles are used in the circus and brought to life through tricks and stunts.

Hands-On Interactives

Compass Table:
Draw circle after perfect circle on a glow-in-the-dark table using three different kinds of compasses.

On a Roll:
As balls and discs careen across a slowly moving turntable, children explore the spinning and rolling patterns of two and three-dimensional circles.

Round and Round:
Three sticks, each a different length, radiate out from a center point. Start them spinning and what do you see? Three circles, in three different sizes.

Spot the Circles:
Look for circular shapes in this circle-full diorama. There are cones, cylinders, spheres, and even a torus or two!

Family of Circles:
Glowing circles slide, whirl and spin, changing into a cylinders, a sphere, and a torus.

Inventing the Wheel:
Compare the difficulty of lugging one brick on a flat platform and one on wheels as they get firsthand experience with the importance of the invention of the wheel.

Kaleidoscope:
Use mirrors to experiment with circular symmetry. One slice of pizza becomes a whole pie, one peacock feather becomes a whole fan.

Wood Lathe:
Use a modern version of an ancient lathe, slowly and safely carving the wood into fanciful circular shapes. 

Spin Pictures:
Place lights on turntables and set them spinning. A camera catches the motion and displays the striking circular images for all to see.

Bumpy Ride:
What if wheels weren’t round? What if they didn’t have the axle at the center? Play with unusual cars and the rides they take.

Circles in the World:
Pretend and play in a market full of circles from around the globe. Onions, pulleys, baskets, a Vietnamese round boat, and more.

Circle Videos:
With the spin of a dial, visitors explore videos of circles whirling, waving and working in the world.

Gear Up:
People reinvented the wheel by adding teeth to make gears. Build their own gear contraptions to turn a music box dancer, a clock and a drill.

Build an Arch:
Buildings around the world employ the strength of curves and the efficiency of circles. Explore round structures and build a round arch bridge they can walk over.

Book Bench:
Parents and children enjoy cozying up together to read books from many cultures about circles, wheels, and the whole whirling world.