Turning Solar Innovation into a Living Exhibit at Children’s Discovery Museum
Innovation often comes from reimagining existing technology – like solar panels. At the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose, exhibits help children build curiosity, creativity and experimentation skills for future success. The SmartFlower beautifully embodies this, blending photovoltaic technology with robotics and nature-inspired design.
The installation of SmartFlowers, at the museum’s outdoor exhibit Exploration Portal, marks a vibrant intersection of sustainability, education, and innovation. Since its unveiling, the SmartFlowers have produced clean, renewable energy directly on site, demonstrating solar power in action for thousands of children, parents, and educators each week. With its kinetic motion and sculptural form, the SmartFlowers capture attention instantly and provide a visible example of biomimicry and sustainability in action. The system’s self-cleaning and self-closing features inspire conversations about STEM, energy efficiency, and the future of clean technology.
The SmartFlowers also contribute to the museum’s broader sustainability goals, reinforcing its commitment to the community and environmental leadership. As a public, highly visible installation in Silicon Valley, it aligns with regional goals around clean energy innovation and climate action, and serves as a living example for schools, companies, and municipalities exploring ways to integrate
sustainability into their spaces.
It’s not just a solar system, it’s a storytelling platform that merges art, science, and sustainability into one striking display. Ultimately, the SmartFlowers at the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose stand as a model for how educational institutions can use technology to inspire and inform. It transforms an ordinary visit into a moment of discovery, empowering young minds to imagine a cleaner, brighter future powered by innovation.
