Engineering: On Location
Interesting sites with engineering achievements across the globeAre you headed out on a business trip or family vacation? Well, if you love electrical/mechanical engineering you'll want to consider working in some of these impressive destinations or learning centers. Use our videos to help you preview the sites.
Many of the locations welcome the public during open hours and days, but not all are accessible to the general public. Some are accessible but require reservations. Some locations may be good if traveling with kids, while others have strong safety restrictions. Check out sites using our videos and use the web links at the end to get the latest information on visitation.
PLAN YOUR TRIPS: The Edison Tech Center helps you with this guide:
About: brief description in relation to engineering
Public Access: Is it open to the general public?
Kids: Is it kid friendly? does it have hazards or are there age limits?
Website/Hours: Contact info and details
Visiting Time: Is this place a quick stop or can you spend all day there? Minimum and maximum visit times depend on your interest level in the types of engineering shown at the location.
Location: Coordinates, plug this into your GPS or Google Maps
New York:
Mechanicville Powerplant: Mechanicville, New York
Video
About: One of the early 3 phase AC power plants, built by C.P. Steinmetz
Public Access: The AEC no longer operates tours of the interior, but you can view the power station from various vantage points along the river.
Kids: N/A
Website/Hours: None
Visiting Time: 5 min - 20 min
Location: 42.874958,-73.67908Edison Tech Center: Schenectady, New York
Video
About: A facility dedicated to showing progression of technology and giving credit to the engineers that made it happen, has lots of artifacts.
Public Access: Yes, at certain hours and days. See our hours here
Kids: >10 years. Exhibits are not suitable for children younger than 10.
Website/Hours: www.EdisonTechCenter.org
Visiting Time: 20 min - 3 hours
Location: 42.813986,-73.942266Cohoes Falls Powerplant: Cohoes, New York
Video
About: Impressive waterfalls with 1915 AC power plant
Public Access: None to the power plant but you can see the facility and the falls from the outside using a nice set of public walkways and balconies.
Kids: N/A
Website/Hours: None
Visiting Time: 2 min - 20 min
Location: 42.785339,-73.710827Burden Iron Works Museum: Troy, New York
Video
About: Features history of steel making in USA, has artifacts on display
Public Access: Custom tours and events, open hours vary
Kids: N/A
Website/Hours: www.hudsonmohawkgateway.org\
Visiting Time: 30 min - 2 hrs
Location: 42.709939,-73.698971Watervliet Arsenal Museum: Watervliet, NY
About: History of steel in weaponry as well as a working historic machine shop. This place will be closing soon due to changes in Army policy
Public Access: free walking tour. check in with security first.
Kids: N/A
Website/Hours: http://www.wva.army.mil/museum/
Visiting Time: 20 min - 3 hrs
Location: 42.718287,-73.703939Colorado:
NREL - National Renewable Energy Lab Education Center. Golden, Colorado
Video
About: Small museum featuring several generations of photovoltaic panels and wind mills. Has exhibits that are kid friendly.
Public Access: Yes
Kids: Yes, all ages
Website/Hours: http://www.nrel.gov/education_center/
Visiting Time: 20 min - 1 hour
Location: 39.740426,-105.168402Wings over the Rockies Museum. Denver, Colorado
About: Large hanger full of great artifacts of aviation engineering
Public Access: Yes
Kids: Yes, all ages
Website/Hours: http://www.wingsmuseum.org/
Visiting Time: 1 hour - 1 day
Location: 39.719971,-104.895412New Mexico:
Earthship Biotecture: Taos, New Mexico
About: Collection of off grid passive solar houses which produce their own food, water, power and other things.
Public Access: Yes
Kids: Yes
Website/Hours: http://earthship.com/
Visiting Time: 5 min - 1 hour
Location: 36.4951,-105.75322Nevada:
Hoover Dam: Boulder City, NV
About: Spectacular large cement hydro-electric dam. World famous. Tours offered.
Public Access: Yes
Kids: No children under 8 years
Website/Hours: Hoover Dam
Visiting Time: 5 min (quick road stop) - 1 hour (tour length)
Location: 36.01514,-114.74606California:
Folsom Powerhouse: Folsom, California
Video part 1 of 3
About: One of the earliest AC power plants in the US, currently out of service and set for display
Public Access: Yes
Kids: N/A
Website/Hours: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=501
Visiting Time: 20 min - 1 hour
Location: 38.680244,-121.17568Redlands Powerhouse: Redlands, California
About: First 3 phase AC power plant in the US. Small building in beautiful desert setting. IEEE plaque marks the historic location.
Public Access: No interior, but you can look at the exterior.
Kids: N/A
Website/Hours: none
Visiting Time: 1 - 10 minutes
Location: 34.07723,-117.068505Germany:
Siemens Forum: Munich, DE
Video
About: A small museum showing many technologies, including a working Mercury Arc Rectifier
Public Access: Yes
Kids: Yes, all ages
Website/Hours: Website HERE
Visiting Time: 10 min - 2 hours
Location: 48.145301,11.575652Deutches Museum: Munich, DE
Video
About: Perhaps the best museum on electrical technology in the world (among other types of technology). Lots of historic artifacts and an impressive HV electric show.
Public Access: Yes
Kids: Yes, all ages
Website/Hours: http://www.deutsches-museum.de/en
Visiting Time: 1 hour - 2 days (Yes it's a big place!)
Location: 48.129893,11.584117
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