Saturday, February 22nd is a FREE DAY at the High Desert Museum, which means admission is free to all guests. This is also the opening day of the newest exhibit, "Patterns at Play: Fractals in Nature."

About the exhibit:
Patterns at Play: Fractals in Nature (February 22 – October 5) is an original exhibition that invites you to take a closer look at the universe’s curious practice of self-organization. An immersive, family-friendly experience, the exhibit encourages you to build your own patterns while an animation creates new fractals right before your eyes. Visitors should expect to play, touch, listen and watch in this whimsical exploration of nature.

Today, experts in the fields of biology, geometry, physics, astronomy and computer graphics are using fractals to explore the secrets of the universe. Human health is important in this story, too. The study of biophilia is proving that our brains are soothed when we see, hear and interact with fractals.

As such, bean bag chairs and soft music encourage visitors to the Brooks Gallery at the Museum to sit, relax and be mesmerized by the magic of nature. Central to the Patterns at Play exhibition is the back wall, which features a large projector showcasing fractals that dance across the screen. Six macro images of nature, including snow crystals, a galaxy and brain neurons, grace the side walls in a floor-to-ceiling collage. The vibrant colors immerse you in nature’s whimsical and enigmatic patterns.

“Nature is always surprising us and teaching us,” said Executive Director Dana Whitelaw, Ph.D. “The fractals exhibition is truly about exploration, excitement and engagement, from the smallest hands interacting with shapes to a grandparent studying how math and nature intertwine. We look forward to experiencing nature’s patterns with the community.”

Step inside this fun, funky and family-friendly exhibit. You can learn to build a fractal, listen to the sound of sonic fractals, relax in a bean bag chair and watch an animation create new fractals right before your eyes.