MOSI Aims To Break Cardboard Sculpture World Record

TAMPA, FL — The folks at MOSI have set their sights on completing an out-of-this world project this summer, but they need help to get the effort off the ground. The mission to construct the biggest cardboard sculpture ever created will cost an estimated $10,000 to pull off, which is why the Tampa science museum has also kicked off a crowdfunding drive to raise the necessary cash.

The drive to earn Guinness World Record status launches in time to coincide with the opening of a new exhibit for Museum of Science & Industry visitors this summer: Cardboard Space Adventures. The interactive experience will feature “a cardboard space station and alien base (that) will tower over guests’ heads,” the museum explained in an email to media. “Inside, families can help build a life-size rover and play a giant Space Invasion video game using controllers made from cardboard. Snapshots of real science in action will fill the exhibit.”

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MOSI’s designers will tackle the project of building the space station and alien base that “will become the largest cardboard sculpture ever,” MOSI spokesman Grayson Kamm said. “Guests will be able to add to the rover portion, which will make it bigger, but it should break the record even before that based on what museum staff builds for the grand opening.”

The exhibit is expected to span across a space that will make breaking the standing Guinness record for a cardboard sculpture – 1,109 square feet – a snap, the museum reported. The current record was set on April 4, 2016, in Hong Kong. Students there constructed a cardboard castle maze to celebrate the opening of a mall.

So, how does creating a giant cardboard space station and toppling a world’s record fit in with MOSI’s mission to make science fun for kids (and grownups)?

Anthony Pelaez, MOSI’s director of innovation, said the answer is pretty simple: “If you want to inspire the next generation of explorers, engineers, and artists, you have to get them to dream big. It doesn’t get any bigger than Cardboard Space Adventures.”

The exhibit, Pelaez added, will be used “as a platform to show kids a whole range of scientific principles. We’ll be packing in learning about physics, math, biology and a lot more.”

MOSI officials do acknowledge “castles are cool,” but insist “space is much cooler. Literally, space is much cooler. It’s -455 degrees Fahrenheit out there.”

As for the crowdfunding, MOSI said big dreams – like the cardboard space station – do come with pretty big price tags.

“This much packing tape, glue, and unused cardboard – plus supplies for families to build new projects together – will add up to more than $10,000,” officials explained. “So MOSI is turning to the public to raise the funds to make it happen.”

A crowdfunding effort kicked off on Friday, May 5. Donations are being accepted via the Crowdrise website. People who donate toward the record-setting effort may even be eligible to receive thank-you gifts, including custom-embroidered Cardboard Space Adventures mission patches or one-on-one time “with a real NASA astronaut.”

Cardboard Space Adventures opens on May 27 at the Tampa venue. All cardboard used in the exhibit will be recycled after it ends on Sept. 5. Piedmont National and Leggett & Platt are corporate sponsors for the exhibit.

To donate to the mission, visit Crowdrise online. To find out more about MOSI, visit its website.

Photos and video courtesy of MOSI