Round Museum

No instructions needed for this personal flotation device. Though its use is consistent, its name is not. To avoid confusion if you fall overboard, just call for a lifering, kisby ring, ring buoy, perry buoy, lifebuoy, life belt, and life donut. Someone will probably throw you this life preserver and ask what nonsense you were yelling when you’re back to safety.

09.12.17

Here's your opportunity to spin the globe. Set on a double axis, you can pinpoint your location and with a quick swipe be all the way in Budapest, or roll from pole to pole in an instant. Our world is made smaller each day through advances in technology, the immediacy of communication and the ability to make connections between people. This Round scale model is an apt metaphor for keeping it all in perspective.

09.11.17

When introduced in Italy, the eggplant was dubbed “mela insane,” or mad apple. Italian folklore says the fruit of the plant, closely related to nightshade, causes insanity. Despite this, or maybe because of it, the eggplant finds a place at the table across cultures and continents.

09.10.17

Or is it C is for catsup?? Oh, what’s in a name! Whether it’s ketchup or catsup, this popular condiment has had an identity crisis since its journey to Europe in 1690. The brine of pickled fish, kechap, made its way to English colonists in the present-day Malaysia-Singapore region. Called catchup by its early adopters, the sauce was tomato-free until an American cookbook brought the condiment to the United States in 1801.

09.09.17

Reflectors like this amber orange Round save lives. Pedestrians, runners, bikers, and drivers rely on them daily, perhaps even unconsciously. Though the reflector as we know it was not invented until 1960, it’s hard to imagine life without them.

09.08.17

A car is a serious machine, but it doesn’t mean it can’t be cute! A blur of yellow turns into a friendly daisy at each stop light, daring you not to smile.

09.07.17

The “dog days of summer" are lingering toward the end and communal water bowls for thirsty pups are a common sight. The phrase has been adopted to describe the oppressive, lethargic days of the season, but tracing its origins to Greece reveals a more divine definition. With the constellation Sirius rising before the sun, the “dog days” usher in a period that can bring war, fever, or disaster. Let's just hope for a cool drink.

09.06.17

Dive fully into your holiday weekend! What beach are you on today? How long will you hang out there? If you're around in the evening maybe you could use a lighted balloon or two. We've got a festive Round to make the mood just right.

09.03.17

Where are you going this long weekend? Surfing at the beach? Hiking in the mountains? Fishing at the lake? Wherever you are, reel in the weekend with gusto. Live it!

09.02.17

The summer is coming to an end. Kids are heading back to school and Labor Day is almost here. Its a terrible thing to face, but come Monday the lights on this 60-foot, 16-gondola Ferris wheel will go out at Penn’s Landing, Philadelphia. So no more carousel, no more high striker, no more lucky ducks water race, no more Zoltar machine. You better get out there and make the most of the long weekend. Go on, now.

09.01.17