Round Museum

This gluten-free cylinder of oats with fruit in the center is a delicious bite-sized breakfast to look forward to... unless someone has... already bitten it?

07.16.26

Imagine the raw power and deafening roar of a 129-ton rotary snowplow as its circular blades carved through deep snow drifts often as high as 12 feet. The Cooke Rotary Snowplow, designated "No. 1" by railroad crewmen, often performed that task. Built in 1899, it was well suited to serve the early needs of the White Pass & Yukon Route in Skagway, Alaska, even during the harshest winter conditions. The boiler of No. 1 was used solely to turn the 10-foot rotary blades of the plow. The snowplow itself was pushed forward by two locomotives coupled behind the plow.

Having a celebrity or politician throw out the ceremonial first pitch is a long-standing tradition in baseball, with varying degrees of success — strike… dribbler… fan hit by pitch… Olympic gymnast Simone Biles did a perfect aerial cartwheel before throwing a perfect strike. William Howard Taft was the first US President to toss it out in 1910. Rapper 50 Cent hurled the spheroid way, way, WAY outside the plate. Oh well. But as far as we know, no one has yet thrown out a southern Italian plastic curd cow’s-milk cheese ball.

07.14.26

In 1927, Babe Ruth was chasing his 1921 single-season home run record of 59. By early September he had clubbed 44. On September 13th the Yankees faced the Cleveland Indians in a doubleheader. Ruth, the kingpin of New York's "Murderer's Row," claimed home runs 51 and 52, one in each game. The Yankees clinched the AL pennant that day and would go on to sweep the Pittsburgh Pirates for the team's second World Series title.

From 1993-1995 in Cooperstown I loved playing the 1858 Massachusetts game of Town Ball, a precursor to baseball. I was given a pair of leather-sewn, horsehair-and-wool-stuffed balls and a copy of the rules to encourage me to start a club wherever I lived, although I never did.

07.12.26

Philadelphia hosts the 2026 Major League Baseball All-Star game with a four day festival from July 11-14. Other than the actual game on Tuesday, MLB will conduct its 2026 Draft of new young players, a Futures Game with rising stars of the League, a 3-on-3 co-ed baseball competition, and a Home Run Derby where 8 power hitters try to hit the most Rounds out of the park.

07.11.26

Rising from the surface of the pond, this Round presents a perceptual curiosity — it may be broadcasting signals, or about to blast you. Organic shower head? Nelumbonaceae periscope? Alien communication device? Turns out, the lotus flower seed pod is none of these things, but simply a unique honeycomb-like housing for the seeds, which are edible. The jury is still out on the extraterrestrial contact, though…

07.10.26

Floating 17 feet above the eastern side of Downtown Cary Park in Cary, North Carolina is the Skywalk – an elevated walkway that lifts you into the tree canopy and offers a new perspective of the Park. While exploring the walkway, you can walk through ‘Light Passage’, which is a piece of public art that illuminates in colorful light shows.

07.09.26

Newly emerging lily pads spring to the surface of the pond in Downtown Cary Park. Like a pattern of bright green polka dots, these young Rounds are thin at first which adds to their glow. But as their chloroplasts develop and soak up the sun over several days, they will build up more chlorophyll and begin to mature into darker green platforms suitable for any frogs or dragonflies that would like to hop on!

07.08.26

With skin like the scaliest of reptiles, this beach ball-sized Round doesn’t look that delicious. And if all 80 pounds of it fell on your head it could potentially kill you. But the world's largest tree-borne fruit actually has two distinct profiles: when ripe it is sweet and juicy like a banana-mango blend; when unripe its neutral and fibrous texture makes it an excellent substitute for savory meat dishes like curries or pulled barbecues.

07.07.26