May 21st, 2025
Mankato — The Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota, in partnership with Nidec, is thrilled to introduce Nidec Power Zone—a dynamic, hands-on exhibit designed to ignite curiosity and excitement for energy, engineering, and innovation.
“We are honored to partner with Nidec to bring the Nidec Power Zone to life,” said Louise Dickmeyer, CEO of the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota. “This exhibit brings energy concepts to children in a way that’s tangible, exciting, and deeply engaging. It reflects our shared belief in the power of play to spark curiosity, build confidence, and inspire future innovators. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Nidec for supporting our mission and empowering the next generation through meaningful, hands-on PLAY.”
A global leader in motor and power generation solutions, Nidec is committed to advancing STEAM education and inspiring the next generation of problem solvers. Through its partnership with the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota, Nidec Power is bringing real-world energy concepts to life, providing children with engaging, interactive opportunities to explore power, motion, and design.
“At Nidec, we believe in the power of innovation and hands-on learning to inspire future engineers and builders,” said Jerhod Smithback, Vice President – Operations. “The Nidec Power Zone reflects our commitment to fostering curiosity and discovery, giving children a playful yet meaningful way to engage with energy concepts. We are proud to partner with the Museum in creating an environment where young minds can explore, experiment, and be inspired.”
Promising young engineers will love the Air Cars station, where they can design, build, and race wind-powered vehicles using hand-crank generators. Through trial and error, children will discover the mechanics of motion, airflow, and design in an exciting and interactive way. And, as any young innovator will tell you, the best part of engineering is the unexpected.
At the Power Tower visitors can generate electricity by cranking a handle—lighting up bulbs, activating fans, and even launching a beach ball into the air. This hands-on feature offers a fun and tangible way to explore how energy is created and harnessed.
The Rotating Zone, featuring hands-on experiences like Light Play, Rigamajig, and Blue Blocks, encourages creativity and problem-solving through open-ended experimentation. Meanwhile, the Wind Tunnel invites visitors to explore the power of air, testing aerodynamics by launching scarves, parachutes, and other objects into swirling currents of wind.
“One of the most exciting things about the Nidec Power Zone will be to observe children and caregivers engage in real-world problem-solving through play. You’ll see a child confidently build a sleek, lightweight car, convinced it will be the fastest—only to watch it stop short. Without hesitation, they adjust and try again—until they finally land on the perfect combination. It’s a hands-on lesson in trial and error, creativity, and resilience, and that’s exactly what we hope to inspire, ” Kim Kleven, Vice President of Play and Learning
Be among the first to experience the Nidec Power Zone when it officially opens on May 29 at 10:00 AM.
About Nidec Power
We power mission critical operations.
We engineer and service robust motors and generators that guarantee exceptional power generation performance in extreme environments.
Our customized systems keep the power on where is matters most across data centers, healthcare, oil and gas, marine and military.
As part of Nidec, the world’s largest electric motor company, we keep life’s key players up and running.
About the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota
The Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota is a nonprofit organization with a mission to ignite the natural curiosity of every child through the power of play in a dynamic, awe-inspiring environment. The Museum engages diverse audiences from across our region and enriches children and families with opportunities for hands-on play.
Since opening its doors in 2015, over 100,000 visitors—young and old—have visited annually. A central draw to the Museum is its interactive exhibits and a wide variety of programs, which focus on play, exploration, and ongoing education; STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) programs; theater and cultural experiences, as well as many Ag education offerings. The Children’s Museum offers daily opportunities for parents, grandparents, and caregivers to explore and play with their children in its indoor and outdoor spaces.