Long before Dan Brown's half-baked conspiracy theories sullied his good name, Leonardo da Vinci dazzled people with his knack for invention and skill as an artist. The touring exhibition DaVinci Machines II brings the maestro's creations to the people once again. This show is different than the one that visited St. Louis in early 2011 (hence the "II" ), and it features replicas of more than 60 machines designed by da Vinci, several of them life-size, including da Vinci's amazing robot drummer and his mechanical lion -- bet you didn't get one of those for Christmas. Also on display are re-creations of da Vinci's paintings, such as an epic-scale representation of The Last Supper and his never-completed fresco for Florence, Italy's Hall of the Five Hundred. DaVinci Machines II can be found at 800 Market Street, suite 100, Tuesday through Sunday through Saturday, August 31. Call 314-241-1241 or visit www.discoverdavinci.com for more information or tickets, which cost $9 to $14.
