MAZES and BRAIN GAMES

Saturday, January 25, was a typical midwinter day in southeastern Pennsylvania: overcast, damp, and dismal. The rain, which had begun falling early that morning, alternated between a fine mist and, occasionally, a windblown downpour.

Inside the Reading Public Museum, however, the atmosphere thrummed with the vibrant energy of kids, who were bounding up the steps towards the second floor to check out “Mazes & Brain Games,” an exhibit that had opened just one week before. Stepping into the exhibit, one was greeted with a cacophony of sounds: children laughing, scampering feet, and an assortment of bells, knocks, and rings.

From the sound of things, “Mazes & Brain Games” was clearly off to a rousing start. And it’s no wonder. The exhibit, which occupies roughly 5,000 square feet, is colorful, kid-friendly, and jam-packed with dozens of hands-on puzzling experiences. Individual elements of the exhibit,