The Earth Kugel

Did you know at the time it was installed, the Science Museum of Virginia held the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest floating ball sculpture?

Known as the Mary Morton Parsons Earth Kugel, the 29-ton, nearly 9-foot-diameter sphere was made from 300 million-year-old granite quarried from Le Sidobre, the largest granite plateau in Europe. This same granite paves the famous walkways of the Champs-Élysées in Paris, France!

The Earth Kugel is a perfectly spherical model of the Earth that floats on a 37,000 pound, octagon-shaped base. It uses water pressure flowing underneath to create a frictionless rotation.

Experience this fascinating sphere and give it a spin! Visiting the Earth Kugel does not require museum admission and is open to the public.