Tooth and Nail

OK, so these new structures are all made
of toothpicks as part of a new exhibit occupying a 20-foot circular
platform in the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology,
but they’re certain to bring in throngs of curious visitors, many
anxious to glimpse the latest version of the monumental project that
started with more than 40 toothpick edifices first displayed locally in
2005.

This time around, Munro won’t settle for
less than the coveted Guinness World Record for toothpick structures.
When finished, the project will shatter the current mark of 3 million
toothpicks in one project. “I’ve already had a couple of potential
buyers express interest, “Munro said, “but I’m not selling until I
break the record. I’m shooting for 4 million.” 

In order to achieve that lofty
aspiration, Munro will roll up his sleeves and keep gluing his twigs
together right on site at the MOST. Visitors who come to marvel at TC2
can actually witness the labor-intensive and slightly off-center
process of erecting another 20 pieces. “These buildings are so much
more detailed than Toothpick City I,” Munro noted. “I spent at least a
month on each building, which I didn’t do on most of the buildings I
built before.”

The high point, literally, of the new
display will be a replica of the Burj Dubai tower, which is still under
construction in the Middle Eastern nation. The model version will stand
nearly 19 feet high, compared to the original’s 2,684 feet, the world’s
tallest building. TC2 will also pay tribute to such other famed
structures as the Vatican, the Grand Mosque of Mecca and Cathedral
Notre Dame of Paris.

The MOST is open Wednesdays through
Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., adding Mondays and Tuesdays during some
holidays and school break weeks. Admission is $5 for adults and $4 for
children under 12 and seniors. For information, call 425-9068 or visit
most.org.

—Kevin Corbett