Educational Tools
Galton Board Photos
A visual history of the Galton Board, from its 1890s origins to IFA's lobby today.
Send your Galton Board photos to us!
Send your Galton Board photos to us. Once approved we will add your Galton Board photo to our photo gallery! Email Jesse Fulton
Galton Board Photos
Galton Board Straight
The Galton Board with Pascal’s Triangle is a 12” by 9” (310mm by 218mm) probability demonstrator providing a visualization of math in motion and the powers of the probabilities and statistics. With the addition of the Stock Market Clip-ons, the board illustrates the randomness and the probabilities of various market returns.
Galton Board Turned
Galton Board Flip
Michael Stevens of VSauce and D!ing
Michael Stevens of VSauce and D!ing meets with Mark Hebner and John Brunson to discuss adding the Galton Board to his Curiosity Box.
Michael Stevens and John Brunson
Michael Stevens of VSauce and D!ing poses John Brunson with a life size Galton Board in the background.
UC Irvine Zot Talks: Vsauce Michael Stevens
Mark Hebner and Vsauce at UCI Event
Mark Hebner president of Index Fund Advisors and Four Pines Publishing with Michael Stevens of Vsauce.
John Brunson and Vsauce at UCI Event
John Brunson Marketing Associate at Four Pines Publishing with Michael Stevens of Vsauce.
Michael Stevens of Vsauce
Michael Stevens of Vsauce showing a ruler he developed that also measures light in picoseconds and sound in microseconds.
Students attend Vsauce event at UCI campus
Unfortunately this event was so popular over 1200 tried to attend in a room with a capacity of 450. Event was live streamed to those turned away at the door.
New York World's Fair IBM Pavilion Galton Board
New York World's Fair IBM Pavilion Galton Board
The Galton Board presented in the IBM Pavilion during the New York World's Fair of 1964.
IBM Logo
The original IBM logo. The IBM Pavilion, hosting the Eames' Galton Board, was one of the more popular attractions of the 1964 New York World's Fair.
IBM Machine Pegs
The numerous rows of pegs on the Eames' Galton Board, where each peg gives each ball a 50/50 chance of dropping to the left or right.
IBM Machine Presentation
A photo of the Galton Board made by Charles and Ray Eames in the IBM Pavilion at the 1964 New York World's Fair.
IBM Spectator
A spectator observes the intricacies of the Eames' Galton Board hosted in the IBM Pavilion at the 1964 New York World's Fair.
IBM Spectacle
Onlookers marvel at the sophistication of the Eames' Galton Board hosted in the IBM Pavilion at the 1964 New York World's Fair.
IBM CG Rendering
A computer generated image of the IBM Pavilion Galton Board.
Galton Board April 1967
Black and white photo of the Eames' Galton Board taken in April of 1967.
Mathematica Exhibit
Mathematica Exhibit
An advertisement promoting the Mathematica Exhibit and showing off a normal distribution curve from random variables.
Mathematica Architects
Famed architects Charles and Ray Eames constructing a model of the Mathematica Exhibit.
Mathematica Dispersion Board
An educational board at the Mathematica Exhibit describing the mathematical principles of the Galton Board including randomness, Pascal's Triangle, and the normal distribution curve.
Mathematica Educational Board
An educational sign found in the Mathematica Exhibit, describing the scientific and historical significance of the Galton Board.
Mathematica Entrance
A photo of the entrance to the Mathematica Exhibit circa 1964.
Mathematica Machine Balls
The Galton Board produced by Charles and Ray Eames held in the Mathematica Exhibit.
Mathematica Machine Empty
The Galton Board made by Charles and Ray Eames featured in the Mathematica Exhibit.
Mathematica Machine English
The Galton Board produced by Charles and Ray Eames and held in the Mathematica Exhibit.
Mathematica Machine French
The Galton Board produced by Charles and Ray Eames held in the Mathematica Exhibit.
Mathematica Quote
A sign engraved with a quote pertaining to probabilistic uncertainty by renowned American mathematician Richard Bellman.
Various Galton Boards & Distribution Curves
Original Galton Board
Sir Francis Galton's original Galton Board made in 1893 with his written user's instructions on the board's frame.
Distribution Curve Milk
An infographic illustrating how randomized variables, represented as the volume of milk production from cows, approximate a normal distribution curve.
Galton Board Distribution A
A normal distribution produced by a Galton Board used for six sigma training and designed experiments.
Galton Board Distribution B
Another normal distribution produced by a Galton Board used for six sigma training and designed experiments.
Galton Board Kid
A Galton Board being operated by a curious child.
Galton Board Lego
A Galton Board constructed from Legos.
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry Galton Board
Oregon Galton Board
A Galton Board featured at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.
Oregon Galton Board Back
A Galton Board featured at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.
Oregon Galton Board Name
The name and date of the Galton Board in the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry engraved on its processing chip.
Oregon Galton Board Processor
A processor board of the Galton Board featured at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.
Oregon Galton Board Wires
The internal components of the Galton Board featured at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.
Galton Board In Production
Galton Board In Production
Galton Board “Murphy” being unpacked by IFA employees.
Production Base
The pedestal of Galton Board “Francis” during its production stage.
Production Bell Curve
A trial run of the prototype of Galton Board “Francis,” which approximately yields a normal distribution curve when a large yet finite sample of balls are distributed.
Production Frame
The metal frame of Galton Board “Francis” during its production stage.
Production Glass
The board section, complete with pegs and bins, of Galton Board “Francis” during its production stage.
Production Hardware
The conveyor belt component of Galton Board “Murphy” which brings her balls from the bottom reservoir to the funnel on top of the board.
IFA Galton Board
IFA Galton Board
Galton Board “Francis” shortly after being installed in the lobby of Index Fund Advisors, Inc.
Francis 1
The lobby of Index Fund Advisors, Inc. before the installation of Galton Board “Francis.”
Francis 2
Getting ready to place upright.
Francis 3
All crew in place for lift-off.
Francis 4
Crew starts to lift.
Francis 5
Halfway there.
Francis 6
Almost upright.
Francis 7
Galton Board is up and being moved into place.
Francis Beginning
Galton Board “Francis” distributes her hundreds of randomized balls into her 30 bins in which all of the balls will roughly approximate a normal distribution curve.
Francis Pose
Shortly after Galton Board “Francis's” installation in the Index Fund Advisors Inc. Lobby, balls are examined to ensure that they properly function within “Francis.”
Francis Distribution
Galton Board “Francis” shortly after distributing her hundreds of randomized balls which now roughly approximate a normal distribution.
Francis End
Galton Board “Francis” distributes her hundreds of randomized balls into her 30 bins in which all of the balls will roughly approximate a normal distribution curve.
Francis Machine
Galton Board “Francis” standing in the lobby of Index Fund Advisors Inc.
Mark Hebner with Francis
Founder and president of Index Fund Advisors, Inc. Mark Hebner poses with Galton Board “Francis.”
Francis Portfolio 100
Galton Board “Francis” with an applique attached showing the average monthly return of an index portfolio 100 under a normal distribution curve.
IFA Graphics
IFA Graphics
An infographic of the Hebner model illustrating the Efficient Market Hypothesis and the expected monthly return for an index portfolio 50 functions as a normal distribution curve in a Galton Board.
IFA Expected Return Model
An infographic of the “Hebner Model,” illustrating the Efficient Market Hypothesis and the expected monthly return for an index portfolio 50 functions as a normal distribution curve in a Galton Board.
IFA Galton Monkey
The Galton Board is an indispensable mathematical tool, allowing man to directly observe probabilistic principles that are otherwise elusive if not counter-intuitive to his naive reasoning.
IFA Hebner Model Galton Board
A close up of the “Hebner Model” on the index portfolio 50, comparing the average monthly returns of an index portfolio 50 to a normal distribution created by a Galton Board.
IFA Portfolio Selection
Naively predicting the outcome of a single ball within the Galton Board, or any given random variable, is about as accurate as a monkey picking winning stocks by throwing darts at a newspaper's financial pages while blindfolded.
Five Dice Comparison
Comparison of Fice Dice to the S&P 500
Breakdown of Pascal's Triangle
This breaks down and illustrates how Pascal's Triangle works.
Galton Board Murphy
Galton Board Murphy
A showcase of Galton Board “Murphy” which displays her intricate mechanisms including the conveyor belt which carries the balls up, the pegs which disperse the balls, and the bins which collect the balls into approximately a normal distribution curve.
Murphy Ball Counter
Galton Board “Murphy” presents the number of total balls within a given bin after they have been distributed, showing that the approximate normal distribution can also be represented by the number of random variables within a given standard deviation.
Murphy Balls
The numerous black balls of Galton Board “Murphy” which act as randomized variables of any given data set.
Murphy Board Full
A photo of Galton Board “Murphy” shortly after use with her black balls randomly ordered into a normal distribution.
Murphy Conveyor Belt
The conveyor belt system of Galton Board “Murphy” which brings the black balls from the bottom of the Galton Board up to the top to be randomly distributed.
Murphy Dispersion
The balls in Galton Board “Murphy” are distributed through the funnel at the top and bounced off of the numerous rows of pegs which give the balls a fair 50/50 chance going to the left or right.
Murphy Distribution and Pegs
After being dropped and randomly distributed in a trial run, the black balls of Galton Board “Murphy” approximately form a normal distribution.
Murphy Mechanics
The conveyor belt system of Galton Board “Murphy” which brings the black balls from the bottom of the Galton Board up to the top to be randomly distributed.
Murphy Normal Distribution
The black balls of Galton Board “Murphy” approximately form a normal distribution, in which each black ball is accounted for by the calculators at the bottom of each bin.
Murphy Pegs
The numerous rows of pegs in Galton Board “Murphy,” where each peg gives each ball a 50/50 chance of dropping to the left or right.
Murphy Observation
Researcher from Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research Lab (PEAR) observes and records the outcomes of a Galton Board in order to determine whether or not human cognition “has a real and measurable, influence on the perceivable dynamics of the material world.”1
Murphy Findings
Notes from the laboratory notebooks that document each experimental run of the PEAR Galton Board which record various data including: the intention of the operator, local temperature, humidity, final tallies, etc.1
Galton Board Crew Loading
The folks at Index Fund Advisors loading Galton Board “Murphy” with her dozens of black balls.
Galton Board Crew Balls
The distribution of the black balls dropped by Galton Board “Murphy.”
Galton Board Crew Examination
The folks at Index Fund Advisors examining the many intricacies of Galton Board "Murphy."
Galton Board Crew Machine
Employees at Index Fund Advisors, Inc. examine Galton Board "Murphy" to discover how she works.
Galton Board Crew Mark
Mark Hebner of Index Fund Advisors presenting the numerous rows of pegs on Galton Board "Murphy."
Galton Board Crew Mary
An IFA employee poses with Galton Board "Murphy."
Galton Board Crew Unboxing
The folks at IFA unpacking Galton Board "Murphy."
Special Edition Carl Gauss Deutschmark
Carl Gauss Deutschmark
Front of 10 dollar Carl Gauss Deutschmark.
Carl Gauss Deutschmark Back with Sextant
Back of 10 dollar Carl Gauss Deutschmark contains sextant.
Carl Gauss Deutschmark Bell Curve
10 dollar Carl Gauss Deutschmark Bellcurve Closeup.
Carl Gauss Deutschmark Closeup
10 dollar Carl Gauss Deutschmark Closeup.
Miniature Geodetic Survey
A miniature geodetic survey section covering the important locations of Falkenberg, Wilsede, Hohenhorn, Hamburg, Bremen, Zeven, and Neuwerk
Secret Watermark Feature of Gauss
Next to every portrait of Gauss is a second portrait, invisible watermark.