“Designing Motherhood” at the Gates Discovery Center is a first-of-its-kind exhibition that explores the arch of reproduction through the lens of design, from the 19th century to today. “When we’re talking about design, we’re talking about objects,” said Sarah Bloom, senior communications officer for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “We’re talking about devices. But we’re also talking about systems and policies that really affect the arch of reproduction.” The exhibit was organized by an advisory committee of design historians, birth advocates, and medical and midwifery history experts whose voices are featured in the audio guide. “In this exhibition, we really try to talk so much about motherhood being myriad,” Bloom said. “It’s really all acts of labor and care. Whether you have children, you have siblings, whether you are child-free, we are all part of this larger system of love and care of children and families.” Supporting women and girls and focusing on maternal and newborn child health and gender equality are pivotal to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s work. The exhibit includes more than 20 objects and innovations funded by the foundation. One of these innovations was developed by PATH, Seattle Children’s Hospital and the University of Washington. The NIFTY Cup is a silicone feeding cup, which allows lactating parents to express milk and feed infants with cleft palates without the cross-contamination that can happen when moving milk to multiple storage containers. “Seattle is a place where there’s so many global health innovations, maternal care improvements, because we have incredible institutions here, and also a huge community of birth advocates, doulas, and birth educators,” Bloom said. Located next to the Seattle Center and the headquarters of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Gates Foundation Discovery Center connects people to local and global issues, stories, and bold innovations to inspire action in Seattle and beyond. Admission is free Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information, visit discovergates.org. Sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.