On September 23, 2000, Rick was honored to be a guest presenter at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., at a symposium called "The Playful Mind." Sponsored by the Smithsonian's Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, the event brought together writers, artists, scholars and performers from around the country to study and celebrate the importance of play in the inventive process. Rick's Toymaking Workshop and Toy Factory were enthusiastically attended by hundreds children and adults!