New brain-teasers, puzzles and surprises are in store for visitors as Life Science Centre reopens following a £1.5m revamp.
The family attraction in Times Square opened its doors on Monday following a three-week closure for improvement work to take place. And now – as Life prepares for a busy upcoming February half-term holiday – it is keen to show off its new ‘wow’ factor.
The city science centre – where the emphasis is just as much upon having fun – has a new Wow Zone designed to entertain, educate and inspire. New interactive exhibits allow visitors to try out brain-teasing puzzles and enjoy hands-on activities and demonstrations.
There are plenty of local connections involved too so that visitors can, for instance, discover how a lightning bolt once caused the statue of Earl Grey at the Monument to lose its head and how workers built the Causey in County Durham which is the oldest single-arch railway bridge in the world.
In line with Life’s focus on making science fun, visitors can explore how the forces of chemistry and physics are used in everyday life by making use of hydrogen and oxygen to blast a ping pong ball up to the height of a two-storey building and working together – with levers, pulleys and conveyor belts – to keep grain-like pellets moving around a six-metre-tall Big Machine.
Those fascinated by space can find out how the investment has also boosted Life’s planetarium where new technology has been installed. Here, the Digistar 7 – described as the world’s most advanced planetarium system – is using state-of-the-art projectors and imagery to create an immersive experience for visitors. During half-term week, which begins on February 18, there will be a range of shows including one focusing upon the fascinating history and mythology of the constellation Orion.
Besides the new exhibition and planetarium upgrade, new shows which expand the wonders of the universe also have been developed for the theatre space and Life’s digital sphere which features 3D videography. Climate change is on the agenda too and during half-term visitors will be able to follow the progress of a tiny bird, the Arctic Tern, as it migrates across the world.
Life‘s chief executive Linda Conlon said: “The science centre aims to enrich lives through science so that people can discover its relevance to their own lives. We’re really excited about these new developments, especially Wow Zone, which we hope will add an extra dimension to our visitors’ experience.”
For more information about what is on offer at Life during half-term, including sea-theme activities, see here.