A new way for teens to explore Scienceworks
When did science get boring? At some stage, in high school, kids seem to lose a little interest in the push button displays, listening to facts and seeing artefacts at museums.
And now, having grown up in a tech-obsessed-world full of home devices, it’s no wonder our teenagers need/want more stimulation to get their minds ticking. These days kids are rarely surprised or intrigued as they’ve been exploring the world themselves, pushing buttons for years, during their daily screen time.
So here’s the revolution: an exhibition going above and beyond the natural expectations and creating an authentic, interactive experience for teenagers to experiment and explore in real-life the fabric of space, time and sound.
There is absolutely nothing boring about this unique (and now permanent) exhibition at Scienceworks.
An exhibit which took two years to design, is a collaboration between local teenagers themselves and a mix of scientists and engineers. It’s a space that gets you thinking (and participating!).
Why is invisible light invisible?
What is the limit of telescopes?
How big is a micron?
How does sound help us understand a space?
Plenty of questions are posed, but it’s up to the participant to pick up the reins and delve into the world around them for answers.
As if being given permission to push the boundaries wasn’t exciting enough. It’s a dedicated space built for probing and unravelling gravitational pulls, invisible light, sound and aerodynamics.
Here teens get to scrutinize various items in their surroundings – x-rays, sounds, air, wall patterns, mirrors, temperatures, vibrations. And to not just look at the words on the wall, but immerse themselves, sit down, lie down, stand up, look up at the ceiling. Delve deeper, and look beyond what they know.
How about warping the fabric of space right before your eyes? With large flexible touch-screen walls they can. Yes, let’s grab, push and pull them!
There are microphones which pick up a child’s scream and play it back in order to smooth and dull the sound. Walls to twist and turn fabric and matter.
Let’s not forget the sound couches, complete with “butt-kickers” making sound vibrations through your seated body. Because luckily, tech-loving kids haven’t forgotten how to laugh! What better way to learn something new.
Teens certainly have a new and fascinating way to engage and spark an interest with science, technology, engineering and math.
Take your teenagers to Beyond Perception: Seeing the Unseen at Scienceworks, and they may discover just how big the world is, and what’s outside their devices.
For more information head to: museumsvictoria.com.au/scienceworks
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Images Sourced: Museums Victoria