Morning:
8°c
Science Museum starts night for adults
Mark Prigg, Science Correspondent7 Jan 2009
THE Science Museum is throwing open its children's play areas to grown-ups at "adults-only" nights complete with live music and alcohol.
Visitors to the Friday-night events, called Lates and starting on 28 January, will be given access to the Launchpad gallery, designed to teach eight to 14-year-olds basic physics via a series of exhibits they can play with.
Three bars will be open and the first evening will have a Japanese theme to fit with the current Japan Car exhibition. Sake and sushi will be served, with martial arts demonstrations and Japanese pop DJs also planned.
The move comes after more than 2,000 people swamped the museum at a pilot event to attract more adults in September. Museum programme manager Anthony Richards said: "We were shocked by how popular the late-night opening was, so we have decided to make it a regular feature.
"The Launchpad gallery was absolutely packed all night, and people really loved the interactive exhibits we have in there."
The £4million gallery features 50 interactive exhibits, including a giant wall of bubbles, superstrong magnets and the "big machine" - a giant sandpit where materials can be moved around using a series of pulleys and levers. The museum will employ extra staff to supervise the adults at play.
"We will have nine to 10 staff in the Launchpad gallery and we won't allow alcohol to be taken into the gallery itself. We don't expect any problems, though, and we are sure people will just have a great time," said Mr Richards.
Other exhibits include "icy bodies", a tank of blue-dyed water, into which pellets of dry ice fall from a conveyor belt, fizzing and turning into gas. Designed by artist Shawn Lani, it has proved a major success.
Another hit is a thermal camera that shows visitors an image of themselves in which cold noses look purple and warm hands look bright yellow.
Other attractions include an innovative sound exhibit that enables visitors to speed up or slow down everyday sounds to compose their own symphonies: at top speed, a crying baby becomes a twittering bird, while slowed-down, jangling keys sound like giant bells.
Mr Richards said: "Everyone remembers coming to the Science Museum as a child but unless you have children of your own, people are unlikely to come back when they are older. We think that 25- to 35-year-olds with an interest in culture will really enjoy the evening. And of course, there will be no children in the museum as well."
The free events will run on the last Friday of every month from 6.30pm until 10pm.
Late nights at London museums
British Museum Open until 8.30pm on Thursday and Friday. Great Court open until 11pm from Thursday to Saturday
National Gallery Open until 9pm on Wednesday. Includes bar with live music in the Sainsbury Wing
National Portrait Gallery Open until 8pm on Thursday and Friday. Includes talks and exhibition tours
Tate Britain Open until 10pm on the first Friday of each month for Late at Tate Britain including drinks, performances, music, talks and films. Entry to exhibitions is half-price
Tate Modern Open Friday and Saturday until 10pm (9.15pm for exhibitions)
Victoria and Albert Museum Open until 10pm on a Friday (selected galleries stay open after 6pm, check on day for details). Includes performances, talks and screenings
Reader views (2)
It says this is a Friday late, but it is starting on the 28th Jan which is a Wednesday?
- Loo, London, 08/01/2009 12:19
Report abuse
I have been looking for information about this on the Science Museum - and nothing appears - so this sounds a bit dubious to me. Can you please confirm the source?
- Jacqui, London, 07/01/2009 23:59
Report abuse
