Exploratory Hands-on Science Centre
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}
{{Infobox museum
|name = Exploratory
|image = Bristol. - geograph.org.uk - 102202.jpg
|caption = Brunel's original Great Western station building (pictured in 1994), former home of the Exploratory
|location = Bristol, England
|map_type = Bristol
|map_caption = Temple Meads, Bristol
|coordinates = {{coord|51.4489|-2.5835|display=inline,title}}
|visitors = 200,000 a year
|director = Iann Barron Executive trustee
|website =
|established = 1987
|dissolved = 14 September 1999
|type = Science museum
}}
The Exploratory Hands-on Science Centre was a science museum in Bristol, England. The project was conceived in 1981 by Richard Gregory, professor of neuropsychology at Bristol University,{{cite book |title=New Scientist |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GpwGn8dpP2oC&pg=PA484 |year=1983 |publisher=Reed Business Information |page=484 |issn=0262-4079}}{{cite news |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg12416965.300-rooms-with-a-purpose-in-view--review-of-the-exploratory.html |title=Review of 'The Exploratory' |date=23 December 1989 |author=Barry Fox |publisher=New Scientist}}{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2010/may/26/richard-gregory-obituary |title=Richard Gregory obituary |work=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian News and Media |date=26 May 2010 |last=Braddick |first=Oliver |accessdate=3 January 2011}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.exploratory.org.uk/about/thanks.htm |title=About |website=www.exploratory.org.uk |access-date=8 August 2016}}{{cite web |url=http://www.exploratory.org.uk/history/1981-83.htm|title=The Exploratory – History |website=www.exploratory.org.uk |access-date=24 December 2018}} and was the first hands-on science museum in the United Kingdom.{{Cite web |url=http://www.exploratory.org.uk/history/|title=The Exploratory - History |website=www.exploratory.org.uk |access-date=8 August 2016}} It was inspired by the creation of the Exploratorium in San Francisco which had opened some years earlier and which appointed him Osher Visiting Fellow in 1989. Gregory said: "As I see it 'hands-on science' is to stimulate interest in science and technology by presenting phenomena and experiments to show how things work at first hand."{{cite web |last1=Gregory |first1=Richard |title=Bristol Exploratory |url=https://science-projects.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/ch10.pdf |website=www.science-projects.org |publisher=Science Projects |access-date=17 May 2022}}
History
Initial funding for the idea came from the Nuffield Foundation and David Sainsbury's Gatsby Charitable Foundation.{{cite journal |last1=Gregory |first1=Richard |title=Editorial |journal=Perception |year=2000 |volume=29 |issue=11 |pages=1273–1278 |publisher=Pion |doi=10.1068/p2911ed |pmid=11219984 |s2cid=42898447 |doi-access=free }} From 1987 to 1989 the interactive science exhibits were temporarily housed in the city's Victoria Rooms. In 1989 they moved to permanent installation at Bristol Temple Meads railway station. There, the expanded exhibition occupied two floors of the original terminal shed designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The exhibits became known as 'plores' from the word 'explore', and the team of helpers in red sweatshirts were called 'pilots'. It was open seven days a week to the public and provided education programmes for school parties. Its footfall increased to more than 200,000 visitors a year with around 60% being children. The centre's aim of popularising science gained the active support of the TV astronomer Patrick Moore{{cite news |last1=Thomas |first1=Caroline |title=Patrick beats the drum for Hands-on science |publisher=Western Daily Press |date=29 May 1993}}{{cite web |last1=Exploratory |first1=The |title=history |url=http://www.exploratory.org.uk/history/ |website=www.exploratory.org |publisher=The Exploratory |access-date=18 May 2022}} In 1993 it hosted an exhibition from the popular BBC television series Doctor Who.{{cite web |last1=Anon |title=The Exploratory Exhibition in Bristol opened its doors in May 1993 providing some competition for the Longleat site. |url=http://www.drwhoexhibitions.co.uk/exploratory.htm |website=www.drwhoexhibitions.co.uk |publisher=Hyde Funsraisers |access-date = 21 May 2022}} The space was also frequently used for broadcast of discussion shows about science for the BBC.{{cite web |last1=Porter |first1=Roy |title=The exploratory. Pt. 4, The tomorrow people. |url=https://wellcomecollection.org/works/pkqds7jh |website=www.wellcomecollection.org |publisher=Wellcome |access-date=17 May 2022}}
The Exploratory closed in September 1999 when the lease on the building expired. Its successor was At-Bristol, now We The Curious, a larger science centre which opened in 2000 at a new site as part of the regeneration of the historic Floating Harbour.
One exhibit from the Exploratory, a giant Baroque guitar, was moved to the Deutsches Museum in Munich where it remains on public display.{{cite web |title=The Exploratory - Exhibits |url=http://www.exploratory.org.uk/exhibits/strad.htm |website=www.exploratory.org.uk |access-date=31 March 2021}}{{cite web |last1=Deutsches Museum |title=Kids' Kingdom – a large Space for small Visitors |url=https://www.deutsches-museum.de/en/museum-island/exhibitions/kids-kingdom |website=www.deutsches-museum.de |publisher=Deutsches Museum |access-date=21 May 2022}} The exhibit gained a place in the Guinness World Records in 1995.{{cite book |last1=Guinness |title=The New Guinness Book of World Records |date=1995 |publisher=Guinness Publishing Ltd |location=Barcelona |isbn=0-85112-736-3 |page=147}}
See also
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://www.exploratory.org.uk/ Archive website of the Exploratory]
- [https://science-projects.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/ch10.pdf Origins of the Bristol Exploratory. Prof. Richard L Gregory]