THE National Railway Museum in York opened a new permanent exhibition called ‘Wonderlab: The Bramall Gallery’ on July 27, the first project from its ‘Vision 2025’ masterplan to be completed. Wonderlab has been in development for five years, and features 18 hands-on exhibits around the themes of railways and engineering. It is aimed at families with children aged 7-14 and school groups, and is housed in the former locomotive workshop building next to the Great Hall.
The interactive exhibits include how landscapes affect the design of railways, choosing the best design for bridges, which locomotives have the best streamlining shape, how to ‘see’ friction, and which wheel shape works best on tracks. There will also be live science shows and demonstrations inside the Weston Showspace.
NRM Director Judith McNicol said: “The gallery was developed in partnership with the rail industry and other experts, and we have listened to visitor feedback about the need for more interactive, hands-on experiences. We want to ensure that children have great fun while developing a spark of interest in engineering that will contribute towards tackling the UK’s shortage in STEM skills.”
Although entry to the NRM remains free, day tickets for Wonderlab cost from £7.20 and annual passes from £13.00.