A £2m interactive children’s gallery – MiniBrum – at Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum will go ahead – following an award of £1.4m from the Inspiring Science Fund.
The fund is a partnership between the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Wellcome. The new attraction has the working title of MiniBrum. It will be a permanent feature of the museum.
MiniBrum will deliver Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) learning in a through a child-sized mini-city in which children and families can explore, play and learn.
The gallery will introduce children to the idea of Birmingham as a city where they live, how the city works and their place within it, and will use hands on interactive exhibits and replica objects.
MiniBrum is due to open in February 2019. It will quadruple Thinktank’s dedicated area for under eights. The museum hopes that this project will enhance the visitor experience.
Lauren Deere, Museum Manager at Thinktank, said: “We are thrilled to have secured this funding settlement which will help to realise our ambitious plans for a new interactive gallery at Thinktank. By working directly with children we aim to create a truly unique and engaging space that places joint emphasis on learning through STEM and children’s wellbeing.
“It is important for us to plan for the future of the museum to ensure we are offering the best experience to visitors, while reaching a growing diverse audience in the city so young people have the opportunity to be inspired by STEM subjects and have fun.”
Thinktank was one of five projects to be awarded a project grant by the Inspiring Science Committee. The fund is part of the Government’s Industrial Strategy to encourage more young people to consider STEM careers.
Universities and Science Minister, Jo Johnson, said: “Exhibitions are often our first experience of science and have a vital role in bringing the subject to life to encourage more young people to embrace science and engineering careers.
“This fund will provide vital support to help centres across the UK attract a new audience, supporting our Industrial Strategy to increase the diversity in the science sector and ensure we have the technical skills for the future.”
Images courtesy of Birmingham Museums Thinktank
