Magna Science Adventure Centre facts for kids
Magna Science Adventure Centre is a super fun and educational place to visit in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England. It's a science museum built inside an old steelworks!
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Where is Magna Located?
Magna Science Adventure Centre is built on a very old and interesting site. It used to be a huge steel factory called Steel, Peech and Tozer, or "Steelos" for short. Even further back in time, around 50 AD, it was a Roman fort!
Inside Magna, the main exhibits are split into four exciting areas:
- Earth: Explore how our planet works.
- Air: Discover the power of wind and flight.
- Fire: Learn about heat and energy.
- Water: Play with water and understand its properties.
Outside, there are also cool play areas like Sci-Tek and Aqua-Tek, which has lots of water games. The whole site is very big, about a third of a mile long, and is often used for special events and shows.
How Magna Was Built
Building Magna was a big project! Stephen Feber led the team that designed and built it. The main architects were WilkinsonEyre, and the exhibition designers were Event Communications. Tim Caulton helped create all the amazing exhibits you see inside.
Magna's design was so good that it won a special award called the RIBA Stirling Prize in 2001. This award is given to architects for excellent building designs.
The Big Melt Show
One of the most popular attractions at Magna is "The Big Melt" show. This show happens every hour and demonstrates how steel was made in a huge electric arc furnace. The steelworks closed in 1993, so this show helps visitors understand what it was like.
During "The Big Melt," special effects like fog, sparks, flames, and smoke machines are used. Loudspeakers, lights, and bursts of burning gas make it feel like a real furnace is working! It's a very exciting and loud show that brings the history of steelmaking to life.
Rotherham Real Ale and Music Festival
Since 2011, Magna has been the home of the yearly Rotherham Real Ale and Music Festival. This festival used to be held at Oakwood Technology College. Money raised from the festival is given to local charities, helping people in the community.
See also
- List of science centers#Europe
