Techniquest facts for kids
 |
|
 |
|
| Established | 1986 |
|---|---|
| Location | Cardiff Bay, Cardiff, Wales |
| Public transit access |  Cardiff Bay Cardiff Bus 6 (Baycar), 8, 13 |
Techniquest is a cool science discovery center in Cardiff Bay, Wales. It's a place where you can explore science with your own hands! This amazing center has a science theater, a planetarium, and a huge exhibition area. There are over 100 fun, interactive exhibits for people of all ages to enjoy.
Professor John Beetlestone (1932–2016) and his friends from Cardiff University started Techniquest in 1986. It used to have other locations too, like a sister center in Wrexham. There were also places in Llanberis and Narberth, Pembrokeshire.
Contents
Discovering Techniquest's Journey in Cardiff
Techniquest first opened its doors on November 13, 1986. It was in an old British Gas showroom on Duke Street. Back then, it had 48 exhibits. Many of these were designed and built by the Techniquest team themselves! Just seven weeks after opening, 10,000 people had already visited.
In 1988, Techniquest moved to a new building on Bute Street. This was a temporary spot. Later, both this building and the nearby Welsh Industrial and Maritime Museum were taken down. This made space for the new Mermaid Quay area.
The center moved again in 1995 to its current home. This building on Stuart Street used to be an engineering workshop. It became the UK's very first building made just for a science discovery center. It opened on May 1, 1995. You can still see the original steel frame of the building today!
Techniquest was even featured in a TV show once. It was filmed for an episode of the CBBC children's drama, The Story of Tracy Beaker.
What Can You Do at Techniquest?
Techniquest wants to get everyone excited about science. They also want to help people learn more about related subjects. These include mathematics, engineering, and technology. The center offers exhibitions, shows, and programs. These are designed to make science easy to understand for people across Wales.
In the past, Techniquest would take its exhibits to events all over Wales. They visited shopping centers and big cultural events like the National Eisteddfod. They also had other activities through programs like Wales Gene Park.
To create all these experiences, Techniquest used to have its own design and development team. This team had workshops and facilities, but they closed in 2019. Now, Techniquest works with many different partners. These include scientists, industry experts, and government groups. They work with people both in Wales and around the world.
Recently, Techniquest has expanded its space a lot. The new Science Capital area has made the center over 60% bigger! This means there are even more exhibits now. Many new ones are for older children, but they still have lots of old favorites too. To reach more people, Techniquest also creates digital shows. These can be used in classrooms all over Wales.
How Techniquest Is Supported
Techniquest is an independent charity focused on education. This means it gets money from different places. Until 2016, the Welsh Government provided about one-third of its funding. This money especially helped with programs for schools. However, this funding has slowly been reduced each year.
Now, the money from admission tickets is very important. It helps cover the daily costs of running the center. Grants and other money they earn also help a lot. This support is essential for their education and outreach work.
See Also
- List of science centers#Europe
