Techniquest facts for kids
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| Established | 1986 |
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| Location | Cardiff Bay, Cardiff, Wales |
| Public transit access |  Cardiff Bay Cardiff Bus 6 (Baycar), 8, 13 |
Techniquest is a super-fun science centre in Cardiff Bay, Wales. It's not like a normal museum where you just look at things. Here, you get to touch and play with science!
The centre is packed with over 100 interactive exhibits that let you get hands-on with science. It also has a science theatre for amazing shows and a planetarium where you can explore the stars. It's a place for curious people of all ages to have fun while learning.
Techniquest was started back in 1986 by a professor named John Beetlestone and his friends from Cardiff University.
Contents
The Story of Techniquest
Techniquest didn't always have its cool building in Cardiff Bay. It has moved a few times since it first opened.
Early Days
The science centre first opened its doors on November 13, 1986. Its first home was in an old gas company building in Cardiff. It had 48 exhibits that were specially designed and built for visitors. The centre was so popular that it welcomed its 10,000th visitor in less than two months!
After about nine months, Techniquest moved to a new spot in 1988. It was located in a temporary building near what used to be the Welsh Industrial and Maritime Museum.
A Permanent Home
In 1995, Techniquest moved one last time to its current location on Stuart Street. This new building was special because it was the first science centre in the United Kingdom built just for that purpose. It opened on May 1, 1995. If you look closely at the building, you can still see the steel frame from the old engineering workshop that was there before.
The centre was even used as a filming location for an episode of the CBBC show, The Story of Tracy Beaker!
What Can You Do at Techniquest?
The main goal of Techniquest is to get people excited about science, technology, engineering, and math. It wants to show everyone that learning can be fun and inspire them to find out more.
Exhibits and Shows
Techniquest has something for everyone. The exhibits are designed to be hands-on, so you can experiment and see science in action. The centre also puts on exciting shows and programs that make science easy to understand.
For a long time, Techniquest also took its shows and exhibits on the road. They would visit festivals and events all over Wales, like the National Eisteddfod.
Growing and Changing
Recently, Techniquest got even bigger! A new section called the Science Capital was added, which increased the size of the centre by more than half. This new area has lots of exhibits aimed at older kids and teenagers, but many of the classic, well-loved exhibits are still there too.
To reach even more people, Techniquest now creates digital shows. This means that students in classrooms all across Wales can experience the fun of Techniquest online.
How is Techniquest Funded?
Techniquest is a registered educational charity. This means it doesn't exist to make a profit, but to educate people. To keep running, it needs money from different places.
In the past, the Welsh Government helped pay for a lot of the school programs. Today, the money from ticket sales is very important to help cover the costs of running the centre. Techniquest also gets money from grants and other donations to support its educational work.
See also
- List of science centers#Europe
