Powerhouse

Jan 15

John woke later this day. He had decided not to use his last day's bus pass unless the weather was better. It was forecast to be rainy and 25 again. He decided to give the dongle a try just to see if it would work - and it did. He said he would use it until it didn't work anymore.

If he wasn't able to move around the city he thought he should do an activity close to his hotel. The closest attraction was the Powerhouse science and technology museum.

He set out wih his jacket for warmth as well as rain protection but still had only his shorts to wear as he had left his jeans in Melbourne, Well, the forecast of 25 was low. He didn't need his jacket and had to carry it. It was muggy though. John found his way to the museum and went in. He got a $2 discount for having his pass so it was only $8.

He first went to the steam engine room where they had old locomotives and steam engines for running things. Then he went to the air exhibit and then to the space exhibit.



Usually John likes to see kids in museums because they can learn so much but today they overran this one. There were thousands... seriously. Everwhere, they ran and shouted and screamed, sometimes piercingly so. They ran to the interactive exhibits pushing buttons and if there was no instant gratification they ran on to the next one. Parents were using the museum as a babysitting service as they let their kids run wild. One child about ten was pounding all the buttons that moved an industrial robot at the same time and as hard as he could. The machine was vibrating. You were supposed to get it to pick up the blocks (teaching you programming). "Ah," John pondered, "I must be getting old."

He realized that the fault wasn't really the kids but the museum. Although he would give the technology exhibits high grades the science ones were poor. They did not take age appropriateness into account. There were some exhibits that were fun and interactive but the science was too high level for most adults let alone children. Who can understand nuclear fusion from a simple abstract activity of moving circles on a touch screen? Like the Ontario Science Centre the science activities were staged. There were no truly interactive activities that children could work on, like making a small electric motor from hundred of available parts, under the guidance of museum staff.

What they did teach the kids was how to dance to Michael Jackson's Thriller video. The dancers got the kids all revved up and then tried to teach them. Even the staff couldn't do the moonwalk so apart from creating hyper kids, nothing of educational value was achieved.

That seemed to be the trouble with the Powerhouse. It didn't know seem to know whether it was a repository for artefacts, an informal educational experience, or an entertainment venue. There was an exhibit for the parents that had music and Australian music stars of the 80's. John wondered what that had to do with science or technology. John did recognize INXS and Crowded House amongst the myriad bands that did not achieve international success.

One other problem was that exhibits often interfered with each other. The sounds of one would make it hard to hear the next and so on.

Having said all the negatives, there were some really positive aspects. The design technology was outstanding with designs created by year 12 tech students that had been brought to life and manufactured by the museum. There was also a 'design through the ages' exhibit that could take days to truly appreciate. Their space simulation was cool as you spent time in the space shuttle and got the disorienting feeling that you were weightless. The first train in Australia complete with first, second and third class carriages was impressive.

The one science exhibit area that was excellent was about scent. It was at a level that everyone from young children to adults with PhD's could understand and enjoy. You pressed a button and put your nose up to the tube and smelled. It was the kind of science that should be in such museums because it gives children a sense of playing with a phenomenon that is real to them. It also had molecular drawings and text that showed and explained why you were smelling what you were. And that was interesting to the grownups. There were also stunningly beautiful photographs of nebulas, galaxies and stars that would have made John, as a youngster, want to become an astronomer (err astrophysicist). John also saw a copy of the Strasburg clock that was excellent. He was lucky to be there at the top of the hour to see all the various parts in motion.



John found himself leaving after three hours but only because his back had become sore from all that looking and reading. He walked back to the hotel and took a nap.

He got up for supper and walked to find another pub. This time he had lamb shanks with mashed potatoes and gravy but no veggies. It was just that kind of pub. He made a resolution to eat some veggies tomorrow. One thing he has found is that it is hard not to drink in Australia. The main courses are fairly inexpensive in pubs but they have a $20 minimum purchase and all you can get is alcohol. This time John had to buy two beers to get the price up to $20. He wandered back to the hotel somewhat buzzed and slept again. He hoped that he would get to sleep early enough to wake up in time for Avatar in Imax 3-D in the morning.

TRB