Prepare to run around like a hyperactive child who’s ingested too many E numbers at this wonderfully eclectic museum. The main attraction at the Millennium Point centre, Thinktank is separated into four floors of scientific endeavour. The ground floor features a suspended Spitfire planes and gigantic steam trains, while a trek to the top level will be rewarded with the digital planetarium and the chance to fiddle about with robots.
Many of the displays link back to Birmingham’s industrial past, and it seems the museum has been built with both kids and childish adults in mind (you get to push lots of buttons and pull even more levers). Visitors can also engage with some of the regular science workshops – featuring variations on the sorts of science experiments you’d get to do at school – or solve crimes using modern-day detective work.
As you might have guessed from its design, which resembles a kid’s jumbled up toy box, it’s easy to get a bit lost, and getting to the outdoor science garden isn’t easy if you’re on one of the higher levels. If you’re looking for the fabled blend of education and entertainment, though, Thinktank is the museum for you.