Fun day at museumis a lab-our of love for young scientists

JUNIOR scientists put on lab coats, sifted through fossils and painstakingly reconstructed pots.
By The Newsroom
Published 14th Mar 2016, 06:01 BST
May Stephenson, six, enjoys her hands-on experience with a giant set of gnashers at the event Picture: Paul Jacobs (160219-4)May Stephenson, six, enjoys her hands-on experience with a giant set of gnashers at the event Picture: Paul Jacobs (160219-4)
May Stephenson, six, enjoys her hands-on experience with a giant set of gnashers at the event Picture: Paul Jacobs (160219-4)

Dozens of families went to Search museum in Gosport on Saturday to mark British Science Week.

Organisers were delighted as children aged from two to 13 had a go at taking part in archaeology, geology, palaeontology, biology and zoology.

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Physiotherapist Alex Stephenson, 37, from William Close, Stubbington, was there with her son Ollie, four, and daughter May, six.

Science runs in the family and they were keen to explore the activities – and examine the bones.

‘I had fun with the bones,’ said youngster Ollie.

Alex added: ‘It’s really important to get them interested at a young age in a fun way to touch things.

‘You can’t at some museums but this is really interactive. It’s local and otherwise we’d have to travel to London.’

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British Science Weeks started on Saturday and runs until March 20.

Bosses at the museum wanted to run a day to attract youngsters.

Wendy Redman, education officer at Search, said: ‘We’ve had quite a few budding scientists – we’ve had little ones from two right up to 13 years old.

‘There’s so much to do and by touching and handling the objects I hope it brings science to life for them.

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‘We’re an open-access museum, they can come in, get their lab coats on and magnifiers out.

‘It’s to inspire children to be interested in science.

‘Lots of the kids like the dinosaurs but there’s more to it than that.’

Plenty of activities kept the children interested across the two floors at Search, in Clarence Road, as more than 100 people joined in the fun.

Maximus Collin, five, was at the museum with his dad Joe, 30, mum Ruth, 39, and sister Betsy, two.

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The family were putting together paper skeletons, learning about the different bones of the body. Joe said: ‘It’s really good, really different.’

And Susan Yarney, 58, from Rowner, was with her grandchildren Cai Richardson, nine, and Troy Richardson, four.

They were sketching what they could see from an archaeological dig.

Cai said: ‘You’ve got to use the sketch to draw and label what you’ve seen.’

Related topics:ScienceGosportOrganisers