Magna

We had a fantastic day out yesterday at Magna(www.visitmagna.co.uk), even if a little chilly.The building is a converted steel works, so the inside temperature reflects the temperature outside.

There are four main pavilions-Air, Fire, Water and Earth. Also, there is a Big Melt viewing area which tells the story of steel making. It describes the process using sound, light and fire. It is quite spectacular.

There were many different scientific processes explained and demonstrated with lots of hands on exhibits for the boys to try. This was a self raising chair. Unfortunately, D didn't have enough muscle and J gave him a helping hand. When he got to the top, D wasn't quite sure how to get down. Quite simple really, just reverse the process of getting up.

The boys love these human hamster wheels. I would love one in the back garden for them to get rid of excess energy they always seem to have.

J loved this chair. He could change the speed of the spin by raising and lowering his legs.

This was a fire tornado fueled by kerosene. The tornado effect was caused by two fans.

In this section there was also a challenge for the boys. They had to use a electromagnetic crane to pick up crushed cans and fill up a hopper. A certain amount of recycled steel goes into making new steel.

There were also lots of exhibits where you completed electrical circuits to produce heat. Heat also makes steel expand quite a lot, so now the boys know why there are gaps between railway tracks.

One process for making steel using electric probes and the was a small demonstration of how the electrical charge made the steel melt.

D loved this hot air balloon. The height the balloon went, depended on the amount of hot air released. The target was the ceiling.

This picture was taken in the Transformer House. Whenever you walked in it started the electrical charges going. Made for quite a spectacular light show and did wonders for your hair!

The boys favourite section was the earth pavilion. They spent ages playing at working in a quarry. They saw how rock sorters worked and the conveyor belts that transport the rock to different parts of the site. My favourite was being able to plunge the detonator to blow a face of rock. I've always wanted to be the one to do that in demolition. I think this is the closest I will get.