AttractionsEducational

At-Bristol Review

atbristollogo@Bristol

www.at-bristol.org.uk

Reviewed by Siobhan Bridgwater

If you are looking for a fantastic day out in Bristol which will entertain and engage all ages, you cannot beat the amazing At-Bristol, billed as “one of the UK’s most exciting interactive science centres.” It is centrally located and easily accessible by bus or car with plenty of car parking options. I drove in and parked close by on Park Street and accessed the centre through the Harbourside Waterfront which is crammed with bars and restaurants and even a weekend craft market selling delicious and beautiful things. Accompanying me was a very excited gaggle of 11 and 12 year old friends: three boys and one girl, all who had been to At-Bristol before over the years and were very keen to return.

On entry, we were all given wristbands to wear. As we passed through the numerous hands-on exhibits we were invited to scan our bands so we could record and revisit the fun and achievements of the day through the website once the day was over. I thought my lot were going to race in and immediately split up and run towards the exhibits they have enjoyed most from previous visits but, to my surprise, they stayed together and methodically worked their way around the centre, gripped from the very start as we explore the wonders of the human body. It was as if they were seeing everything afresh and were quickly absorbed by skeletons that mirrored their movements, curious smells that pleased and assaulted their senses and music that captured the inner ear from biting on straws! The ground floor is awash with science: things to build, push, pull, pedal, run on, mimic and amaze. There was also a new food hall which offered cookery demonstrations and a Live Lab for those that like to dissect. There is so much to see and do and room and space for everyone without waiting times or overcrowding. Most surprising as our visit was on the first Sunday of the half term break. Downstairs, we tested our heart rates, speed, stamina and skill at every turn. Some exhibits are relatively small and took minutes to work through whilst others are enormous and incredibly eye catching and provided the thrills to hold the attention of all age groups for considerably longer. We launched missiles into space and played with air blasted balls. With boundless energy, we jumped high and raced fast against our friends in the Zone and then watched every delightful action back on replay in glorious slo-mo. Once was not enough through this hugely popular track so allow time for numerous competitions. My group loved the huge circular treadmill that powered a water wheel, creating action shadows and pounding the step machine which measures how much exercise you need to do to burn off the calorie intake from a single Quaver. The capacity to entertain and excite the inquiring mind appeared to be endless. And we had yet to venture upstairs.

On the first floor, a further host of exhibits and live shows were discovered all to do with animation and space. Wallace and Gromit’s creators make their presence felt as we sat in the midst of some wonderful displays and created our own animated films in minutes, frame by frame. Each masterpiece could be reworked and tinkered with before saving and could even be emailed home.

We then sat for a while, tracing some of Aardman’s most famous characters which, in the midst of such active fun, was surprising how much we all enjoyed such simple pleasure. Energy levels restored, off they all went again hunting for new excitement and it was not hard to find. The green screen activities were incredible. The first allowed us to play at making our own TV show in a studio with numerous buttons to press to control laughter and music, jingles and backdrops and there were even scripts for the would-be presenters. The second was a quirky game of beach volley ball which created further squeals of delight as they all jumped around frantically trying to keep the virtual ball in the air.

Before we knew it, three hours had passed and we were called to the Planetarium for the most stunning 3D trip into the night sky. The inside of the huge mirror globe seen in the Millennium Square is a wonderful venue and a tremendous addition to our visit. The show was cleverly narrated and pitched perfectly to captivate its wide audience as we travelled through space to planets and stars, had constellation explained and wonders revealed. The half hour show was packed with fantastic imagery and information to amaze us all and was thoroughly enjoyable.

After the show, we had a final hour to poke around and there was still so much more to do. We created enormous bubbles, laughed at our distorted images in the wobbly mirrors, spun wheels on the large, perpetually rotating table and built bridges out of magnetic sand. Before I knew it, it was time to go and my little party were nowhere to be found. I tracked them all down back at the animation desks, studiously absorbed again as they created more mini films.

I have to say, we found the facilities at At-Bristol were absolutely superb with seating and rest areas throughout to accommodate all their guests. There was a Picnic Area for those that had brought their own sandwiches, numerous vending machines and a free drinking fountain on the first floor which was much appreciated. I was impressed at how spotlessly clean the venue was kept and so well maintained. I did notice a considerable army of At-Bristol staff moving silently amongst the visitors cleaning, sweeping and tidying throughout our stay which had a considerable impact on our overall enjoyment. All exhibits were in perfect working order without any signs damage, breakages or missing parts. We had the best day and could have stayed for hours longer and still have been hugely entertained. The children loved the fact that they were educated whilst having some much fun with their friends. A very happy and stimulating day at One of Bristol’s finest attractions.

Rating: 5/5 thumbs_up

Tickets (with Gift Aid): Adult £12.60 (£13.90), Child £8.10 (£8.95), Family £35.90 (£39.50)

For more information or to book tickets visit www.at-bristol.org.uk.

At-Bristol, Anchor Road, Harbourside, Bristol, BS1 5DB | 0117 915 1000

5Star

 

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