Information Age: The Science Museum

Do you ever wonder what the world will look like when today's children are older? Or the generation after that? The pace of change of technology can be crazy. In a recent survey children were asked about what future technology might look like. One suggestion was that smart phones might be able to communicate smells (possibly a mixed blessing if it came true!) However many of the children asked didn't recognise an original telephone.

A few weeks ago we were invited to have a sleep over at the Science museum courtesy of BT in celebration of their launching of a 7th Network. I'm really not exaggerating when I say the whole sleep over was absolutely amazing (I'll be reviewing it on the blog soon as well as our chat with Mark Champkins the inventor in residence).  Well, you maybe wondering what the 7th Network is as well as what Networks 1-6 are.

The Rugby coil

The Information age gallery at the Science museum looks to inspire children (and grown ups too) with exhibits in 6 Networks (The Cable, The Telephone Exchange, Broadcast, The Constellation, The Cell and The Web) looking at how technology has developed over the last 200 ish years.

The original server for the internet

I love how at the start of the world wide web this was the small box (I also love the sticker - the Papa is always telling me off for turn our computer off when he's doing something - imagine turning the internet off!)

Regular readers will know that being a speech and language therapist in my day job I love communication and how important I think it is, The Papa is a self confessed computer geek so the Information age gallery was a great place to hang.

This moving exhibit above explains the origins of the cable.

The gallery is interactive and contains apps you can down load. I loved 'after dark' where you can make a comic. Making comics is a great way to develop children's language and literacy skills - it encourages them to sequence events and to think about what other might think or say in a functional and  fun way.

The 7th Network is a new collaborative website aimed to share ideas about the future of communications - something which I'm sure if the last 200 years are to go by will look very different in the next 200.

The information age gallery is free permanent exhibit. We'd love to hear what you thought of it if you do visit or what you or your child's predictions are for future technology.