MOSI creation to star at science festival
A ROBOT orchestra is among the game-changing installations to be showcased at this year’s Manchester Science Festival.
Created by the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), it will run from Thursday October 20 to Sunday October 30, with events scattered around the city.
On the schedule this year are more than 130 unique events for all ages and since the festival runs over half-term, it is an excellent opportunity for a fun-filled family outing.
Sponsored by Siemens and the University of Salford, the festival will focus largely on new technology, including virtual reality, coding and robots.
A new part installation and part public sleep laboratory, The Chronarium, will be located in Manchester Arndale shopping centre from October 20.
Designed by London-based artists Rachel Wingfield and Mathias Gmachi, the technology used improves sleep quality and was originally commissioned for the FutureEverything Festival in Singapore.
Tech-savvy teenagers and children can enjoy MOSI’s Virtual Reality Playground featuring the latest VR devices.
Robots will also dominate some of the festival’s music events when Robot Orchestra Live, Manchester’s first orchestra formed by recycled instruments, electronics and junk, perform alongside human musicians for the first time.
On the opening night, electronic band Public Service Broadcast will perform their entire album ‘The Race for Space’ at Manchester’s Albert Hall, accompanied by musicians from the Royal Northern College of Music.
Across the rest of the city, family events include ScienceJam at the Media City campus, University of Salford, where a “forest of curiosity” will be curated by writers and actors in collaboration with scientists, geographers and environmentalists.
Exclusive events for adults include a party on Thursday October 27 as part of MOSI’s Science After Dark programme, where science behind parties will be explore, including the maths of cake cutting and the psychology of clowns.
The following evening, the museum will host a Nobel Prize Disco to pay tribute to scientists Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoslov’s work- through fancy dress. Party-goers must go dressed as their favourite Nobel Prize winner or winning discovery.
Other adults-only events include The Science of Gambling with Guardian Live at Manchester235 Casino at the Great Northern, Deansgate, and whisky tasting at Chetham’s Library.
Manchester Science Festival will celebrate its 10th anniversary this year and is the UK’s largest science festival.
Last year, 12,000 visitors took part over 11 days of imaginative and thought-provoking events.
