Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum

Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum is a major science museum located in the Millennium Point complex in Birmingham, near the Birmingham City University and the University of Birmingham. The museum is part of the Birmingham Museums Trust and is sponsored by Aston University, University of Birmingham, and Birmingham City University. It is also supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the European Regional Development Fund. The museum's collection and exhibits are comparable to those of the Science Museum, London and the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry.

● History

The history of the museum dates back to the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, which was established in 1885 by Sir Richard Tangye and Joseph Chamberlain. The museum's collection was later expanded to include science and technology exhibits, and in 2001, the Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum was opened as a separate entity. The museum's development was supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The museum's history is also closely tied to the Birmingham Industrial Heritage and the Lunar Society, which was founded by Erasmus Darwin, Matthew Boulton, and James Watt.

● Exhibits

The museum features a wide range of exhibits, including interactive displays on physics, chemistry, and biology, as well as exhibits on transportation, communication, and medicine. The museum's exhibits are designed to be engaging and educational, and are comparable to those of the London Transport Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry (Manchester). The museum also features exhibits on space exploration, including a Spitfire aircraft and a Apollo 11 command module, as well as exhibits on robotics and artificial intelligence, developed in collaboration with IBM and Microsoft. The museum's exhibits are also supported by the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

● Collections

The museum's collections include over 200,000 objects, including scientific instruments, technological artifacts, and historical objects. The collections are comparable to those of the Science Museum, London and the National Media Museum. The museum's collections also include a significant number of objects related to Birmingham's industrial heritage, including objects from the SoHo Foundry and the Boulton and Watt factory. The museum's collections are supported by the Arts Council England and the Heritage Lottery Fund, and are also used by researchers from University of Oxford and University of Cambridge.

● Planetarium

The museum features a planetarium that offers daily shows on astronomy and space exploration. The planetarium is equipped with a Zeiss projector and offers shows on a range of topics, including black holes, stars, and galaxies. The planetarium is comparable to those of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich and the London Planetarium. The planetarium's shows are also supported by the European Space Agency and the NASA, and are designed to be educational and engaging, with input from University of Birmingham and Aston University.

● Education and Events

The museum offers a range of educational programs and events, including workshops, lectures, and activities for schools and community groups. The museum's education programs are designed to be engaging and interactive, and are comparable to those of the Science Museum, London and the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry. The museum also hosts a range of events, including science festivals, conferences, and exhibitions, in collaboration with British Science Association and Royal Society. The museum's events are supported by the Wellcome Trust and the Royal Academy of Engineering, and are designed to promote public engagement with science and science literacy, with input from BBC and Channel 4.

● Architecture and Facilities

The museum is located in the Millennium Point complex, which was designed by Nicholas Grimshaw and HOK. The building features a unique architecture that is designed to be sustainable and environmentally friendly, with input from Arup and Buro Happold. The museum's facilities include a cafe, a shop, and a lecture theater, as well as a range of exhibition spaces and interactive galleries. The museum's facilities are comparable to those of the Museum of Modern Art and the Tate Modern, and are designed to be accessible and welcoming to visitors, with support from Birmingham City Council and West Midlands Combined Authority. The museum is also close to other Birmingham attractions, including the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and the Cadbury World, and is accessible by public transportation, including National Express West Midlands and Chiltern Railways.