Infinite Critique

Yesterday we went here…

The National Space Centre in Leicester.

It was cold, it snowed, and we queued for over a hour in the cold, and the snow, but you know, I think it was worth it.

It’s one of those places where you really have no idea what to expect, except, you know, space stuff.

Will the kids be allowed to touch things?

Will the staff be friendly, or the kind who watch your offspring like hawks, and seem to be there to protect the exhibits rather than to enhance your experience?

Will there be enough toilets?

Will they be nice toilets?

Will it cost so much we’ll have to mortgage the hamster?

But still, intrepid explorers that we are, we decided to go, and all our worries? They were for nothing, it was great, seriously.

They didn’t just not mind your kids touching stuff,

..they actively encouraged it.

And they let them climb in stuff, can you believe that? I mean how perfect is that? Kids are completely satisfied as long as they can climb on and in stuff. Or is that just my kids?

And grown ups are allowed too, which is even better. Sighhhh.

We ate our dinner beneath an enormous rocket,

..which we later climbed up to gaze down upon,

..and there was tons of stuff to do, all set out in separate zoned areas which helped us organize our activities and make sure we didn’t miss anything.

We were booked in to the 20 mintes theatre show for 2.30om, where Ewan McGregor took us through the astronaut experience. As usual I ended up sitting behind the person with the tall head..

..but that was okay, as the screen was the whole roof of the domed theatre. I wasn’t sure if Miss M (3) would cope with the lights out and the noise, but she did just fine and waved at the astronauts floating in the starlit sky above us. We were given instructions on what to do should we need to leave, but she took it all in her stride

Big science facts were explained through fantastic interactive exhibits,

Whoops, beheaded Mr B, sorry dear, but you can kind of see Miss E there too right?

and there was a chill out place for Miss M that was a little calmer and where I could let her boing around a bit if she felt like it, while her big sis took in the nearby attractions.

We even learned how astronauts slept, and erm, how they got rid of waste.

It was really interesting.

I think probably the only downside is that we just didn’t have enough time to do everything properly. They have this new exhibit where you can go through training exercises and see how you measure up against real life astronauts, and there’s a simulator ride that Miss M was too small to go on, but,

…But,

..when we paid our £34 admission, (£12 each for Mr B and I, and £10 for Miss E, Miss M was free as she’s under five), we got a special sticker thing on our tickets that means, wait for it, we can go back for free, almost any time within the next year.

How cool is that?

And we will. We really will.