24 Hour Museum Head of Education, Anra Kennedy, takes her children on an exploration of space, showing at the V&A Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green until April 6 2008.
Space adventures hadn’t been embraced by my three daughters thus far. Their play tended towards the practical, with games revolving around familiar and firmly terrestrial locations.
They thought Star Wars was for boys and Buzz Lightyear was frankly rather clunky. That’s all changed now. A couple of hours at the Museum of Childhood’s new Space Age, Exploration, Design and Popular Culture* exhibition and they’ve caught the space bug.
Mars is where it’s at, preferably whilst wearing a shiny, sequinned mini dress and accompanied by Buck Rogers and Robby the Robot.
From the strokable chunk of meteorite, 4.9 billion years old, to the futuristic lego scenes and the impressive range of ray guns, this exhibition really does have something for everyone. It explores the many ways in which space has invaded so much of our popular culture.
This is a show packed with stuff. Astronomical instruments, NASA space food, furniture and film posters vie for attention with astronaut Barbie and a host of TV merchandise. It’s visually so appealing that my girls were drawn in immediately, fascinated by flying saucers fifties-style and the many variations on the robot theme.
We examined a ‘urine collection device’ in detail (‘Mummy! It’s a giant space nappy!’) so now know exactly how you go the loo in space. We know too what happens if you’re sick in space, obviously a question of key concern when you’re seven.
We’re still unsure as to why women in the fifties and sixties wore so few clothes whilst exploring new planets though, believing Pierre Cardin’s take on space fashion to be much more practical.
There’s just enough interactivity peppered through the exhibition. Space age dress-up clothes and a rocket-building exercise seemed to be going down very well with all the younger visitors. Most popular of all with my lot was the ‘Design a Space Age Room’ computer interactive.
These don’t overwhelm the objects though and the display encourages children to look and think instead of rushing to press the next button.
This exhibition’s a winner, with appeal for families and space fanatics alike. Once it leaves Bethnal Green on April 6 2007 it goes on a seven-venue tour around the UK, so catch it if you can.
V&A Museum of Childhood, Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green, London, E2 9PA, England
T: 020 8980 2415
Open: Daily 10.00-17.45
Closed: 25, 26 December and 1 January
