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Fantastic forces and daring designs in Explore’s new
Brunel exhibition
1 April 2006
At-Bristol, the South West’s leading science centre, will be joining in
this year’s Brunel 200 celebrations with an exciting new exhibition, The
Forces that made IK Brunel, opening on 1 April in Explore.
Forming a major part of the bi-centenary celebrations of Brunel’s birth,
The Forces that made IK Brunel is linked to the ss Great Britain’s
exhibition, The Nine Lives of I.K. Brunel. Funding for both exhibitions
has come from the Heritage Lottery Fund, and the Urban Cultural
Partnership.
Taking inspiration from the incredible engineering feats achieved by IK
Brunel, Explore’s interactive exhibition gives a rare insight into how
this innovative and reckless engineer wrestled with so many huge and
deadly forces. Through a series of themed interactive areas, visitors can
share a sense of the dangers Brunel faced, experiment with the forces he
harnessed and experience how these are still at play in the engineering
marvels of today.
You can get to grips with Brunel’s tunnelling triumphs and discover the
pioneering construction methods used by Brunel and his father to create
the Thames Tunnel. You can walk through a replica of the tunnel and feel
for yourself how cramped the working conditions were. There’s also
Brunel’s radical railways; discover the dramas he experienced creating the
Great Western Railway and measure the forces that you can create in Battle
of the Gauges.
Don’t miss the fun-packed strength tests in the bridge building zone where
you will discover how different materials take the strain. Find out how
Brunel created the famous Clifton Suspension Bridge and see how you fare
as the next legendary bridge builder! Brunel was also famous for his
shipbuilding prowess; see a working model of the ss Great Britain’s
engine. Finally, see how modern engineers are tackling tunnelling, bridge
building and transport and find out what lies ahead for future engineering
feats.
Dan Bird, At-Bristol’s Director of Exhibitions says, ”We’re delighted to
be joining in the city’s bi-centenary celebrations of Brunel’s birth. The
Forces that made IK Brunel is a fantastic insight into his incredible
engineering achievements, visitors will be able to discover the dangers he
faced throughout his career and have a go at some engineering techniques
themselves. It promises to be a great day out for all the family!”
The Forces that made IK Brunel runs from 1 April – September 2006
and is free with a ticket to Explore-At-Bristol. For more information
please call 0845 3451235.
To contact the At-Bristol Press Office, please call Annabel Iles:
Tel: 0117 915 7152, fax: 0117 915 7200 or email
annabel.iles@at-bristol.org.uk
Note to Editors:
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At-Bristol, a registered
charity, has won 13 awards since opening in 2000 including the Good
Britain Guide 2001’s ‘Family Attraction of the Year’ and ‘Large Attraction
of the Year’ in the England in Excellence Awards South West. It consists
of three attractions:
Explore-At-Bristol - a hands-on science centre, IMAX® Theatre-At-Bristol
- the largest cinema screen in the west of England and Wildwalk-At-Bristol
- a journey from the origins of life to the ends of the Earth.
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It is a Landmark
Millennium Attraction whose principal partners include the Millennium
Commission (£44.3 million), the South West of England Regional Development
Agency (£17.1 million) and Bristol City Council (£15.7 million).
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Brunel 200 is responsible for the overall bicentennial celebrations taking place in Bristol and the South West throughout 2006. It is an initiative of Bristol Cultural Development Partnership (BCDP). BCDP is a partnership of Arts Council England South West, Bristol City Council and Business West. It promotes long-term cultural development in Bristol. Projects include: At-Bristol, Brief Encounters Short Film Festival, Animated Encounters, Bristol Legible City, the Bristol Festival of Ideas, and the annual Great Reading Adventure, when everyone is encouraged to read the same book at the same time.
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Brunel 200 is funded by Arts Council England South West, Bristol City Council and Business West. It is supported by funding from the National Lottery, including £600,000 from the Urban Cultural Programme (Arts Council England and the Millennium Commission) and a grant of £1.5m from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
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The Brunel 200 website at www.brunel200.com includes extensive background information about Brunel as well as news of activities planned for the celebrations.
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Highlights of the Brunel 200 activities include:
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On Brunel’s birthday weekend, 8-9 April 2006, there will be a procession and street party culminating in the switching on of the new lighting scheme at the Clifton Suspension Bridge and fireworks.
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Major exhibitions at ss Great Britain, At-Bristol and the Bristol’s City Museum and Art Gallery covering the story of Brunel’s life and work, the science and engineering of Brunel, and the art of the industrial age.
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Free distribution through schools and libraries of 100,000 copies of a 96pp graphic biography of Brunel’s life and work for readers aged 11 and upwards. Other publications include Brunel: ‘in love with the impossible’ with 16 newly commissioned essays and 400 illustrations.
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Massive education programme ensuring that every school child in Bristol will have the opportunity to learn about Brunel, visit the exhibitions and Brunel attractions. Other educational projects include reopening the competition to design the Clifton Suspension Bridge; working to encourage more people – and especially women – to go into engineering; and the placing of artists, scientists and engineers in residence in schools.
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A re-creation of the Royal Dinner of 1843, which launched the ss Great Britain.
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Bristol’s annual Great Reading Adventure in which everyone will be encouraged to read Around the World in Eighty Days, chosen because of its theme of opening up the world through transport and technology as well as because Jules Verne, its author, travelled on Brunel’s ship, the ss Great Eastern. This will become a South West regional project for 2006 as part of the Brunel 200 celebrations. It is anticipated that 100,000 people at least will participate.
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Widespread promotion of engineering, architecture, design and the arts.
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A Brunel Festival in Swindon and closing celebrations in Bristol.
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Over 60 arts projects in Bristol and the South West.
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