Thinktank is a science museum that was opened in 2001 and situated in Birmingham, not too far from Birmingham New Street station if you are taking the train. They are located within the Millennium Point complex on Curzon Street. At the moment, the complex is hosting Covid vaccinations on level 0, which is also the same entrance for Thinktank.
We went there by car and the entrance to the car park can be easily missed as there is a bicycle lane. If you have a blue badge, the parking is free. You have to call for assistance on your way out and show the car park attendant your badge as they need to note this which can take a few minutes.
There are over four floors of exhibits: The Past, The Factory, Our World and The Future. The tickets for the Planetarium is an extra charge of £2.50 each and can be purchased at the main desk on entry to Thinktank. Due to reduced capacity, tickets are limited and subject to availability. We didn’t go for it as the timing didn’t suit us. They have four different shows during the day.
The Past, which begins next to the entrance is where you uncover the industrial heritage of Birmingham. There are many impressive mighty engines and machines on display in the area. Many areas are interactive too. The floor planning is well thought out and children will love seeing all the machinery.
We then went to level 1 The Factory, where they displayed a wonderful history of design and products manufactured in Birmingham from bolts to glassware.
Level 2 hosts the Our World and also the exit if you are heading home or to the science garden. Again there are plenty of amazing natural history collections like butterflies to Ichthyosaur bones. We spent most of our time here as we found this area really interesting. This new gallery features over 150 items, explores how humans have changed the world and how these changes are affecting the wildlife around us. There are also many interactive stations to test our knowledge. Most of the stations are modern but some do need updating to respond quicker.
For level 3, includes topics around the future where there are a few amazing futuristic inventions and you get to see some exciting developments in the world of science and technology. The Planetarium and MiniBrum are also situated there. MiniBrum is suitable for children aged 8 and below, where children are put in charge of their very own mini-city. It features recognisable Birmingham landmarks and different play zones for children to discover and enjoy!
We then exited the museum and went outside to the outdoor science garden. The whole area is well planned and we all enjoyed the hands-on activities. Definitely worth going even if the weather is too chilly. We missed the outdoor science experiments show – by the time we got there, it was just wrapping up, but it did look great fun from afar.
If you are looking for something to do in Birmingham, this place is great for families of all ages. All displays are modern and they have plenty of interactive stations for children to play with.