An exciting start to 2011

2011 has started here at Eureka!, and if the past month if anything to go by it's going to be a busy year.

We started the year with Wallace and Gromit Invention Sessions as part of our Winter 2011 Ingenious Inventions activities, and with a month to go it seems like our visitors are as excited about the sessions as we are.

Our new 2011 leaflets arrived. Have you seen them yet? We love the bright yellow colour, but more importantly, pick one up on your next visit so you know all about the big events for 2011.

In January we also officially launched a new exhibit, the Hydrogen Fuel Pump and the hydrogen fuel powered car in the Garage in the Living and Working Together gallery. The exhibit was supported by Air Products, who brought HydroJen, the hydrogen power ambassador to the launch. The Mayor of Halifax, representatives from Air Products and Eureka! and children on a school visit were all on hand for the launch.

HydroJen and children with the Hydrogen Fuel Pump

Although it wasn't a Eureka! event, we also hosted the Northern Rail Cup launch for Rugby League Football here at the museum in January. On a week day in January it is usually quiet in the museum, so it was quite exciting to have so many rugby players, coaches and journalists in and around Eureka!.

Now that February is here, we're in full swing getting ready for half-term. Some of our Enablers have been hard at work on the Emerald City Challenge, a Wizard of Oz themed obstacle course in the Eureka! Theatre that will be on during half-term. Others are hard at work practicing the different science tricks they'll be showing off around the museum, or getting ready to go into character as Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Man and the Scarecrow.

February half term at Eureka! runs from Monday 21 - Friday 25 February when we are open from 10am - 5pm. Since many schools are getting out at different times this month, we are also open on Monday 14, 21 and 28 February, if you want to get playing!

Don't forget that the Wallace and Gromit Invention Sessions will be running every weekend until 28 February. If you have children over the age of 7, this is a great chance to get a hands-on mechanical project that the whole family can do together, using the exclusive kits inspired by the BBC series Wallace and Gromit's World of Invention and created by Aardman Animation!

Have you been out for an Invention Session or had a play with the hydrogen fuel pump yet?