Work to develop a new gallery dedicated to Earth at the National Space Centre in Leicester has begun, with the display said to explore how satellite data is vital for managing our relationship with the air, water and land of our home in space.
Home Planet, which is set to open by Easter, aims to inspire visitors to consider how we can all live more harmoniously by telling the story of the human impact on the environment.
Kevin Yates, head of exhibition development at the National Space Centre, said: “We hope this new gallery will present the reality of the challenges we face but also help people to see that there are individual and collective changes we can make that will create a better future for us and all life on Earth.”
Gallery Highlights
The new gallery will feature an interactive projection floor featuring ice, water and sea creatures that respond to visitor movements, whilst a large screen above displays the many habitats and forms of life on our planet.
The main show will introduce the theme of rising global temperatures with a timelapse running from pre-industrial times through to present day. As the video plays, a giant thermometer in the area near the audience responds according to the temperature portrayed at points during the show.
An art installation by local artist Michelle Reader, based on the Great Wave off Kanagawa but made entirely from recycled materials, will highlight the impact that humans have on the environment.
Check out a sneak peak of what the space is expected to look like when complete:
Visitors will find out more the health status of the planet through hands-on displays and infographics, many based on satellite data obtained by observing the air, water and land of our planet.
The centre’s Weather Pod will also receive an upgrade. The Video Booth Studio will place visitors at the heart of a news production reporting on environmental action from the past, present and future, with a recommended future vision to help Earth.
The Marble Run Pledge
An interactive cartoon will outline individual and collective choices we can make to invest in a better future and live more harmoniously with our home in space. Visitors will then be given an opportunity to make pledges that will benefit the natural environment.
Pledges that demonstrate a high level of commitment will be rewarded with an Earth Marble being released into a marble run, which will add to a cumulative count of visitor pledges. A display will inform visitors of actions the National Space Centre is taking, including the over 700 solar panels on its roof.
Groups of 15 or more visiting the National Space Centre can choose from a variety of money-saving packages which best suit the needs of the group. More information is available at www.spacecentre.co.uk
