Primary Times - the definitive what’s on and where to go family guide of activities and events for children of primary school age. Things to do with your kids during the school holidays including arts and craft activities, music and theatre for children, parties, competitions, days out, and family attractions along with term time drama schools, dance classes, after school clubs and sports activities. Things to do at a place near you!
The Wow Factor: Fife’s mobile museum returns for 21st anniversary
Scotland’s museum on wheels hits the road!
Wow! Incredible Inventions & Marvellous Machines is the latest exhibition on board Fife’s mobile Museum and Arts Coach (MAC), which was officially launched this Wednesday (16th August) morning. This free exhibition is aimed at schools, community centres and care homes and takes a light-hearted look at light, sound and movement and the way science has transformed our homes.
Many of the show’s producers and collaborators were on hand to unveil this colourful and fun show, which brings science to life in one of Scotland’s smallest and most unique museums. There was also a chance to meet Kirkcaldy Galleries’ Sewing Circle, who have produced some wonderfully quirky lab coats (pictured), allowing visitors who climb on board to become Dr Do-Little or Professor Tick-Tock.
MAC goes out to primary schools across Fife, as well as a huge range of community centres, care homes and galas. There’s already been some fantastic feedback – the section on cleaning and cooking brings memories flooding back for older visitors, while our younger visitors simply can’t believe how small television screens used to be.
2017 also marks MAC’s 21st anniversary. The milestone was celebrated with a very special cake cut by David Shields (pictured left), who has steered the wheel for 17 years and shown the vehicle’s various exhibits to some ten thousand passengers every year.
Dr David Caldwell, Fife Cultural Trust’s Chairman (pictured right), said: “We’re very proud of MAC; it’s absolutely unique, this idea of having a museum on a bus, taking it to schools and to the elderly who are interested in seeing exhibitions. Our appreciation goes to the fantastic staff and many people who support us to provide this exciting service. We’ve tested this new exhibit out on the road over the past few months to make sure we’ve got this absolutely right and to confirm that it most definitely has the ‘wow’ factor!
“Special thanks go to David Shields – the MAC man – who has been such a huge part of the exercise for the last 17 years. It’s very much to our regret that he’ll be retiring from the organisation in the foreseeable future. The contribution he has made is immeasurable. The feedback we get from schools is impressive – the way he has manages to enthuse young people about these exhibitions is extraordinary. We’re very grateful to him.”
Wow! is funded by Museums Galleries Scotland and the Friends of Kirkcaldy Galleries. The Museum of Communication in Burntisland has been very generous in supporting the venture and lending some key exhibits, while Hamilton Design have produced a wonderful context for these ideas we have about domestic science.
Interested Fife groups can book MAC for free by contacting mac@onfife.com or phoning 01592 583204. Wow! will tour Fife until the end of 2018.
Photos courtesy of Jim Payne