Technorama

The next Swiss city on my series of Saturday trips was Winterthur. Not the biggest, but it is home to one of the biggest science museums I've ever been to. I had a fun day playing with magnets, ferrofluid, a thermo-camera and all things science-y.

It's always interesting seeing what discipline is the focus of science museums. There are always more physics displays because such activities can be more hands on and safer: pendulums and magnets as oppose to leaving chemicals lying around for the public to play with. I was pleased to see more chemistry based activities than I have in other places but it was still pretty biased. Last summer I designed some chemistry themed exhibits/activities for such a place back home and I wonder if they'll ever be used.

I wasn't particularly interested in chemistry until I started high school when I was first introduced to a Bunsen burner. I couldn't believe they were letting us play with fire at school! That said, I've only used one once since school. Undergrad chemistry is quite different from school.