Larger than Life? (Life Interactive World)

Member Name: collingwood21

Product:	Life Interactive World
Date:	03/11/01 (66 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Young kids will enjoy it, The crazy motion ride, Good access

Disadvantages: Very expensive, Technology does break down, Of arguable educational value

The International Centre for Life is the newest visitor attraction in Newcastle, built as part of a £68 million landmark millennium project in the heart of the city. The centre brings together life sciences, biotechnology, ethics, research, education and entertainment in one huge and highly distinctive building. This is an innovative project, as it is the first time that all these factors have been brought together onto one site.


● The site
The chosen site for Life in on the southern edge of Newcastle city centre, right next to the central railway station – it is easily accessible by road (although you do have to pay for their car park), railway and the Tyne and Wear Metro (get off at central station). When the centre was built here the land was rather run down and derelict, and it formed part of the regeneration of Newcastle that is currently ongoing; prior to this, the land had been at different times a bowling green, army barracks, livestock market, timber mills, and was even the location of the Newcastle Royal Infirmary in 1751.


● Why Newcastle?
Newcastle upon Tyne is one of the country's foremost centres for medical research, having a university medical school that is actively involved in research into areas such as pharmacology and genetics. The centre also forms a new tourist attraction for the northeast, and brought around 750 jobs to the city.


● What is in the centre?
Life is primarily aimed at children and families – inside the huge building is a range of interactive displays designed to teach about all aspects of biology using the latest technologies. Upon entering the centre (after being parted with an eye watering amount of money that is), the first thing you will be asked to do is have your photo taken at one of a series of stands that basically work like photo booths. The machine scans the barcode on your entrance ticket, then takes your picture and creates w
hat is called your passport, and which you will use at various points on your tour.

The first part of the centre is devoted to evolution, and as you move back in time, you will pass a number of time stations – by placing your ticket onto the scanner, your photo appears on screen and you morph into whatever creature was the ancestor of humans as this time. This is not the type of morphing software you see at the movies of course, and it does get a bit samey after a couple of goes, but it is a nice idea and there is something faintly amusing about seeing yourself mutate into a small reptile I suppose! This section of the centre also has displays giving you basic information about life as you move back in time, including the obligatory display on dinosaurs and how they were (allegedly) killed by a meteor striking the earth. The information is very basic, but it does try and teach about mass extinctions and has computer games that help children to understand ideas such as camouflage in nature.

The second part of the centre is devoted to DNA. Being a student museologist, I have come across the idea that as the average reading age in the UK is 12 years, you should aim for interpretation boards to match this. Life is clearly aimed at younger children, yet to me it seems that the concept of genetics is just a bit too complex to introduce to such an audience – all that you get is information that is oversimplified and confusing to children, so they do not learn anything from it. Equally, the show on DNA (featuring clichéd mad scientists) is on one level patronising, while at the same time managing to include some ideas that your average 8 year old will not appreciate; do children of this age really need to know about the Crick and Watson double helix model???

Moving on, the third area of the centre is somewhat better, if only because it includes a crazy motion ride which is really good fun. This ride normally has a tour of the
body, but as I visited the centre around Halloween, they decided to have a “scary” ride instead which failed to be either scary or informative, but it was fun and I felt at least part compensated for the price I had paid to get in. To go on this ride, you have be over 4 feet tall and in good health, and you cannot ride more than once if Life is very busy. This part has various interactivities on the senses, reproduction and ethics (again parts not suited to the target audience).

Finally, the last part of the centre houses the Life arcade, which is basically a collection of games (some of which have arguably educational value I must admit) and the (overpriced) café. The way out of course takes you through the (overpriced) shop.


● My opinion
As you may have gathered, I found this a somewhat expensive trip out. I had been told that it was £5-50 to get in, but took my student card along for the expected discount; it was only when I got there that I found out that this was the student discount. Ouch! In my state of shock I didn’t get the exact figures for other entrance fees, but adults can expect fork out around £7 each and I think children were around the £4 point. That’s an awful lot of money to pay, especially when you start adding drinks, lunch or souvenirs on top of it.

Life was well attended but not excessively busy (I went on a Saturday), but I would try and avoid school and bank holidays if at all possible. As I have mentioned, I didn’t think much of the interpretation that the centre had, as it looked as if they just couldn’t decide who they were being written for – adults and smart kids will no doubt feel frustrated at the lack of more detailed information, while other kids will just play the computer games without reading the boards and come away having learnt nothing. The technology was quite impressive, although the problem is that when you have hundreds of kids abu
sing computers that they will break down very easily; a number were out of action when I went.

The centre does try to promote itself as an educational facility, but I don’t think it is by any stretch of the imagination. It is entertaining for families who can afford to go and it has no doubt brought employment, income and a more attractive appearance to this part of Newcastle but there is definitely room for improvement.


● Other points
- Life is fully accessible to wheelchair users
- Season tickets are available for repeat visits
- Group discounts are available for 20 or more people if prebooked
- Life is open daily, 10-6 monday to saturday and 11-6 sundays, but times are subject to change so check first

Contact Life on 0191 243 8210 (information) or 0191 2438223 (bookings)

www.lifeinteractiveworld.co.uk

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