63 interesting things to do at Visvesvaraya Museum
We were in the sixth class. It was a terrific summer. Moreover, our parents forced us to visit this museum. Therefore in the scorching sun, in the afternoon, we planned to visit this place. We were eleven friends and some elders. The burning sun looked like calmed down, when we saw a jet standing out majestically. It was like showering rains calming down our mood. In addition to that, we were more curious than any other day. We were peeping from inside the entrance door unable to control our curiosity, waiting for our parents to get the tickers for us.
Visvesvaraya Museum has lived up to the dreams of a curious child. In addition, it covers most of the topics or in fact all the topics and more than a child can think about. The name Visvesvaraya instills the inquisitiveness looking at the science models. However, some of them could be a little thoughtful and might take time for a child to understand. The display ranges from Optical illusions to Astronomy. Lost species to electronics. To sum up, everything technical and technology.
If you are thinking to take your children, then don’t think twice. This certainly instigates interest to learn science in your children. Let us see here, the most interesting things that we can find in the display of this awesome museum.
The museum can be categorized broadly into the exhibition halls where the experiment or device is placed, such as:
Engine Hall
The engine hall comprises of a saga of mechanisms. This was established way back in the early nineties. You can find the following forms of the very foundations of applied science and modern technology like:
How do things work?
1. Diesel Engine
An enlarged version of a four-stroke diesel engine shows us exactly how the machine works. The following parts and concepts of an engine are clearly visible and are explained by this live model.
- Combustion
- Six-cylinder
- Combustion Chamber
- Fuel nozzle
- Header
2. Flyer Simulator
This is a simulator for the public to take a ride on a flyer. You have to lie down in a horizontal position. There is steering provided in the simulator. Operating it correctly will result in a smooth flight. These are the kind of devices that are used to teach the pilots initially before they take the actual planes in their hands.
3. The giant Energy Ball
This is a wireframe in which several balls are placed. The wireframe has a predestined path through which the ball traverses. As it traverses, it proves to us the potential energy is converted to kinetic via gravitational force. The following types of energies are explained in detail through this structure.
- Potential Energy
- Stored Energy
- Kinetic Energy
- Motion
Electrotechnical Gallery
This being one of the recent additions to the museum was thrown open to the public in 2010. It is fascinating to see the electrical technology that is exhibited in an area of about 780 square meters.
The journey of this gallery goes from the classical electric experiments to the modern ones with a state of the art technology.
Fun Science
As a constant service to science enthusiasts, this museum has strived to keep up the interest. Fun Science, that was inaugurated just before the electro technic hall, shows that the museum has consistently improved over a period of time. It shows funny science experiments on varied topics like
Fluid Mechanics
4. Liquid Painting
A glass with a place to fill, filled with liquid painting. The glass is rotatable. When rotated, the liquid flows in a way that takes a certain shape. Every time it flows from one place to another it follows the same pattern. This is due to the same amount of gravitational force. Perhaps, when the force changes the flow will change, in turn, the shape of the painting changes.
5. Magic Water
A tap is placed in the space. Water flows from the tap making it look magical. In reality, water flows up from a pipe from the bottom of the tap through a glass tube. Water gushes out of the tap from the upper part of the tube, making the whole set up look like it is magical.
6. Rising Bubbles
Bubbles look like glass balls that float in the water. But in reality, they are gas that is inside water. Since the density of the gas inside is lighter than the water, it rises from the bottom where the gas is let into the top from where it comes out. This can be observed by interacting with the tube by introducing water from the bottom.
7. Kaleidoscope
This is a mirrory pipe inside which are places a few translucent materials. There will be mirrors glued to the pipe forming a square or a triangle. When the pipe is rotated in three-sixty degrees, the small pieces of the material change their positions, forming a set of patterns. It is fun to watch the formations from one of the sides of the tube.
8. Cone runs uphill
A cone is allowed to be placed on two rods that form an angle that is uphill. The cone appears to move uphill on the v-shaped track. This is due to the shape of the cone that pushes the cone forward even though the track appears sloppy.
9. 2d to 3d
The wireframe model of a share is attached to a pipe which when rotated forms the 3D counterpart. Consider a few curved lines that are glued to a pipe. They now depict the 2D shape. This, when rotated, due to centrifugal force stands erect and forms a 3D shape.
10. Smoke Rings
When a plate with a hole is pressed, it triggers the smoke inside making it form a Smoke Ring. Smoke rings are created when the metal plate with a hole is pressed due to the pressure. Once the ring is formed, it comes up like how the bubble comes up from inside the water.
Space Technology
After Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan, when the whole nation is eager to know the Space Experiences that only a handful of people get to experience, in 2017, yes just a couple of years ago, the Space Technology was a fascinating addition to this great museum. It brings to the public an array of facets of Space Technology in an easily understandable way interactively.
Comprehensive topics on space in the museum make sure that it does not let go of any topic related to space. There is an element of curiosity that the Space division of the museum possesses. This rekindles the journey of Yarns in us. Find below a handpicked list that is pretty interesting at the first see.
11. Launch Complex
A place where a rocket or a spaceship is launched. It sounds simple, but even to find a place it takes a lot of prerequisites. There are simple reasons for why ISRO has selected Sriharikota in Andhra for launching rockets. These are very well explained with the model of the Launch Complex displayed.
It is because of the earth’s rotation that it is maximum at the equator that the launch of the rocket will be using the rotation to move at a greater speed than that of a place that is far from the equator. Several such information related to the Launch Complex is exhibited in this place.
12. Mission Control Centre
Once the rocket is launched, it has to be controlled from the earth. This is what the Mission Control Centre is for. The MCC controls the mission from using the radio waves. You will get to see the model of how an MCC looks like. It consists of several systems for controlling the launched rocket/satellite. You can feel the whole experience of you controlling the mission.
13. Be An Astronaut
This is an attraction to the public where you can interact with the dress of an astronaut. A full-sized astronaut model is open to the public where people can place their heads on the empty space. The person who keeps their heads will become astronauts. Interested people can now become astronauts!
Additionally, there are models of
- Artificial Satellites
- Rockets
- Space Materials
- Space Food
- Space Wear.
These make an important aspect of Space technology and helps the astronauts utilize their time in research in space.
The story of space talks about the history of space. It has a Microsoft Surface device where the visitors can interactively know on whichever topic they are interested in.
14. Space Spinoff
There are so many commercial applications that have been used by a common man. These services and the applications form the Spinoff. They could be a simple machine that has advanced features like the Bosch screwdrivers that work automatically, or many complex concepts such as GPS that we talk about in the later section.
Biotechnological Revolution
Technology that can help biology in moving into a medical revolution, has an area of 550 square meters dedicated to it. Opened in 2003, we get to see the advancements in Biotechnology in India.
Electronics
This Hall of electronics is an initiative by BEL and hence is also called the BEL Hall of Electronics. Open to the public from 2004, this has an immense collection from varied topics of modern electronics and the order of the day. From Basic Electronics to Digital, Defence, Imaging technologies including Virtual Reality and internet milestones.
15. RFID
Radio Frequency Identification, is an already established technology. It is a communication between two devices using radiofrequency. There is, of course, a limitation that this does not work from far of places. The distance is limited.
Consider the toll gates, the new system that has been developed where the vehicles are let go off using the fastags. This system works on RFIDs, that are used both in the vehicles and the readers. The communication between these two devices changes the status of the tollgate based on certain conditions. Thus allowing/disallowing vehicles from the gate.
However, in the museum, the use case shown is of a retail shop where communication happens between the RFIDs attached to each item and the reader. The same concept is explained practically here.
16. Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality is a part of digital electronics where the digital world (also called the virtual world and hence the name) combines with the real world. This can go as interactive as possible and has explored many commercial angles.
For instance, a ball can be in the virtual world and the person who is interacting with the ball is obviously a part of the real world. The coordination between the two worlds will be so seamless that when the person hits the ball that is in the virtual world bounces appropriately making the virtual ball look real. This funny technology device is a part of the museum that serves as exposure to this technology.
17. Telemedicine
Combining two words each from technology and medicine. We have heard about the telephone that assists us to establish communication between people from different places. While the exact part of the word tele is to connect, medicine comes in handy to serve people using this technology.
A kiosk is available for us to understand this better. A remote village that lacks the facilities of a multispeciality hospital is not deprived of excellent consultancy. The tele-network that comes in handy enables the remote areas to communicate with expert doctors and get suggestions for the problems that are being faced.
18. Global Positioning System
This technology mostly identified by its abbreviation GPS. Everyone would have heard this term, very often. Yes, these are the exact terms that are used in our mobiles. They are used to track our coordinates called longitudes and latitudes, imaginary lines that constitute the conventional divisions created by us.
This kiosk explains more about the well-known GPS and its working. From details on latitude, longitude to tracking using the device. Its use cases are very well known and do not need any explanation.
19. Chip Manufacturing
This is a replica of the BEL chip manufacturing unit. Here it is shown how the chips (the integrated chips, also called as ICs) are manufactured as slices or wafers. They are given such a name as they are extremely thin in size.
This requires the place to be a lot cleaner without allowing a single particle of dust. Even one particle of dust can spoil the chips. So string rules and processes are followed in the units like specific wearables inside the premises.
20. Doppler Weather Radar
This creates a sense of understanding of the way Doppler Weather Radar is used. In the first place, they are used for these purposes
- It helps to locate precipitation
- The type of precipitation and the speed of motion is determined
- The density with the intensity of the rain droplets are also discovered
- By doing all this the Radar helps us in detecting storms, cyclones, etc.
- They also identify bird migration as an indirect act of climatic influences
Science for Children
Any subject is interesting to the children when there are games and interactive elements in them. Well, this is one such gallery that exhibits a range of items that make sense and instill an interest in science among the children from the age group of three years to twelve years.
Right from simple learning concepts like building blocks, trains, Sounds in Nature, Light and shadows, etc., this hosts a range of basic science in a more interactive way.
Special Exhibits
Apart from all that what we spoke about in the previous sections, it also hosts some special exhibits that are confined to niche topics like
21. Dinosaur Enclave
We can say the Jurassic park revisited, the times when dinosaurs ruled the planet with their magnificent size. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates in their times. The history and frequently answered questions along with the models are displayed in this enclave.
22. Science on a Sphere
A separate room consisting of a set of projectors that project the globe as a 3D model. It presents a high definition video on a suspended globe instead of a flat surface. It aids in planetary visualization that is not just confined to earth, but other heavenly bodies like
- Moon
- Mercury
- Mars, etc.
23. Wright Brothers Airplane
This is a replica of the first flight taken by the inventors of Aeroplane. It looks exactly the same as the same
- Retro feel
- Materials used
- Lookalike
- Date after exactly a century
Apart from the above interactive experiments and visuals, these are some more of what the museum boasts of.
24. Lenses
Concave, Convex, and other types of lenses are displayed using which what can be achieved is shown.
25. Mirror Symmetry
A mirror can split anything to an exact equal half. Yes, if a mirror is placed on something vertically, it has the capacity to show the same objects through it. This is called symmetry and is shown in this visualization.
Basic learning of the following is also a part of the museum. These topics are explained using videos that are self-explanatory.
26. Floating Ball
27. Mud Art
28. Ion Implanter
29. Coloured Shadow
30. 3D Shadow
31. Night Vision Goggles
32. Photoresist development
33. Human Body
34. Digestion
35. Hyperbola and Parabola
36. Straight rod Curved path
37. Straight Line Curved Line
38. Lightning
39. Tornado
40. Radar – Doppler weather Radar
41. Hotspot
42. Dinosaurs
43. Head on a Platter
44. Gears
45. Pulley
46. Lift pressure
47. 3 in 1 image
48. Resonating Rings
