On the last Wednesday of every month, an all-adult crowd are invited to sample the delights of the Science Museum, free from the usual distraction of over-excited children. October’s theme was bio-terrorism and when I arrived at 6:30pm, the length of the queue outside suggested a good night was in store.
After being herded into the museum’s entrance hall, an official looking man with a loudspeaker informed us that there had been a bioterrorism attack in the South Kensington area. The woman next to me started screaming and spewing blood and we were informed that we were to spend the evening searching the museum for a vaccine.
After donning the protective suit and hygiene mask I had been presented with on entering, I headed straight to the bar. If we were all going to die, I might as well go down partying! Looking my best after customising my mask and suit with a selection of fur, feathers and glitter, I went in search of entertainment and hopefully the vaccine.
After a slight detour, my friends and I attempted to gain immunity by uncovering clues in the darkened Medical Gallery. Unfortunately, our attention spans were as limited as the supply of torches and we soon abandoned our quest in favour of the interactive fun of Launchpad, the Science Museum’s hands-on gallery.
If you prefer your education straight up, there were short shows from real doctors and microbiologists. For party animals, the silent disco was well worth the lengthy queue, just for the novelty alone. ‘Tent City’ was presumably where we were to stay until the area was declared safe, but all the tents had been commandeered by canoodling couples playing connect four.
Fortunately, creating realistic-looking pustules from stage makeup provided the perfect distraction for those unfortunate enough to witness any snogging.
I left without the vaccine and without really having learnt much about bioterrorism. However, the Science Museum Lates provide a unique opportunity to enjoy a child-free museum and an alternative night out.
The Science of Bioterrorism at the Science Museum -27 october 2010
Science Museum Lates
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