Ghosts in the Machine

As the longest winter in living memory continues to deny entry into spring we find our choice of weekend meanderings severely limited by the onslaught of hail and high winds. As an alternative to a coastal or country walk we seek out the warmth and shelter afforded by The Glasgow Science Centre, which is situated on what used to be the lifeblood of the city, The River Clyde.
The science centre is now part of a massive regeneration project evolving along both sides of the Clyde as Glasgow City Council finally recognises the arrival of the 21st century by sanctioning a massive investment program which will see the final evidence of it’s industrial past replaced by office blocks, hotels, leisure facilities and accommodation that only the prosperous can afford.

Princes Dock in which the science centre stands operated as a successful cargo port for more than a 100 years and cost over £1 million to construct in 1897 and for many residents of the city the replacement of these docks and others along the Clyde represents the final death Nell of the working class identity to which Glasgow has become synonymous.

Since its completion in 2001 The Science Centre and its adjoining tower have attracted mixed reviews with the tower gaining unwanted notoriety for its continued safety and engineering problems.
Undeterred by the negative reviews we set off in anticipation of a gentle afternoon exploring the mind and senses. While waiting for the sole front desk operative to process the lengthy queue of customers at the entrance foyer we notice the following mission statement:

Our Mission.
“To promote science and technology through thought-provoking, fun and exciting experiences that inspires all to explore and understand the world through them.”

Mission statements often flatter to deceive but as we travel through the three floors of the main Science Mall and engross ourselves in the interactive games, puzzles and mind benders we realise that the four hours we envisaged to peruse the exhibits is woefully short in its presumption. Our planned visits to the Planetarium, IMAX Cinema and the perpetually closed revolving tower would need to be completed on another day.
Amongst the scientific challenges we found an interesting illusions section in which we captured a ghost like image of ourselves aided by the use of lights and glass which we feel symbolises our shared love of photographc imagery and the camera, which can be seen above.

As the inner child within us took hold we quickly ran out of time as the 5pm closing time was reached and we left the premises as the staff were rushing around frantically preparing for their own Saturday night adventures.
Recommendations for anyone planning to visit would be to get there early and pre-plan your day. If you have a family, be prepared to dig deep into the weekly budget as the entrance fees to the four major exhibits will damage the purse substantially and be sure to check: http://www.glasgowsciencecentre.org/ before visiting to see if the infamous spinning tower is functioning.

Good luck.