The world of science will come to life with a series of fun and fascinating events at the Roman Baths this March.
To celebrate National Science & Engineering Week (15th-24th March), the Roman Baths will host a range of scientific demonstrations and encourage visitors to try out simple experiments too.
Get hands-on with engineering, science and archaeology – volunteers from the Roman Baths will be running handling tables each weekday afternoon (2-4pm) from Monday 18th to Friday 22th March. These will cover various science and engineering topics, such as glass, mortar, flints and coins.
All week, the illustrated character “Brucetus the stonemason” will be asking younger visitors to find out about Roman engineering with a fascinating trail through the Roman Baths – showing how the magnificent structure was built. Clue sheets will be available from the front desk.
On Saturday 16th March, the Roman Baths will be open late for a special science and engineering extravaganza, from 6pm to 9pm (last entry 8pm). As well as the children’s trail, there will be science and engineering buskers doing demonstrations and experiments throughout the site.
Join them and take the temperature of the water, explore how the Romans used aqueducts, or build a Roman arch. Join the experts to discover how they conserve and look after the ancient archaeological site and artefacts. You can even find out about the extraordinary snails which live in the Great Bath.
Councillor Cherry Beath (Lib-Dem, Combe Down), Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development, said: “This is a great opportunity for everyone to learn in a fun and entertaining way how science and engineering can affect our everyday lives.
“The Romans invented cement that could set underwater – nearly 2,000 years before it was commonplace in Britain, and the water in the Roman Baths is more than 10,000-year-old rainfall which has filtered down through the Mendip hills. Therefore Bath & North East Somerset Council is proud to support National Science & Engineering Week by turning the Roman Baths into a giant science laboratory with this series of events.”
National Science & Engineering Week, run by the British Science Association, shines the spotlight each March on how science, technology, engineering and maths relate to our everyday lives and helps to inspire the next generation of scientists with fun and participative activities.
