Get North 2018: Innovation Trail

I had the day off from work so I decided to get myself into town and explore Get North 2018 and follow the Innovation Trail.

I looked at the programme and picked out what I wanted to see and followed my own trial.

Starting at the Discovery Museum, I went to see the LNER train and experience the VR but sadly the train had gone it was there till July 2 😦 so I went to see the VR and there was a que and there was only one screen on due to some others being out of order.

So I walked out and headed to the Mining Institute where I experienced the LEGO TimeLine by Brick This where it tells stories of Northern Innovation through the medium of LEGO. It was great fun looking at all these 3D Models and recognizing some of the famous North East landmarks.

The Mining Institute had 3 exhibitions on, there was the Multiverse Arcade-which if I am honest I didn’t understand and was too scared to look at. If someone could tell me what it is that would be great.

There was the Engineering Experience, which is more suited to aspiring children who are thinking about getting careers in the range of engineering industries. There are lot of leaflets, boards to read but it is engaging and interactive for children. I like how they have these characters such as Metro Man so children can learn all about the North East and the connections it has in engineering.

This is not apart of #GetNorth2018 but it is in the venue so you may as well visit, is the SEAM Exhibition, which tells the stories and heritage of mining in the North East. Alongside the SEAM exhibition, there will be a varied programme of unique events spanning workshops for families and children to a whole series of heritage/industry talks.

Very apt in its location venue, you can be proud of the North East in the Mining Institute.

I then went next door to the Lit & Phil building where I had a Light Bulb Moment and learnt about Sir Joseph Swan and his demonstration of the his incandescent light bulb in 1880. I also got to see a new graphene light.

Graphene is a material which is stronger steel which will change and is more conductive than copper and unique impermeability are just a few of its properties.

Now I tried to find Pattern Pattern in Stephenson Quarter but I really struggled, the map or the app wasn’t helpful so I gave up on that one.

I took myself for some lunch then went to Eldon Square to see the Graphene Dress , now I don’t think this is part of the innovation trail but I wanted to see it anyway.

And it is such a stunning dress, I would love to see it on the cat walk to see how it moves. The dress is in the food/restaurant area of Eldon Square in a glass case. Graphene is this ‘miracle material’ which was discovered by scientists in Manchester, this unique dress changes colour and design in response to the wearer’s breathing, using tiny LED lights.

It is fascinating to see how technology and fashion have come together, it will be interesting to see the future of fashion.

I did go to the Great North Children Hospital to see if I could see the Innovation story but I felt uncomfortable walking into a hospital when I wasn’t meant to be there. I did pictures on the wall but I wasn’t sure if that was what I was meant to be looking for? The staff didn’t really know either…

I was rather tiered my legs were sore and I had done over 1000 steps walking around, perhaps next time I should use the Mobike?

So I made Northern Stage my last stop to the innovation trail to experience the Self Build Utopia where are asked create our own world. In Stage 3 at the bottom of Northern Stage.

The map you see in this image was Third Angel, it is a map of Newcastle and Gateshead and people were asked to re name the streets.

And there you see little houses, which are Shacklands by Hannah Fox, these little houses/villages are so cute and you can interact with them to make them come to life and looks like people are living in them.

I don’t know what it was about that exhibition but it looked like props from one of Northern Stage’s shows, I found myself thinking who lives in these houses and what is there story and as I interacted with them I found myself wanting to know more about this new world.

I loved this colorful utopia called Doodletopias by Fabric Lenny .

He is creating a new world by asking you to design your own world by drawing it or creating it by LEGO. Fabric Lenny will then interpret that into a painting and add it on to the wall. This wall is opposite Stage 3 in Northern Stage, it was great to have a chat with Lenny and see him at work. There is quite a lot of space for him to fill so no doubt you can see him painting.

There you are, that is what I experience as part of the Innovation Trail. There are 22 exhibits as part of the trail but this is what I was able to find on the day.

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