Campus in the city Day Three - Lancaster University

Water is heavy and ice is hard

Immerse yourself in this interactive installation using projection, soundscape, poetry, and ice. Created from interviews with over 50 women, the installation highlights the everyday impact of climate change and the ways in which we can all share the collective weight of an uncertain future. Suitable for all ages

A soundscape of voices, music and poetry underscores a striking image of a lone woman holding a melting block of ice.

Over the course of the afternoon, performers take it in turns to hold the ever-shrinking ice, with the lightened load mirroring the lightened emotional weight that comes from talking, sharing and coming together with others.

Created from interviews with over 50 women, the installation highlights the everyday impact of climate change and the ways in which we can all share the collective weight of an uncertain future.

Drop in at any point throughout the afternoon to watch, listen, talk and add your own contributions to the installation. Brave audience members can even take a turn to hold the ice! (Gloves will be provided.)

The installation is suitable for all ages and is captioned.

Runs from 11.30 until 4pm

a girl in a white dress holds a block of ice — Drop in installation. Suitable for all ages.

RSC global battery challenge

Join us to light up LEDs with your own coin battery made with everyday materials. Learn about batteries and energy sources from Lancaster Chemistry academics and students! Suitable for all ages.

This fun hands-on interactive activity gives visitors the opportunity to build a battery using coins and everyday materials to light an LED. It will be accessible for all ages (the target age range is 9-14 years old, but younger people with parents/adult companion will be able to do it too) and backgrounds (no science knowledge needed).

You will be able to record their results and compare with others. There will be posters on battery research done at Lancaster University and our battery expert academics and students will guide visitors through the experiment and explain the science behind batteries, energy and chemistry in general.

a digital image of a battery above a photo of a hand — Drop in activity. Aimed at ages 9 - 14 years old but younger children and adults can have a go!

The hydrogen colour flying wheel

The hydrogen that feeds spaceships as a fuel, and that is used to make things we eat, and things we use, can be made in a number of different ways that we associate with colours. Come and build a fun flying colour wheel and get a better knowledge of how hydrogen is made!

The hydrogen colour flying wheel is an activity for all ages and for families as well. You will learn about the processes for making hydrogen, its useful applications, the concerns it raises and the reasons behind it being considered the liquid fuel of the future.

Researchers working in the future of green hydrogen in the DualFlow project will answer your questions about the many ways of making hydrogen and help you build a paper windmill. You will take home all the information needed for a great discussion about the fuel that will feed cars, cement kilns and glass and steel furnaces.

a colourful hand held windmill in front of hills — Drop in activity.

Build your own hospital!

What makes a space healing or therapeutic? What would you have in the perfect hospital? Gardens, artwork, windows or music... Get hands-on and bring your vision to life for your own ideal design for a hospital space. Suitable for all ages.

What makes a space healing or therapeutic? What would you have in the perfect hospital? Gardens, artwork, windows or music...

Get hands-on and bring your visions to life for your own ideal design for a hospital space (ward, waiting room, entertainment room, garden, operating theatre, etc.!).

At this historic moment where new hospitals are being developed and conceptions of healthcare are rapidly changing, what do we need from our therapeutic spaces?

a image of a building covered in greenery — Drop in activity

Let's rewrite the world!

Where will the words take you? Use quotes from Nobel Prize winners for inspiration to inspire an unexpected story through a series of creative writing exercises! Suitable for ages 10+

Through a mix of a role play and an associative free writing exercise create a story that shows how far the creative exchange of thoughts can take us in shaping (future) narratives.

Using quotes from past laureates of the Nobel Prize in literature for inspiration, choose the one that inspires you the most and let this inspire an unexpected story!

a cartoon image of a typewriter on a desk — Drop in activity. Suitable for ages 10+

Tell us about your culture!

The UK is joining an international 'Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage' - asking communities about their own living heritages. Learn more about living heritages and share your own community traditions. Try designing your own textiles using intangible cultural heritage practices. Suitable for all ages

What is ‘intangible cultural heritage’ (ICH)’? Sometimes ‘cultural heritage’ brings to mind landmarks or masterpiece paintings. ICH is a living heritage that reflects the identity of a community, passed down through generations, and evolving over time.

The UK is rich with ICH and joining this international Convention will bring greater safeguarding and recognition. ICH throughout the UK could be traditions such as carol singing, straw crafting, the Eisteddfod, Burns Night, or even panto; ICH can also be local to one community, such as how to make a Lancashire hotpot or traditional textiles. Here you can learn more about ICH, how the law will recognise community ICH, and contribute your own!

We will have a focus on ICH and textiles, so you can colour in and design traditional textile designs from across the UK.

a wooden loom with colourful wool on it. — Drop in activity suitable for all ages.

Life in a planetary ring

Are you fascinated by outer space? Are you interested in combining science with art and the creative imagination? Come and explore with us what planetary rings are, what they might be able to do – and what it might be like to live in one. Suitable for all ages.

What would it be like to live in a planetary ring like those around Saturn? Planetary rings are made of millions of interacting particles, and organise themselves into complex, beautiful, ever-changing patterns.

Come along and see live computer simulations of how planetary rings form and evolve; take control of an imaginary spaceship and fly it through a ring system; put on 3D Virtual Reality goggles and experience moving from moon to moon inside a ring system; interact with an evolving ring on a screen, creating different patterns as the particles interact with each other; and create your own pictures and stories about what it might be like for humans – or other beings – to live in a planetary ring.

a child wears a VR headset in front of bright lights — Drop in activity. 11.30 - 4pm

Exploring seaside memories with Lancaster University's Library

Explore Lancaster University's Library archives and the stories they tell about our region. Find out how you can become a library member and participate in an exciting new community research project. Suitable for all ages.

Our Library, collections and archives are open for everyone to use. This event will introduce you to our collections and archives; there really is something for everyone. You can register for our free community card; be inspired by our archive collections to create your own Edwardian postcard; or get involved in our new project with Mirador Arts to capture the history of the boom in youth culture which followed the introduction of the Jukebox to northwest seaside towns in the 1950s. This event is open to people of all ages but there will be specific activities aimed at people aged 75 and over and their families

a postcard of a beach scene — Suitable for all ages but with specific activities aimed at those 75+

A journey through psychology

Off we go on a journey through the fascinating world of psychology! Explore everything from human development, learning and memory, to moral decision-making and anti-social behaviour.

Off we go on a captivating journey through the fascinating world of psychology! Come along for an enriching experience suitable for the whole family. Explore hands-on demonstrations and interactive displays across three key themes:

Day 1, 2 and 3 Developmental Psychology Explore the intriguing world of human development, from before birth through adolescence. Learn more about the work here at Lancaster University Babylab and uncover the intricate journey of growth and change. Discover how sensory experiences before birth shape our abilities and preferences after birth, from what we hear, see, taste, and feel in the womb. Experience interactive demonstrations on how children learn language. Explore the complexities of understanding sex role/gender stereotypes and the interplay between appearance and reality.

Day 2: Understanding human behaviour Immerse yourself in the psychology of pro-social and anti-social behaviour, moral decision-making, and the dynamics of security and trust. Unveil personalities through writing exercises and explore the concept of bystander behaviour. Examine the dynamics between the police and the public using real police body-worn camera footage.

Day 3: Neuroscience across the lifespan Uncover the mysteries of how humans understand and process the world. Delve into the mesmerizing world of brain activity measurement, test your balance, and explore your cognitive skills with insightful tests. Witness firsthand how our minds can control robotic claws. Explore the amazing world of hearing and listening, which influences us throughout our lives. Discover how well you hear, understand how ears work together, and experience music with a cochlear implant.

Three children wearing vr headsets — Drop in activity. Suitable for all ages.

Fan studies Lancaster: Zine making workshop

Make your own zine, aka a topic-specific small magazine! Delve into the fantastic world of fan studies research at Lancaster University. Suitable for ages 7+

Zines are rapidly produced small magazine pamphlets that focus on a particular topic and convey the information in a fun and creative way. They can include many types of content including drawings, writing, collage, poetry, and are often photocopied for sharing with many people. Zines are often produced by people with a particular specialist interest; fans of music, or sports, or by people who are part of cultural and political movements. At this workshop we provide materials to help you to create your own zine based on your favourite subject.Suitable for ages 7+

someone making a collage out of magazines — Drop in activity. Suitable for ages 7+

Connectivity is everything: Ruskin VR and ConnectLU App

Explore the past, collaborate for the future. A virtual reality journey through time bringing The Ruskin Museum and Research Centre to life. Then dive into the future of collaborative workspaces with our ConnectLU App!

Embark on a journey through time with our Ruskin VR experiences, immersing yourself in the fascinating mind of John Ruskin. Perfect for all ages and interests, discover the legacy of John Ruskin and his profound connections with nature and the arts. If the past is not for you, that’s not all we’ve got! Dive into the future of collaborative workspaces with our ‘ConnectLU’ App. This collocation app redefines collaboration by offering shared spaces and desks for innovative projects and partnerships. So don’t miss out! Join us at our showcase to uncover the past, shape the future, and witness the power of connectivity in action.

some students try out VR headsets — Drop in activity. All ages welcome to try

Teddy bear hospital

Do you have a cuddly toy with an injury or is it feeling a little unwell? Bring them along and visit our wonderful Medical School who will help diagnose and treat any ailments, real or imagined! Suitable for all ages.

Has you or your little one's cuddly toy been injured or is maybe feeling a little unwell? Bring them along and visit our wonderful Medical School who will help diagnose and treat any ailments, real or imagined!

a brown teddy sits in bed with a plaster on its head — Drop in activity. Suitable for all ages

Discovery trail adventure

Collect your map and embark on an Engineering Discovery Trail around Lancaster!Follow the trail to discover hidden past and everyday engineering around the centre of Lancaster.

This self-guided trail will take you on a mini adventure around the centre of Lancaster. Discover how engineers have left their mark on our city, solving problems and designing solutions to make things work better. See our city through the eyes of an engineer, along the canal, through Fairfield to the river Lune and around the city centre, including edible engineering, finishing at the City Museum (approximately 2 miles).

You can follow the trail from the beginning to the end or create your own shorter trail.

Suitable for adults and children. Part of the trail goes along the canal. Trail is accessible for wheelchairs uers and pushchairs.

an aerial view of lancaster and the river — Discovery trail.

River Tours: The Lune

Gather in market square to meander along the story of the Lune with an intricate textile map created out of recycled materials by Sewing Café Lancaster. River Tours: The Lune is a collaborative project exploring the river’s environment, wildlife, social history and folklore. Suitable for all ages.

River Tours was commissioned in 2022 in partnership with renowned theatre company Stan’s Cafe as part of their international touring project on the rivers of the world. After the captivating premiere two years ago, Lancaster Arts and Sewing Café Lancaster are now bringing this work to rural locations along the river itself, from Sunderland Point, to Halton, to Arkholme and beyond.

The tour is supported by Arts Council England and the Lune Rivers Trust.

Please join us to uncover some of the meandering landscapes and tales of your local river.

This performance starts at 3pm at The Plinth in the Market Place

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