My vote: Rename Shenzhen Science Museum to 'Shenzhen's Epic Light Show & Display Tech Center'.
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As a native of Shenzhen, the excitement I felt as a child visiting old science museums is still fresh in my memory. As an adult, I've also been to many large-scale science museums and natural history museums both at home and abroad. Therefore, my expectations for this new science museum in Shenzhen are sky-high! I finally managed to secure tickets (in China, popular new attractions often require a 'ticket grab' online upon opening; if you miss the window, there are none left). However... hmm, it's not easy to put into words.
To start with the good points, because we shouldn't throw out the baby with the bathwater:
- Public transportation is really convenient, with ample parking spaces available when driving or taking the subway directly there.
- The exterior design is indeed cool, giving that sci-fi movie vibe.
Next, let's discuss why I feel it's a bit of a dud:
- The light shows are overdone?
- Glittering screens and projections, rainbow-colored lights everywhere; it's like my eyes are going to pop out!
- Some designs, honestly, feel a bit like souvenir shops at tourist sites with their 3D projection or rotating signs; aesthetically... um, not quite up my alley.
- Interaction ≠ Popularisation!
- Many interactive devices just involve pressing buttons, pulling levers, and turning knobs to display images or text on screens. They feel more like 'upgraded toggle switches' rather than truly helping you understand physical phenomena or scientific principles.
- A good educational device should be able to turn abstract scientific ideas into something visible and touchable.
- "Children in fury" too powerful, maintenance unable to keep up:
- Some devices are prone to damage due to unclear instructions or lack of protection. Within days of opening, I saw multiple equipment with “Under Maintenance” stickers, and I couldn’t help feeling some pain.
- Wanna learn while bringing kids around? Not so much.
- Many parents may wish to bring children to broaden their horizons and acquire knowledge. But frankly, merely browsing through might not yield great results.
- Unless one can participate in interactive experiences, such as mind control or VR virtual reality, which actually makes it worthwhile.
Key takeaways for friends planning to visit:- Don't come with high hopes.
- If your kids are small, it might be fun to show them off from up-close, snap photos and open their horizons.
- Very not recommended for elderly visitors!
- Reason: The place is enormous; if people can't walk fast but steady, they might be worn out. There are very few places to rest. Laying down after visiting just one floor would be tiring!
- Mitigation: If you must accompany elderly relatives, make sure their stamina is up to par and plan rest points beforehand (though they are rare).
- Don't fret if you can't grab tickets.
- Reason: With so many visitors, the experience may not live up to expectations at present.
- Mitigation: There's no rush to go now; wait until things cool off. I believe improvements will follow.
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Seeing as many people are still flaming me in the comments despite my trying to be polite, I'll just be blunt: this science museum is simply awful. They seriously need to think about making improvements.
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Let's be honest, it's just a testing ground for foreign architects.
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I went yesterday, and there were indeed a lot of kids. But you could clearly see two very different types: one group, the 'little terrors' whose parents let them run wild, randomly mashing buttons on the exhibits. The other group, kids whose parents were guiding them, explaining the instructions, and watching with them. It just goes to show how crucial parents and family upbringing are for children...
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Exactly.
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During the soft opening, we got to try out simulators for a high-speed train, a ship, the C919, and the Fendouzhe submersible, plus many other aerospace-related experiences. Are all of those gone now? Today, all we managed was to watch a movie because it was too crowded and we hadn't made a reservation.
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Getting to do those would be great, for sure. My main comment was about the quality of the basic exhibits, separate from these hands-on experiences.
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I feel that if you're going to a science museum just to play around, you might as well go to an arcade. I managed to get a ticket during the soft opening, and I thought it had real scientific substance; I was looking things up as I went. P.S. Thank goodness for the free WiFi!
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When you have to use your phone to look up information even while you're at a science museum, it means the museum has a lot of room for improvement.
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I'm an adult, and I tried the exoskeleton. It felt pretty cool.
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Right, that's why I said it's decent if you can actually get to the interactive exhibits.
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Went yesterday. Overall, the experience was pretty good after walking through it.
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Excuse me, about how long does it take to see everything?
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Probably 50% of the exhibits were broken, and we didn't get to try any of the ones that required reservations.
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It's only been open for a short while, right? And 50% is already broken?
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Excuse me, where should I set the GPS for parking?
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I parked in P3 that day.
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I went today and feel exactly the same as the original poster. It looks high-tech, but there are very few things kids can actually get involved with – mostly just basic switches and buttons. Other science museums in Shenzhen do a much better job of letting kids have hands-on experiences and see scientific phenomena unfold. That's the true meaning of 'edutainment'!
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I went during the beta testing. It really lacks displays on basic physics. It's mostly high-tech stuff, and to understand most of it, you'd probably need to be a science university student. Younger kids definitely need their parents to explain things. I hope the museum can provide guides or explainers.
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Totally agree! That's the honest truth.