Behind the scenes at At-Bristol

Bristol’s innovative At-Bristol science centre opened in 2000 and last year welcomed a record number of visitors. More than 300,000 people visited the site based on Millennium Square, including 62 thousand school children. 

A new exhibition called ‘The Tinkering Space’ is set to open in July where visitors can explore and get hands on with a whole range of new exhibits. 

Beth Cotterell
Tinkering officer (yes, the best job title ever!)

In my spare time I make things…I make everything from electronics to crafty things.

The space is going to be really exciting with lots of interactive things which people can tinker with! Tinkering is important – it’s a really, really good way of learning.As you tinker you question what is happening. It’s a really physical way of learning about the world. 

The best thing about my job is exposure to cool stuff; we have so many robots around at the moment and I get to play with all the cool kit.

Best exhibit: Cloud Chamber in the Space Gallery… one of those mind blowing things.

Tom Rodgers
Live science team

Like most of the team I did a science degree and started taking an interest in a science communication; I did a PGCE but this is the fun bit about teaching, without taking piles of paper home.

The best thing about my job is chatting to visitors about what they are interested in.

A lot of children and adults think of science as a boring text book subject, but we want to show that science is exciting and hands on. In the Live Lab sometimes science is even gross – the stickier the better!

Best exhibit: The visitors don’t think of themselves as an exhibit but I love to find out about them and what they like

Phil Winfield
Chief executive

People do think At Bristol is just for children but there are things that everyone can get involved in. Visitors think that they have to bring children to get involved and but you don’t have to.

I’ve always been involved in science and technology…and this opportunity came up four years ago. I enjoy inspiring people and get science across to people. 

The best thing about my job is seeing visitors getting passionately inspired by something they have seen here…and working with our staff who are bursting with enthusiasm and that is infectious.

Best exhibit: Sound Bite – You bite on a metal rod and hear the music through the bones in your skull. 

Katy Nehammer
Head of programming

I oversee the programming of events and exhibitions; working some with really talented, lovely and enthusiastic people. 

We do so many things; school trips, workshops, shows, After-Hours, toddler takeovers, we have so many exhibits to build and maintain and, as a charity, so many funded projects. There is a lot you don’t see as a day visitor like the educational programmes, solar panels and beehives; my biggest challenge is keeping on top of everything and what is going on.

The people who work here are so caring about the visitor experience and how people enjoy their day out, so that that drives a lot of what we do.

Best exhibit: Watch Water Freeze You can watch beautiful ice crystals grow.

Andy Cocco
Design engineer

We have a small workshop upstairs and most people don’t realise we make all our own exhibits. Everything on the floor is designed and made by me and the team.

I am one of the luckiest people in the world. On a daily basis I could be designing a whole exhibit; everything from where the lock on a cabinet goes to dealing with a robot. It’s so varied you would not believe.

We encourage people to experiment and touch; people get excited about learning and then they don’t realise they are learning…my role is to inspire.

Best exhibit: I’ve designed three quarters of what is on the floor but I’m very proud of In the Zone, which was built for the 2012 Olympics.

Jo Bryant
Volunteer manager

We have 4000 hours of volunteer support a year in a variety of roles. I look at what is needed internally and look at how we can match those roles and well as developing new roles.

We have an amazing volunteer database; I get applications almost daily and there is an enormous amount of interest in our volunteer programme. Our youngest  volunteer is 17-years-old our oldest 65-years-old. 

They are passionate about science and about making learning fun. Younger volunteers get work experience and it’s also a lot of fun.

Volunteers make a huge difference; they are excited about science and allow us to extend and enhance our activities so we can do more and better. We also learn a lot from them as they bring their skills and life experience to the role.

Best exhibit: For me it’s about the people; I think they make At Bristol very unique.

Katie Dent
Venue hire manager

We are part of the commercial department and we bring in the income that allows us to fund all the amazing things that we do. 

It’s an imaginative department; we plan weddings in the planetarium, exhibitions in Millennium Square, drinks receptions by the exhibits.

I’ve been here for nearly 10 years then it was about conferences…now we have days where we have four different events going on. Yesterday we had the Festival of Nature going on outside, a David Attenborough film in the Planetarium, a wedding fayre upstairs and reception in the evening. It’s a small team…it’s varied and we get to work with a huge range of people.

Best exhibit: Lots, but Bubbles are a huge favourite.

Rachel Chivers
Visitor services team leader

I never have two days the same – you never know what you are going to expect. 

The visitor services team work in the foyer, the shop and on the phones. Our role is really fun and we have to be knowledgeable about what’s going on so people keep coming in and buying tickets.

It’s important for the team to know what is going and play with the exhibits every day; every time I sit somewhere like the planetarium watching the 3D show I can’t believe that this is my job.

Best exhibit: There is nothing else like the planetarium – I’m in awe every time I see a show.

Read more: At_Bristol unveils 3D planetarium