As part of The Great Exhibition Road Festival 2024 in South Kensington, Big Ideas curated The Great Exhibition² Tent. The tent displayed prototypes created by pupils who took part in the The Great Exhibition² programme from 20 schools representing Hammersmith & Fulham, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster boroughs. Students came with their families to see their prototypes exhibited.
The main tent attraction was an invention table where young people could create their own inventions out of plasticine. They were encouraged to create prototypes of what they would make to change the world, gaining inspiration from the tent’s prototype display.
Over the course of the festival, over 3000 people visited The Great Exhibition² Tent. The audience consisted of families with young children (as well as a few adventurous adults!), who enjoyed the hands-on invention table.
Feedback on the tent was very positive, with 100% of tent visitors agreeing the tent was engaging.
We loved the 3D nature of this tent. Not just drawing like so many other tents. Tactile things you can build are so great for children. Very engaging. Tent Visitor
The facilitators at the tent were brilliant and so full of energy. My children loved inventing with plasticine. Tent Visitor
On the second day of the festival, David Nii Kwartei Quartey, a Biomedical Engineer at Imperial and one of the 10 mentors in the schools programme, volunteered at the event. The children in the tent were excited to have a real inventor at the table with them.
The tent was a wonderful display of creativity, enthusiasm and engagement from festival goers.
