I'm not long back from a two week trip to Japan so you know what that means. My now traditional Best and Worst Museums of Blog! museumramblings.blogspot.com

For this next blog I can't believe I have to say this... but your stuff doesn't matter if I don't know what it is. museumramblings.blogspot.com

I'm also delighted to announced that I have been appointed to the Royal Society Publishing Early Career Researcher Advisory panel! royalsociety.org/journals/aut...

I'm delighted to announce that I have been awarded the Mary Somerville Medal and Prize for Outreach by the Institute of Physics! This is a real honour to receive such a prestigious award in recognition for my work.

In my Latest blog I finally let you know about the best museum in the world! museumramblings.blogspot.com #LA #Museums #MuseumDesign

In my latest Museum Blogpost I'm begging you please! Don't make me use your app. museumramblings.blogspot.com #museums #appdesign

In my latest museum blogpost I follow up on my Ideas Session at the #ASDC2025 conference to discuss Dragon Quest, David Hasselhoff, and Jurassic Technology. museumramblings.blogspot.com #museum

I'll be speaking at the Association of Science and Discovery Centre's Conference on 'The Next 25 Years'. I'll be leading the discussion on 'Dragon Quest, David Hasselhoff , and Jurassic Technology' where I'll be challenging thoughts on what a museum is and can be. #ASDCC2025 #museumdesign

It's time for another blog about the Best and Worst Museums of my latest Trip to Dublin. And this time I'm breaking all the rules. museumramblings.blogspot.com #dublin #museum

A good deal? A small con? A vital Lifeline? In my latest blog I discuss the use and need for the city card in visiting museums. museumramblings.blogspot.com #Museum #Museumdesign #citycards (Blogs will now be back to their normal schedule)

On the Fylde Coast and looking for something to do on the Bank Holiday with Kids? The St Anne's on the Sea Event on Monday 25th is the Science Spectacular with lots of demos, games, and events on for the whole family. www.stannesonthesea-tc.gov.uk/fantasy-fayre/ #stannes #fyldecoast

Are you a Science Communicator with a story to tell or a message to share? The IoP Communicators and Outreach Conference is accepting short talk and poster submissions. Event on the 19th November, Deadline 26th September iop.eventsair.com/caoc2025/ #sciencecommunication #outreach

I'm not a big fan of my hometown of Blackpool and it's latest museum/attraction is no different. My latest blog is on my thoughts of 'Showtown'. museumramblings.blogspot.com #Museum #Museumdesign #Blackpool

I'm often asked if I have such strong opinions about museums what would one I made look like? So here's an occasional new series on the kind of museum I'd like to create with "The City That Never Was" museumramblings.blogspot.com #Museum #Museumdesign

Catching up on the blogs by releasing one a week for a little while. This week it's about the Animal Crossing/Sealife Centre Crossover Event museumramblings.blogspot.com #museum #museumdesign #sealifecentre #animalcrossing

Yesterday I went to do something I've never done before and flew a microlight.

I am back to releasing museum blogs after a brief hiatus. We're starting off strong with 'Professor Kettlestring and the Plague of Illusions' museumramblings.blogspot.com #museums #museumdesign

Today and this weekend you can catch me at the Royal Society Summer Exhibition in London. I'll be around in the Quantum Zone. It's free and open to all so if you're in London this weekend why not come along! royalsociety.org/science-even...

It's been a little whilst since I've posted but I've been up to all sorts of interesting things including a trip to Edinburgh for a meeting at the Royal Observatory (and a side trip to Dynamic Earth) and giving a talk at the Sherwood Observatory near Nottingham.

Pint of Science is coming to York and I'm going to be a part of it. Running the 19th - 21st May you can hear about all sorts of wonderful science stuff. You can find out more about all of the events at the link below:

A New Blog Called 'The Hero Item' about one of the most devastating museum moments I ever had as a child. buff.ly/BlaOIVa It's a great idea that could work in a lot of other places and contexts with just a bit of effort and willing.

A little tired of climate change being all doom and gloom? If you're in or around York come along to this book launch next week all about the scientists involved in helping to solve the crisis. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/earth-day-...

My Latest Blog Post is a fun one with "We Need to Talk about the Pokémon Fossil Museum" buff.ly/BlaOIVa It's a great idea that could work in a lot of other places and contexts with just a bit of effort and willing.

Classic alleged 'physics in action' stuff with trying some Roller Skating tonight.

Tomorrow between about 10:00 and 12:00 (peaking at 11ish) here in the UK we're in for a pretty good partial solar eclipse. It won't go completely dark but it should dim fairly noticeably and if you have so eclipse viewing glasses the covering should be very easy to see.

This month I've been playing the new game 'Two Point Museum' which has prompted me to write about museums in games and how we can try to leverage the power of games to enhance the mission of museums. buff.ly/3Zv958S #Museums #MuseumDesign #VideoGames #twopointmuseum

On Friday evening this week I'll be giving a talk for the Scarborough Astronomical society entitled 'Why We Stargaze'. Anyone in the area is welcome to come along and join in. You can find out more on their website: buff.ly/40ImcEm #astronomy #scarborough #ryedale

This weekend I went to the wedding of a good friend held at the Derby Museum of Making. It makes for a great space and flexibility for museums to do this kind of thing is becoming an increasingly revenue stream. I realise that's not the most romantic thing to say

Had just over a week now playing the new release #twopointmuseum and it's great fun! Not quite like working on the real thing... less chance of exhibits attacking usually. Can really recommend it to anyone who likes a bit of a management sim.

You can join me for a talk "All These Worlds: Exoplanets" at the Leeds astronomical society tomorrow. The meeting is open to all members and non-members alike.

Another Blog Post. This time I'm giving you tips on how you (just like me) can visit up to 16 different museums in a single day and not hate yourself at the end of it! buff.ly/3Zv958S #Museums

Whilst in the area this weekend I also visited the #RichardIIIVisitorcentre. Despite being a small museum it did pretty much everything right and showed how effective a well told story and a few artistic flourishes can really make a museum stand out.

This past weekend I was in the area for something else so took the time to stop by the amazing #Nationalspacecentre for the first time. It's a great space that gets a huge amount right with it's set dressing, interactive elements and much more. Well worth a visit!

Are you (or do you know) a GCSE student interested in Nuclear Physics? You can book (for free) to join the University of York's Masterclass. This is a 4 week program open now that you can do at your own pace and learn all about nuclear physics.

If you're looking to improve your science communication skills New Scientist is running a free session next week with the wonderful Jamie Gallagher. 6th March, 14:00 - 15:00 (GMT), Online You can find more details here:

In this fortnight's blog post I attempt to address what I think is one of the most important aspects for any Museum... "Creating a Sense of Space" https://buff.ly/3Zv958S #Museums #Museum Design

Today is Cheddar Day which as a fan of an obviously made up National Days and cheese caught my attention. Though, for those of a more cynical/curious bent the day was invented in 2019 by the Tillamook County Creamery based in Oregon on the date of their founding in 1909. Its a good excuse though

In my latest fortnightly blog post I look at the difference between two different LEGO Museums in Krakow. One excellent, one not so much... https://buff.ly/3Zv958S #museums #Krakow #LEGO #Poland

Today I made a Trip to the Jim Austin Computing Collection to discuss how we might be able to help this amazing assortment of tech reach a wider group of people

On this anniversary of the Camp's Liberation I wanted to share a few thoughts about my recent visit to the Museum and Memorial that now stands at Auschwitz buff.ly/3Zv958S #Aushwitz

My latest blog post about the best and worst museums I saw during my trip to Krakow/Warsaw is now out: https://buff.ly/3Zv958S Its another tale of excellent design and a big disappointment. #Museums #Warsaw #Krakow #Poland

May as well dive right in. Did you know that dogs in ancient Mesopotamia also refused to drop the ball? According to a Sumerian proverb, “The dog understands ‘Take it!’ It does not understand ‘Put it down!’” Source: cdli.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/artifacts/34...

Next week the absolutely amazing Hana Ayoob is delivering a free online workshop entitled 'Zine Making for Engagement ' It'll be running on Wednesday 29th 13:00 - 14:00 GMT via Zoom There is still some space for more people so if you're interested just message. Make sure to prep crafting stuff!

Are you a York (or near York) based Science Communicator, Educator or generally just interested in spreading Science? Well the York Sci-Com Social is running once again from 18:30 onwards, this time at The Winning Post. It's free and open to all! Calendar Invite

I'm in Poland (primarily visiting museums) so I haven't done a full blog post this time. But I have done a write up of how a choose which of the 144 museums I've identified I'll actually go and visit: https://buff.ly/3Zv958S I will of course post about it on my return! #Museums #Warsaw #Krakow

Happy New Year! 2025 year is officially the Year of Quantum https://buff.ly/4gfAykr Keep an eye out for all sorts of interesting and exciting quantum based events across the world! #quantum #science

In 1994 when I worked at Kitt Peak National Observatory, @todlauer.bsky.social made an off-hand comment about grape plasma in the microwave. Being an experimental physicist (read as “nerd”) I immediately tried it during night lunch. Who knew it was come to this? 🧪🔭⚛️

Merry Christmas! Sadly this is not a picture of the University of York's Newton Apple Tree from this year. I'd say it looks stunning anyway but that would be somewhat of a lie. Hope you're all having a great time!

As an early Christmas present I have just published a new blog on my Museum Ramblings Blog. This time it's a guide on how people interact with a museum over the course of a visit and how to take advantage of that: https://buff.ly/3Zv958S It will change how you experience museums! #museums

Just been tinkering with my 3D Printed Pascaline (the first kind of mechanical computer) ahead of starting a project in the new year with a student trying to make mechanical representations of computer principles. Got some plans but if anyone has any grand ideas let me know.