Vitensenteret Innlandet – Children’s Science Museum, Norway

A 2-hour drive from Oslo, Vitensenteret Innlandet, is a Science Centre in Gjøvik, Norway. The center offers a variety of activities and exhibitions focused on maths, natural sciences, technology, and now music!

A new exhibition 'Lydbølgen' and musical experience space exploring the physics behind music, has recently opened. Part of the exhibition includes a plate that resonates and can be adjusted according to frequency to create patterns in sand. There is also a room with no sound where children can experience sound waves 'out of phase' that cancel each other out. There is a recording studio, a laser harp, a theremin, and many other hands-on instruments. Children can learn how we hear music and understand the science involved. Percussion Play’s instruments are part of the exhibition and are situated outside the front of the museum.

Gavin Robb, a technician and part of the crew that designs and builds all the exhibitions at the museum, says, “the first impression people get as they come into the science museum is the music installation at the front. It’s a great way to entice children to come in and explore the museum”. Gavin continues, “after fundraising for the instruments and receiving a grant, we built the main music room, but we were keen to have something physical for the children to do and make music outside. Percussion Play’s instruments were perfect. The children enjoy playing them and making music, and because of how the instruments are tuned, they always sound nice.”

The museum’s instruments included the Congas, Large Babel Drum,Papilio along with the the most popular instrument Pentatonic Tembos

Having this musical installation is also benefiting the local community. While people walk their dogs in the nearby park, they can hear the fun people are having at our museum.