Bringing Techniquest into Sharper Focus

18 May 2023 · Techniquest

THE TECHNIQUEST WEBSITE HAS HAD A COMPLETE FACELIFT, BRINGING THE SCIENCE DISCOVERY CENTRE IN CARDIFF BAY MORE FULLY INTO FOCUS THAN EVER BEFORE.

Working alongside digital agency CORE, the team have delivered a site that makes it easier for customers to find out what’s on when, and to see who the activities are aimed at: so whether it’s a family wanting to spend time together or friends looking for an adults-only event, there’s a much simpler structure now in place to navigate around the site.

Ceri Richmond, Managing Director at CORE said “Having worked with Techniquest since 2016, we were delighted to be involved with this latest phase of the centre’s development and to support them in growing the effectiveness of their website and digital presence.”

The site now also gives a sneak peek into the essence of Techniquest and its many interactive exhibits for those who are new to the iconic bay-side venue, by means of video and a 3D Tour.

Rachel Hanson, Head of Marketing & Communications explains “We wanted to celebrate the new Science Capital space and its connectivity to the original Techniquest site, picking out some of our favourite exhibits, both old and new to be captured on video: making sure anyone who’s unfamiliar with Techniquest can get a flavour of what we’re all about as soon as they land on our site.

“We spent time last year working with some brilliant videographers from Rockadove creating snapshots of the various exhibits that could be pieced together, and we’re so excited to finally be able to incorporate some of their work into our site”.

Jude Bainbridge, Head of Client Services at Rockadove Video Production commented: “Techniquest is an important part of the local community and has such a wide appeal, offering lots of fun for everyone to enjoy. We were thrilled by the opportunity to plan and produce exciting video content to help showcase Techniquest and give a real sense of what delights people can expect to see during their visit. Rachel and the team had a really clear vision of what they wanted to achieve and it was our absolute pleasure to bring Techniquest to life through the video content.”

In addition to the video that gives a glimpse of what’s inside the venue, the team have also been able to add a more detailed 3D video tour too, to help customers understand more fully what they can expect when they visit. Rhys and Ellie from Picture It 360 remembered visiting Techniquest as children and wanted to give something back – so they offered to create the video for free, as part of the work they do each year for charity.

Lesley Kirkpatrick, CEO of Techniquest said:

“We really wanted to make it easier for people to plan ahead and understand our space better, particularly for visitors with different accessibility requirements, to show how best they can navigate the exhibition floors and the spaces we use for additional activity, such as our science theatre. For some of our guests with additional needs, we know how important it can be to orient themselves or a family member, prior to exploring a new space. We hope that having the 3D Tour online will make that a much easier process so they can enjoy their time with us to the full. We’re hugely grateful to Picture It 360 for the time they’ve given us free of charge in order to create this for us.”

Ellie and Rhys from Picture It 360 go on to explain “Each year we have been teaming up with a charity or business of our choice as part of our ‘Community Scan’ programme. The main goal is to create a 3D model of their space to provide a digital and informative experience for their users and community.

“Having both grown up in Wales, Techniquest was a memorable part of our education, so for us it was an obvious choice for 2022. The museum is such an important part of the education community throughout Cardiff and Wales. We really hope the 3D tour will help visitors get a sense of what’s on offer in Techniquest before they arrive. It was a real pleasure working with Rachel and Dan to create this 3D tour.”

Techniquest have also launched an online shop along with the re-envisaged site, with a range of products geared towards educating children in a fun and accessible way. Books in both English and Welsh are available on a range of science-themed topics along with a selection of science kits and models. For more details or to view the other improvements to the site, head to techniquest.org.