W5 at Odyssey
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Description
W5 is Belfast’s award-winning science and discovery centre and provides a unique experience as well as fantastic fun for visitors of all ages.
Visitors can immerse themselves in W5’s new technological space ‘AMAZE’, scale the heights on the multi-storey climbing structure ‘Climbit’, meet W5’s humanoid robot ‘Robothespian, plus so much more.
In addition to permanent exhibits, W5 also presents a changing programme of temporary exhibitions and events. Visitors can also enjoy a daily programme of live science demonstrations and shows throughout the day. W5’s seasonal events are FREE with admission and tickets are valid all day.
Please note, W5 is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays during off-peak times during January – May 2020 to allow for an exciting refurbishment programme. For full information about our refurbishment and opening hours, please visit www.w5online.co.uk
Top Reasons To Visit
- Over 250 hands-on exhibits in four exhibition areas
- A changing calendar of events and seasonal activities
- Daily science demonstration shows
- Ticket valid all day so you can stay as long as you like
- All seasonal activities are free with admission
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Climbit
Discover W5’s biggest exhibit ever! Climbit is an unusual mixture of physical fun, exploration and art! This huge multi-storey climbing structure, which is a cross between a maze and a jungle gym, takes over the Atrium at the heart of W5.
The first of its kind in the UK and Ireland, Climbit is a unique, visually elegant, three dimensional sculpture specially designed for climbing. Oval platforms suspended from steel pipes and cables let visitors traverse over, under and through the amazing structure.
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Meet RoboThespian
Meet RoboThespian, W5’s permanent exhibit which is completely unique to the island of Ireland. RoboThespian is a life sized, humanoid, interactive robot who can move, speak, educate, interact and entertain!
RoboThespian is primarily a robot actor and performer. He is fully interactive, user friendly, and capable of communicating and entertaining in a way that few people will have experienced before. This static, humanoid robot can be controlled by the visitor, via a touchscreen panel, and can sing, greet, inform, act and even do impressions. Visitors can choose from a wide range of pre-programmed performance sequences or can even control RoboThespian’s movement and voice to create performance pieces of their own.
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MED-Lab
Step into MED-Lab – an interactive exhibition zone and explore the medical marvel that is the human body!
MED-Lab will take visitors of all ages on an extraordinary and fun journey of discovery into us! Learn all about the amazing systems that keep our bodies alive and working. Get up close to some advanced imaging technologies that enables us to see inside, and right through our body. What can go wrong with our body and how we find out what the problem is.
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AMAZE
AMAZE is W5’s brand-new technological space that will take you on unique, spectacular and fully-immersive adventures.
Incorporating large multi-screen projections, a state of the art ‘immersive soundscape’ sound system and a range of incredible special, sensory and physical effects, AMAZE will deliver exciting, captivating and highly entertaining exhibitions and events for visitors of all ages to enjoy.
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More Attractions
VR Zone
Are you ready to take an adventure like no other? Located in W5’s gift shop on the ground floor, enjoy W5’s VR experience for visitors aged 8+.
The experience features a number of state-of-the-art platforms from leading VR specialists ‘Immotion’ and will take visitors on a series of incredible adventures.
Choose between W5’s ‘VR-4D Cinema Pods’ or ‘VR Explorer Units’ and explore worlds you never thought possible!
Spacebase
Spacebase is W5’s multi-sensory activity zone for 3-11 year olds! The Spacebase adventure begins at the base of the giant rocket on the Launchpad. To get to the top children can make their way up through the launch gantry or take the challenge of climbing through the spider tower webbing inside the Rocket. From there they can make their way through the tunnels to Spacebase itself or zip back down to earth inside the spiral slide. Spacebase houses a wide range of equipment such as tube slides, foam hills, horizontal and vertical rolls, web step stones and much more.
Adults can relax in a dedicated seating area and treat themselves to a hot beverage from our Spacebase coffee dock while watching their children play and have fun. Free WiFi is also available throughout the building.
The Town of Discovery
Discovery is W5’s under 8s area. It contains 16 themed areas which house over 50 interactive exhibits. Paint on a digital canvas in the Art Studio, play animal sounds in the Farmyard, paddle in a virtual rock pool in the Beach and flick through digital storybooks in the castle.
The town of Discovery is a hands-on, interactive exhibition area where children can learn about themselves and the world around them. It is a specially themed environment that encourages children to imagine, explore and experiment, but most importantly to play and have fun.