Academics from departments across the University of Warwick will take over Coventry’s landmark Transport Museum for one day in July, and welcome 100 students from 10 local schools. By utilising the individual expertise of the academics, and the automotive legacy within museum exhibitions, children from less advantaged backgrounds will have the opportunity to engage with innovative concepts within STEM subjects.

On Thursday 6^th July, Year 8 students from across Coventry will descend on the museum at the heart of the city and replace the classroom with an interactive environment full of the history of their hometown.

The Takeover aims to ignite curiosity and inspire young minds by bringing science to life. The children will have the chance to delve into intriguing topics including robots, battery manufacturing, and solar-powered transport.

The Transport Museum Takeover is part of the University of Warwick’s ongoing commitment to widening participation, encouraging children from less advantaged backgrounds to engage with higher education with new and exciting approaches to learning.

Professor Robin Clark, Dean of WMG, said: “The transport museum takeover is the perfect opportunity for children to connect with their city’s history. By opening it’s doors to academics, the museum offers a unique experience for children to get excited about the past, present and future of innovation and STEM.”

Dr Karen Kudar, who will be running the Fluid Dynamics exhibit, said: “I’m thrilled to be a part of such an exciting project. By welcoming children from Widening Participation schools, we can challenge ourselves as experts and work to get future generations of students excited about our subjects.

“I’ll be using different wing sections, a dog hairdryer and a tiny bit of maths to explore how engineers work out how to make even the heaviest of aeroplanes fly.”