Challenge of Materials

Challenge of Materials gallery
 

The Challenge of Materials gallery is home to a whole range of fascinating objects. You’ll discover historic gems such as Egyptian glass sitting alongside state-of-the-art materials and a host of bizarre items, including a cardboard chair and a steel wedding dress. You’ll even find significant art installations from around the world.

Perhaps the most striking feature of the gallery is the magnificent glass bridge, which spans the main hall and responds to the visitor in light and sound. Other interactives invite you to experience materials by touch, sound and experiment.

We regularly update the gallery with new stories on materials science covering topics ranging from superconductors to spider silk, so why not come and discover for yourself the exciting world of materials?

On display

Meteorite slice, c 4500 BC.

Meteors are solid bodies from outer space. They become incandescent on entering the Earth's atmosphere producing "shooting stars", owing to frictional forces. Small meteors burn up completely but some of the larger ones survive and fall to Earth as m

 
Body armour, 1996.

Samples of protective plates used in body armour showing effect of ballistic test: 3 ceramic faced , composite backed; one in steel; made by the Defence Clothing and Textiles Agency, 1996. Plus 5.6mm bullet and 7.62mm bullet.

 
 

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