At the Experimentarium’s Construction Site, children and the young at heart can embark on a journey of discovery by getting the crane to swing into action, pedalling the Hoisting cycle, using the ball race run and trying out many other activities.

At the Construction Site, you can experience the mechanics with your own body as you turn, pull and lift the balls right up into the ball runs – and feel the force of gravity in your tummy as you follow the descent of the balls before starting a new round of the mechanics game.

The Construction Site offers the following activities:

Grapple with gravity in the Crane

Photo: David Trood.

What causes what to move? In the Crane, you apply the principles of mechanics to overcome gravity and lift the ball. The force applied by a child starts a movement. Turning the handle, it is transmitted via the drum and the pulley and lifts and finally lowers the ball.

Hoisting cycle sends ball skywards

What causes what to move? On the Hoisting cycle, you apply the principles of mechanics to overcome gravity and lift the ball. The force applied by a child starts a movement. By means of the chain, it is then transmitted via the cogs and the drum and finally lifts the ball.

Racing balls

The balls all roll downwards along the four different runs because, like everything else on Earth, they are subject to the force of gravity.

However, they don’t all cross the finishing line at the same time because the runs slope and twist in different ways. The flatter and twistier the run, the greater the resistance for the balls. This resistance is called friction.

The Construction Site is intended for children aged 3-6 years and their inquisitive parents.

Photo: Jesper Rais

This exhibition is funded by