Interactive Models – Valencia

The Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (the City of Arts and Sciences) in Valencia, Spain, is a truly impressive sight and reports very high visitor numbers. The recently opened science centre (Museo de las Ciences Principe Felipe) is in the centre, flanked by an eyeball shaped, large format cinema and a large new theatre on one side, and an extensive oceanarium park on the other side.

Rainford Models are proud to say that we have built some of the interactive models designed by Ian Russell and used as part of the “space travel” section in this spectacular set of buildings, a small selection of which we have shown below.

This truly classical interactive exhibit is seen in many different forms all over the world and attracts both children and adults. The design was simplified by adding coin-launching ramps, to get around the universal maintenance problem of disappearing balls.

This truly classical interactive exhibit is seen in many different forms all over the world and attracts both children and adults. The design was simplified by adding coin-launching ramps, to get around the universal maintenance problem of disappearing balls.

This exhibit is on the 3rd floor of a huge and awesome, glass-sided building. The large lens moves backwards and forwards to focus an upside-down image of the outside world, onto an opal acrylic screen.

This exhibit is on the 3rd floor of a huge and awesome, glass-sided building. The large lens moves backwards and forwards to focus an upside-down image of the outside world, onto an opal acrylic screen.

The Silence of Space Exhibit

The Silence of Space Exhibit

In this modern version of the classic 'bell in a vacuum jar' one illuminated button starts the vacuum pump, also starting a switch-off timer. The middle button makes a solenoid strike the bell. (You can see it striking the bell but not hear it.) The third button opens a valve to let air back into the vacuum chamber, at the same time switching off the pump.

In this modern version of the classic 'bell in a vacuum jar' one illuminated button starts the vacuum pump, also starting a switch-off timer. The middle button makes a solenoid strike the bell. (You can see it striking the bell but not hear it.) The third button opens a valve to let air back into the vacuum chamber, at the same time switching off the pump.

This exhibit was designed and built so that it will function reliably despite all kinds of rough treatment from lots of young museum visitors.

In this modern version of the classic “bell in a vacuum jar” one illuminated button starts the vacuum pump, also starting a switch-off timer. The middle button makes a solenoid strike the bell. (You can see it striking the bell but not hear it.) The third button opens a valve to let air back into the vacuum chamber, at the same time switching off the pump.

All of the models above were designed by Ian Russell for the Valencia Ciutat de les Arts I les Ciences and built by us.