England Guide
Yorkshire
Magna
Opening time: Daily 10am–5pm; Tues– Sun Nov– March
Price: April– Oct £9.95, Nov– March £9
Address: Sheffield Road (A6178), Templeborough, Rotherham (6 miles northeast of Sheffield on bus #69)
Website: www.visitmagna.co.uk
Housed in a former steelworks building, Magna is the UK's best science adventure centre. The vast internal space comfortably holds four gadget-packed pavilions, themed on the basic elements of earth, air, fire and water. In these you're encouraged to get your hands on a huge variety of interactive exhibits, games and machines – operating a real JCB, filling diggers and barrows, blasting a rock face or investigating a twister. On the hour, everyone decamps to the main hall for the Big Melt when the original arc furnace is used in a bone-shaking light and sound show that has visitors gripping the railings.