This year, the Geological Society was invited to bring geoscience to life in the energetic, wooded landscapes of Latitude Festival in Henham Park, Suffolk.
From 23 to 26 July, our outreach team made a home for themselves on ‘Museum Street’, a bustling forest walkway within the ‘Cosmic Shambles Forest of Science and Culture’ at Latitude Festival. This was a dedicated, interactive space blending curiosity, fun and creativity through live science talks, exhibitions and hands-on experiences designed to spark interest in the wide-ranging and sometimes unexpected applications of science and engineering.
Over four days, the team engaged with more than 1000 festivalgoers, creating a welcoming, colourful space for curious minds of all kinds to explore. We enjoyed having open, meaningful conversations about geoscience, natural materials and their connection to modern life, as well as exploring ideas around scientific observation and museums. We were surprised by how many participants already knew so much about the minerals on our table!
Handling minerals used in our day-to-day lives
People get to interact with a variety of interesting and beautiful rocks and minerals every day but rarely get to see them in their raw form, let alone touch them. To build on our tactile, visual and curiosity-led approach to learning, we brought specimens out from behind the glass. We let the public hold and feel them, from flaky mica to smooth, shiny obsidian, to identify rock characteristics through different observation methods.
Many of the natural materials we brought along are used in smartphones, green technologies, toothpaste and even glitter. By highlighting their properties, we showed visitors just how relevant these materials are to everyday life.
A museum for found resources
This year we also tried out something brand new. To get people wondering about what makes a museum interesting or useful, we developed the ‘Geological Society Museum of Found Resources', a participant-led activity inviting festivalgoers to contribute objects they collected from the festival grounds and thought would be useful for the exhibition.
Using a repurposed shed in the Cosmic Shambles Forest, we created a colourful, inclusive space for hands-on learning about the useful properties of materials and where they come from. The result was a diverse collection of found resources, ranging from natural materials such as soft bedding from leaves and moss, to recyclable materials like machine parts from aluminium cans. It was fantastic to see so many engaged and curious visitors bring in fun, unexpected finds.
The Museum of Found Resources gave attendees a fun way to connect with the observational skills used in geoscience fieldwork, away from the mineral handling table and in an environment with few rocks or outcrops.
As an extension of our mineral handling and resource scouting experiences, we also led two performances on the Satellite Stage where participants continued to reflect on observational skills and the relevance of natural materials through an interactive performance.
We were delighted to take part in the 20th edition of Latitude, a festival celebrating the arts and music. We are also grateful to the Cosmic Shambles Network, who curated and extended an invitation to other organisations within the Cosmic Shambles Forest of Science and Culture.
Thanks to everyone who stopped by to say hi and share fun, engaging conversations with us!
Geological Society outreach work
Our outreach activities are vital to communicating geoscience to our members and the general public. We host a variety of outreach events every year, as well as attending festivals and events held by external organisations.
Learn moreThe Minerals in a Smartphone poster used at the festival is available to download for free, as well as a range of other educational resources.
Brose more educational resources