This Social Story aims to prepare individuals with autism for their visit to Thinktank by letting them know what to expect.

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My visit to Thinktank

I am going to visit Thinktank.

Thinktank is a science museum.

Exterior of Millennium Point building from Parkside. It is a modern glass building with trees in font and there is a blue sky in the background.

The exterior of the front of Millennium Point from the car park. It is a square building with a cylinder section on the side. A sign on the top of the entrance reads 'Millennium Point'.

These are photos of the outside of the building where Thinktank is.

A staff member wearing a pink lanyard is standing behind the ticket desk.

This the Ticket Desk.

I will walk past this when I come in.

There will always be staff here with pink lanyards if I need them.

A staff member wearing a pink lanyard is standing and waving in front of the triceratops skull display.

A pink staff lanyard laid out on a green table.

There are people that will help me when I am in the museum. These people are called Visitor Experience Assistants.

They wear Pink Lanyards.

If I have a question when I am at Thinktank I can talk to a Visitor Experience Assistant. It is fine to talk to them.

At Thinktank there are lockers.

If I want, I can leave my bag and coat here, they will be safe.

Thinktank has 4 floors. I might not visit them all but that is fine. The different parts of Thinktank are called galleries.

Usually, I will move between floors using stairs or the lifts.

There are toilets on every floor of Thinktank.

If I need the toilet, I can ask my adult, or a Visitor Experience Assistant and they will show me where they are.

A staff member wearing a pink lanyard is standing in the Science Garden.

Thinktank is a busy place. There might be lots of other children at Thinktank when I visit. It might be very noisy when I visit.

If there is too much noise, I can tell the adult I came with or a Visitor Experience Assistant.

A room with chairs, colourful rug, side table and highchair.

This is a photo of the quiet room. I might come in here if it is too noisy in the galleries, but I don’t have to.

I must not leave the area where the people I came with are. This is so adults know where I am, and I am safe.

If I don’t know where my adult is I can ask a Visitor Experience Assistant and they will help me.

They will take me somewhere else, and they have a quiet room if I want it.

The entrance and wall into the Science Garden. The wall made of grass, stones and bricks and a sign reads 'Thinktank Science Garden'.

This is a photo of the entrance to the Science Garden. I might visit this area while I am at Thinktank. It is outside the museum.

The Science Garden is about how machines work. In the Science Garden there are lots of things to play on. I must be careful not to hurt myself. If I don’t know how to use something I can ask my adult or a Visitor Experience Assistant.

A large gallery space with Spitfire hanging from the ceiling with motorcycles and other vehicles below.

Machinery of the 'Old Smethwick' Canal Pumping Engine

These are photos of a gallery called Move It The Past. I might visit this gallery when I am at Thinktank. It is on Level 0.

The Past is about machines and transport. I might see a plane, or a train, or a steam engine.

I might see some old machines that used to make power in factories.

There are some things I must not touch on Level 0. If I don’t know what I can or can’t touch, I can ask an adult or a Visitor Experience Assistant.

I won’t get in trouble if I make a mistake, but I must try and remember to ask.

A gallery display featuring a Mini car without panels showing the interior, plus a model cow and tree. A sign above reads 'We Made It'.

This is a photo of a gallery called We Made It. I might visit this gallery when I am at Thinktank. It is on level 1.

We Made It is all about how we make things. There are lots of things to see and do.

I can play with everything in this gallery but if I don’t want to play with something it is OK just to look.

An illuminated display showing valves of a heart with interactive buttons on a counter.

This is a photo of a gallery called Things About Me. I might visit this gallery when I am at Thinktank. It is on level 2.

Things About Me is all about how people’s bodies work. There are lots of things to see and do.

I can play with everything in this gallery but if I don’t want to play with something it is OK just to look.

A gallery display featuring a taxidermy turtle with signs that read 'Our Changing Planet'

This is a photo of a gallery called Our Changing Planet. I might visit this gallery when I am at Thinktank. It is on level 2.

Our Changing Planet is all about people, nature, and the planet.

There are some stuffed animals for me to look at.

If I don’t like looking at the animals that is OK.

I can tell my adult, or a Visitor Experience Assistant and they will take me somewhere else.

A display of a variety of taxidermy animals including polar bear, peacock, parrot and more.

This is a photo of a gallery called Wildlife. I might visit this gallery when I am at Thinktank. It is on level 2.

The Wildlife Gallery is all about animals. There are lots of stuffed animals for me to look at.

If I don’t like looking at the animals that is OK.

I can tell my adult, or a Visitor Experience Assistant and they will take me somewhere else.

A display featuring a fossilised Ichthyosaur skeleton in a display case. A illustration of an Ichthyosaur is on the wall behind.

This is a photo of a gallery called Marine Worlds. I might visit this gallery when I am at Thinktank. It is on level 2.

The Marine Worlds Gallery is all about sea animals. There are lots of stuffed sea animals and bones for me to look at.

If I don’t like looking at the sea animals that is OK.

I can tell my adult, or a Visitor Experience Assistant and they will take me somewhere else.

Exhibition of a small city for children to learn and play in.

This is photos from a gallery called MiniBrum. I might visit this gallery when I am at Thinktank. It is on level 3.

MiniBrum is play city. I can play with everything in this gallery but if I don’t want to play with something it is OK just to look.

Maybe I will try on some dressing up clothes, build a house or play in the café!

It might be very noisy when I visit.

If I don’t like the noise, I can tell the adult I came with or a Visitor Experience Assistant.

A gallery featuring an humanoid robot with a person looking at it.

This is photos from a gallery called Futures. I might visit this gallery when I am at Thinktank. It is on level 3.

There are lots of robots and things about space in the Futures Gallery.

This gallery is sometimes a bit dark. If I don’t like it, I can tell my adult, or a Visitor Experience Assistant and they will take me somewhere else.