The Faraday Centre is a historical technology museum, it’s a hands on sort of place so you get to push, pull and make stuff go, not just look at it. You’ll find all sorts of weird and intriguing things like a Uranus electric mouse trap, a dishwasher from 1925, a 1907 Rover car, and old and unusual typewriters.

Ring the Westminster Chimes at The Faraday Centre

You can use the pneumatic conveyor system that once transferred money in cannisters through a series of pipes around Westerman’s Department Store in Hastings. Curiously, C1 Espresso in Christchurch are using a similar system to transfer sliders from the kitchen to food collection points around the cafe.

Part of the pneumatic conveyor system

I really liked the ‘Household Wants Indicator’, a Google search found that Downton Abbey fans are keen on them too. One sold in London in 2004 for £335.

Household Wants Indicator

Kids may especially like the whisper dish, Tesla coil and manual phone system, you’ll find a few things of interest to all age groups in the family. The Faraday Centre is open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 9am – 1pm. Adult admission $9, children $2.50.

Pump the pedals and play the pianola