It strikes me that at a time when there is a very vibrant science communication culture developing in the UK, with all sorts of people doing superb science shows, dialogue activities and so on, the RI seems curiously anachronistic in its approach, you only have to watch the Christmas Lectures to be reminded of this. While perfectly OK in their own way, they now feel like something from 20 years ago, there are plenty of people who can really perform science without losing any of the essential content around now, and could do something far more in the spirit of Faraday's Chemical History of the Candle, than what we currently see. IT needs things going on there that might once again cause traffic jams outside as the original events at the RI did 200 years ago (and not just because the presenter had to park his van outside the front door).

 

The RI perhaps should have a professional Science Communicator as a director, rather than an eminent(ish) scientist, and make it its mission to spearhead the development of live science engagement activities. This, coupled with a viable commercial business plan to exploit the building's venue potential would go a long way to set the place back on the right road. If we can make venue operation underpin financial stability for a science communication organization work here in Newcastle, surely it can be done in central London.

 

IAN