One doesn't usually think of technology as a fix for social problems. But in Belfast, a dazzling, high-tech museum has been built with the idea that it will bring a divided community together. Belfast, the epicenter of Northern Ireland's 20th century troubles, has become a city on the rise since the Good Friday peace accords were signed three years ago. The plazas are full of shoppers.
Construction cranes abound.
And at the center of the renaissance is W5, the WhoWhatWhenWhereWhy Museum. Each exhibit at W5 is meant to inspire curiosity, like the laser harp with strings made of light. Visitors often must collaborate to complete a task, which is no accident. Young visitors on a recent morning learned how to build robots and racecars. They learned how lie detectors work, what sound waves look like, and how clouds are formed.