4 min readWe The Curious and Bristol City Leap partner for new interactive exhibit celebrating Bristol’s innovative transition to a low carbon future
Bristol’s educational charity and science centre, We The Curious, has partnered with Bristol City Leap to create a brand-new interactive exhibit, which sets out to raise awareness of Bristol’s growing low carbon energy infrastructure.
The exhibit aims to inspire understanding and confidence in Bristol’s transition to a low carbon future, by engaging visitors through a fun, inclusive, sensory and social experience.
It is designed to celebrate innovation and show how an extensive network of pipes and cables beneath the city is efficiently delivering renewable electricity and heat throughout Bristol.
Visitors of all ages will be able to post coloured ‘scarves’ into the inlets, change the air direction using the valves, and watch their scarf travel through a maze of tubes through the ‘city’, before it flies out over their heads.
The exhibit is Bristol-specific, with several recognisable Bristol landmarks depicted on the network of interconnected pipes and valves.
Through creating a playful, fun and communal experience, the exhibit aims to show the positive change already happening to make Bristol’s energy networks more sustainable.
Bristol City Leap is an innovative partnership between Bristol City Council, Ameresco UK and Vattenfall Heat UK, which will accelerate green energy investment in Bristol and help towards decarbonising the whole city.
This flagship exhibit marks the start of new development within the North Gallery space at We The Curious, which will see further sustainability-related exhibits and experiences added over the next few years. It also connects in with We The Curious’ pledge around creating a more sustainable future and their own journey to decarbonise by 2030.
Andy Cocco, Head of Exhibitions at We The Curious said: “This new exhibit is a great way to really explore sustainability, and specifically, decarbonisation in Bristol, in a fun and engaging way. It brings to life the amazing work that's already taking place in the city but also showcasing how people can work together and have power as a collective to create a better world. The scientific knowledge and solutions are there – it’s up to us to make them happen. We're delighted to be working with Bristol City Leap on this fun, interactive exhibit which showcases the new technology shaping our future for the better.”
Hannah Spungin, Director at Bristol City Leap, said: “We’re proud to support We The Curious in creating an engaging new exhibit that brings Bristol’s energy future to life. Through our role in the Bristol City Leap partnership, we are committed not only to delivering low carbon infrastructure but also to helping people understand how these systems work and why they matter. This exhibit provides a unique opportunity to connect with hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, spark curiosity, and empower communities to be part of Bristol’s decarbonisation journey. By making complex energy systems accessible and interactive, we can inspire greater awareness, confidence and participation in the transition to a more sustainable city.”
Dom Barton, Director of Heat Networks - Bristol at Vattenfall Heat UK, said: “Vattenfall’s vision is that over half of all Bristolians living, working and learning in the city will be kept warm by the Bristol heat network by 2050. The work to install the heat network is ongoing, and once complete will deliver low carbon heating across the city for decades to come. This crucial underground network of pipes is already delivering low carbon heating to 36 buildings, enough to heat the equivalent of almost 13,400 homes. We’re pleased to support We The Curious in raising awareness of the city’s decarbonisation journey with the workforce of the future in such a fun and engaging way.”
The exhibit is being designed and built by the in-house Exhibitions Team at We The Curious and will be launched in time for Bristol school summer holidays in July 2026.
