"Out of this world"

On Friday 20Th May, I visited the British Library for the first time. It was awesome. The reason I went was that my best friend and I wished to see the new exhibition that was starting. Our visit was not a disappointment, the "Out of this world" exhibit was extremely well put together and really interesting. Well done to the organisers. There was something in it for everyone regardless of how informed they were on Science Fiction literature. My favourite part was the quotes that were spread out on the displays, capturing the qualities of Science Fiction that appear to a huge majority.

There are displays and information points from the earliest examples of science fiction literature, explanations of books you would never consider to fit into the genre, interviews with authors accessible through headphones, clips of music from theme tunes to the top twenty science fiction songs available from different points. There is also a sleeping robot, that is completely cute, waking up to tell you about androids and the history of them, and the challenge of the Turin test, trying to get a computer to show itself as one rather then a thinking entity. There are reports of one gentleman trying to ask it sexual questions hoping to prove it wrong. No one had managed when I went past.

I had two criticisms, both very minor, the first is the little shop to do with the exhibition had badges, books and postcards, but didn't have anything with the quotes that were printed around the room, which i liked. Even the book which accompanies the exhibition does not feature them although is a stunningly good book. My second is that it has come after I finished my degree, and three years since i did my unit on science fiction. It would have been incredibly useful to have gone before i completed that unit, and I may have got a better grade as the understanding that the exhibit gave me was great, and I am looking forward to delving deeper into this historical genre.