Ancient Greeks: Science and Wisdom review – a show from the dark ages

Science Museum, London
A chance to teach us about history’s greatest thinkers goes shamefully wasted in this dumbed-down science exhibition

On my way into the Science Museum I overhear someone say that they prefer the Natural History Museum next door. Well, who doesn’t? Compared with the neighbouring cathedral of dinosaurs, this place struggles to communicate the joy of science. It veers from inert displays to interactive playgrounds. The playgrounds are popular, the galleries often empty. Surely there must be a middle way. This foray into ancient Greek culture fails to find it.

An exhibition about ancient Greece at the Science Museum sounded like a chance to discover who renowned ancient Greek scientists such as Anaxagoras, Pythagoras, Democritus, Aristotle, Euclid and Archimedes really were, to find out what they thought and why.

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