Children's Wild Inventions Come to Life at Newcastle's Historic Lit & Phil
A Decision Hat that turns its wearer into a mobile bird sanctuary, a lamppost reimagined as a towering tree for urban wildlife, and elevated roadways that free ground space for roaming animals – these are just some of the extraordinary inventions dreamed up by North East children and brought to life at the Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle upon Tyne.
The exhibition, running from 12th July to 28th August 2025, showcases both working models and original drawings from 'The Lit & Phil Invention Challenge 2025'.
Exhibition launched - Chi Onwurah MP, Labour MP for Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West and Chair of the Science, Innovation and Technology committee, attended the exhibition opening. With her own background as an electrical engineer, the MP delivered an inspiring speech celebrating the young inventors' creativity.
The collaboration between Little Inventors – an organization that transforms children's drawings into real inventions – and the historic Lit & Phil has resulted in a unique exhibition that bridges the gap between imagination and engineering. Local schools and homeschooled children participated in workshops where they were challenged to "Help Wildlife in our City," drawing inspiration from the Lit & Phil's renowned Natural History and engineering collections.
"Since 1825, the Lit & Phil has been a place where the North East's brightest minds have gathered to share ideas and push boundaries," said Mary Durkin, Chair of the Lit & Phil. "This exhibition continues that tradition, but with a fresh perspective – seeing our urban environment through the eyes of children who aren't limited by 'that's impossible.'"
The workshop participants explored Newcastle from the perspective of urban wildlife, developing inventions to help animals, plants, and insects thrive alongside humans in city environments. Expert makers and engineers then brought the three most promising ideas to life as working models:
The Decision Hat - A ingenious wearable device that helps bird-watchers and nature enthusiasts make better decisions about wildlife photography. Complete with an umbrella for weather protection, mounted camera, bird feeder, and cooling fan, this invention by nine-year-old Ethan, from St Paul's C of E Primary School, transforms the wearer into a mobile bird sanctuary. Brought to life by expert maker Carl Gregg.
The Light Bird Lamppost - Nine-year-old Eremsu from St Paul's C of E Primary School reimagined street lighting as wildlife habitat. This towering installation transforms an ordinary lamppost into a tree-like structure with multiple perches, nesting spaces, and natural materials, creating urban homes for birds while maintaining the area's lighting needs. Brought to life by expert maker Lottie Smith.
Traffic Tunnel 2000 - Twelve-year-old Ivy from Gosforth East Middle School solved urban wildlife displacement with elevated roadways. Her detailed diorama shows cars traveling on raised platforms above ground-level green spaces where animals can roam freely, people can walk among trees, and nature can thrive in the heart of the city. Brought to life by expert makers Chloe Rodham and Mark Rogerson.
Seven additional drawings earned runner-up status in the exhibition, showcasing the breadth of creative thinking from local young inventors.
The exhibition arrives at a time when the North East is leading the charge in green energy innovation and urban rewilding projects. The children's inventions offer bold, imaginative solutions that complement the region's growing commitment to biodiversity and sustainable urban development.
A Living Laboratory for Young Minds
The Lit & Phil provided the perfect setting for this creative challenge, with its historic engineering and natural history collection inspiring participants to think big. The workshops encouraged children to approach environmental challenges with the same fearless innovation that has characterized the North East's scientific and industrial heritage.
"Children have this amazing ability to see solutions that adults might dismiss as impossible," explains Dominic Wilcox, founder of Little Inventors. "Some of history's most transformative inventions seemed crazy at first. We're celebrating that boldness and creativity."
The exhibition demonstrates how the next generation is already thinking about the environmental challenges facing urban areas, proposing solutions that are both practical and wonderfully imaginative. Nature is right here in the city, and we are all part of it.
What Visitors Can Expect
The exhibition features:
- Three fully realized invention models: the multi-functional Decision Hat, the nature-inspired Light Bird Lamppost, and the Traffic Tunnel 2000 diorama with elevated roadways
- Ten original drawings from young inventors aged 6 to 12, including the three winning and seven additional runner-up designs, with detailed explanations of how each invention addresses real urban wildlife challenges
- A display of invention books from the Lit & Phil engineering collection
- Drawing sheets in the Children’s corner for young inventors to come up with their own invention ideas to help wildlife and to make the Lit & Phil an event better place
- A selection of books the Lit & Phil's Natural History collection that inspired the creativity
The exhibition is suitable for all ages and offers a unique opportunity to see how young minds approach complex environmental challenges with creativity and optimism.
Exhibition Details
What: The Lit & Phil Invention Challenge 2025 Exhibition
Where: The Lit & Phil, 23 Westgate Road, Newcastle NE1 1SE
When: 12th July – 28th August 2025
More information: litandphil.littleinventors.org and litandphil.org.uk
Admission: Free
Opening Hours: during Library opening times [Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 9.30am-7pm / Tuesday 9.30am-8pm / Friday 9.30am-5pm / Saturday 9.30am-1pm / closed on Sunday]
The exhibition is funded by the Reece Foundation and forms part of the Lit & Phil's 200th anniversary celebrations.
Image: Decision Hat maker Carl and inventor Ethan
