Fly the inflation balloon at The Bank of England Museum

Could you run the country’s economy?   The centrepiece of a new exhibition at the Bank of England Museum allows visitors to take the controls of a balloon and charter it on a stable course to simulate the role of the Bank in keeping inflation steady. During the flight a screen plots the course of the balloon as it is pushed up and down by unexpected changes in conditions. Visitors can increase or decrease the air in the balloon to keep it flying at the right height, in the same way that the Bank of England raises or lowers the Bank Rate to keep inflation on target.   The Pound In Your Pocket, a new free exhibition, runs from 17April - 31 October 2008.

You will also find a whole new combination of interactive displays – large-scale jigsaws, a safe to be cracked, a rollerball game, quizzes and touch-screens.   Original objects from the Bank’s collections illustrate important events in the history of inflation. These include Roman gold bars illustrating the first period of inflation in Ancient Rome, 18th century cartoons commenting on inflation and examples of English coinage being debased, with sterling silver coins diminishing in size from the Norman Penny to a Charles II penny.

The Bank of England Museum is sited within the historic Bank of England building in Threadneedle Street in the heart of the City of London.   The Museum tells the story of the Bank from its foundation in 1694 to its role today as the United Kingdom's central bank.   It’s open  10am - 5pm, Monday to Friday (closed public and bank holidays).   Admission to the Museum, its exhibitions and events is free of charge.  

For more information visit www.bankofengland.co.uk/museum or call 020 7601 5545.   The Museum entrance is in Bartholomew Lane, just off Threadneedle Street, London EC2R 8AH and a two-minute walk from Bank Underground Station.