That’s certainly the impression given by images dotted about our city streets as part of the York Grand Tour which launched today.
The pictures are a visual guide to this science city. Sixty in number, they tell the story of York’s contribution in many different fields, from astronomy and the science of flight to geology and, more recently, biology and information technology.
Anyone with a smartphone can download the app to get extra info on the exhibits, or scan the QR codes with each image.
“When you look at nature on both a macro scale and down a microscope, sometimes you see the most wonderfully beautiful things,” he told York University student newspaper Nouse.
“And I thought we could use some wonderful images from science and technology and that they would tell a story.”
“And for the visitors, we’re internationally known as a nice heritage place, bit soft maybe, we’re not a Manchester or a Birmingham, but underlying York has a real strong capability in its business, we want to show it as a business centre.”
From the bubbles in an Aero bar on Blake Street to the State Fanfare trumpets for the Queen’s jubilee made in York using quantum physics in St Leonard’s Place there is something garishly spectacular about the images.
You’ve plenty of time to make your own mind up: the grand tour continues until September.