A small ceiling mounted turntable from British Turntable is being used at London’s Natural History Museum in an unusual and imaginative way to simulate the movement of clouds across the sky.

The museum, which promotes the discovery, understanding, enjoyment and responsible use of the natural world through its world-class collections, creative exhibitions and cutting-edge research, has created the moving sky effect by using the turntable to suspend and rotate an acrylic half sphere lined with an assortment of blue and frosted lighting gels. Illuminated by a single 60w daylight bulb through the turntable’s central mains feed, the revolving sphere then projects a moving cloud effect onto the frosted walls of the glass column in which it is displayed.

The exhibit is on display in the museum’s Earth Galleries, which explore our ever-changing planet, the natural forces that shape it and the treasures we take from it.

The effect is stunning and has proved to be very popular with visitors to the museum over the six years the exhibit has been in situ. Over this time the turntable has proved to be a reliable, robust and highly cost-effective tool for demonstrating this element of the natural world.

The USD45s turntable was chosen by the Natural History Museum from British Turntable’s standard range of display products, which now numbers more than 100 items. These range in size from small battery-operated turntables and point-of-purchase movement to larger revolves capable of creating extensive or complex display combinations by using optional extras such as static centres, oscillation, timed or positional hesitation.

Ceiling mounted units are particularly effective as they can allow exhibits to be displayed imaginatively without using up valuable floor space; they can also create eye-catching signs that will attract greater attention than their static cousins. Various sizes and capacities are available, including a model that comes complete with glass shelving for added versatility.

Many of British Turntable’s units are also available for short-term hire to add style to temporary exhibitions or for special promotions.