Copernicus Science Centre

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Copernicus Science Centre
Centrum Nauki Kopernik.svg
Zentrumkop1 DSC1330.JPG
Copernicus Science Centre
Established1 June 2005
LocationWybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 20
Warsaw, Poland
Type Science museum
Visitors1 million [1]
DirectorRobert Firmhofer
Public transit access M2-20px.svg Centrum Nauki Kopernik
Website Copernicus Science Centre
Copernicus Science Centre Centrum Nauki Kopernik - Warszawa (1).jpg
Copernicus Science Centre
Planetarium The Heavens of Copernicus Centrum Nauki Kopernik - Planetarium - Warszawa (1).jpg
Planetarium The Heavens of Copernicus
The Robotic Theatre Centrum Nauki Kopernik - Warszawa (6).jpg
The Robotic Theatre
Foucault pendulum Centrum Nauki Kopernik - Warszawa (8).jpg
Foucault pendulum

Copernicus Science Centre (Polish : Centrum Nauki Kopernik) is a science museum standing on the bank of the Vistula River in Warsaw, Poland. [2] It contains over 450 interactive exhibits that enable visitors to single-handedly carry out experiments and discover the laws of science for themselves. The centre is the largest institution of its type in Poland and one of the most advanced in Europe. In 2018, since its opening, it has been visited by over 8 million people. [3]

Contents

The first module of the Centre building was opened on 5 November 2010 with five galleries (On the move, Humans and the environment, Roots of civilization, Lightzone, Bzzz!); the exhibit for teenagers – RE: generation was opened 3 March 2011; a planetarium The Heavens of Copernicus opened on 19 June, the Discovery Park on 15 July, chemistry laboratory - 18 October; biology laboratory - 15 November, robotics workshop - 6 December, and physics laboratory - 20 December. [4]

Since 2008, the Copernicus Science Centre together with Polish Radio has organized the Science Picnic - Europe's largest outdoor science-popularization event. [5] In 2011 the Centre hosted the ECSITE conference (European Network of Science Centres and Museums) – one of the most important events in the field of science centres and museums in the world.

History

Building

The Copernicus Science Centre building has been erected on the bank of the Vistula River in the very heart of Warsaw (the corner of Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie and Zajęcza streets, above the Wisłostrada tunnel). The building design was developed by young Polish architects from the firm RAr-2 in Ruda Śląska, who won an architectural competition for the Copernicus Science Centre facility in December 2005, with engineers Buro Happold.

The Centre complex comprises:

Permanent exhibition

The permanent exhibition in the Copernicus Science Centre consists of over 400 interactive exhibits. The exhibition is divided into six sections concerning various fields of knowledge:

Planetarium—The Heavens of Copernicus

The Heavens of Copernicus is a modern planetarium where visitors can see more than just images of the starry sky and related films. The shows concern a variety of popular science issues, including from the field of astronomy, natural science and ethnography.

The shows are displayed on a spherical screen surrounding the audience on all sides. Thanks to this solution, the audience experiences a feeling of immersion in the displayed world, which is strengthened by the high-quality sound system deployed around the dome.

The Experiment! exhibition and other activities of the Centre

Experiment! is the first exhibition to be organized by the Copernicus Science Centre. It made its premiere appearance at the Warsaw Science Picnic in June 2006, where more than 10,000 individuals visited it in a single day. Since September 2006, it has been traveling around large cities and small towns to give their residents an opportunity to try out the hands-on experiments on their own.

The Copernicus Science Centre also organizes Family Workshops, where children (5–8 years old) together with their parents or carers can carry out experiments to help them better understand everyday phenomena (e.g. where the current in electrical outlets comes from, how a TV works, or why does yeast make dough rise). The children can easily repeat the experiments themselves at home.

The Centre takes part in various events popularizing science: the Summer and Winter in the City events, Science Festivals and the Summer with Radio event. For teachers, the Copernicus Science Centre organizes trainings and competitions.

Form of organization

The Copernicus Science Centre is a cultural institution established and financed by the City of Warsaw, the Minister of Science and Higher Education, the Minister of National Education

See also

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References

  1. "5th anniversary of the Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw" . Retrieved 2017-04-26.
  2. "www.kopernik.org.pl/".
  3. "Eight million visitors!". 2015-07-29. Archived from the original on 2020-08-12. Retrieved 2016-12-27.
  4. "laboratories of the Copernicus Science Centre". Archived from the original on 2013-01-26.
  5. "www.pikniknaukowy.pl/english". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04.

52°14′31″N21°01′42″E / 52.24194°N 21.02833°E / 52.24194; 21.02833