15/01/2007

The Interactive Science and Technology Exhibition, a new innovative space which combines learning with entertainment, has been open at the Eugenides Foundation since December 2006. The exhibition includes three permanent collections which deal with the following topics: Matter and Materials, Communication: Sound and Image, and Biotechnology.

The permanent Interactive Science and Technology Exhibition was designed and developed in cooperation with the French science centre La Cite des Sciences et de l?Industrie. It consists of 65 exhibits overall, which occupy three floors of the new wing of the Eugenides Foundation covering a total area of 1,200 m2.

The purpose of this initiative is to help educate visitors, particularly young people, about science and technology issues via a modern approach to knowledge dissemination.

The new exhibition spaces use museological tools, placing emphasis on mechanical interactive exhibits, interactive multimedia and audiovisual sources, with a strong emphasis on spectacle. By pressing buttons, pressing keys, turning switches, pulling levers, and just by admiring, observing, and combining images and sounds, visitors can interact with the exhibition environment, view the results of their actions and react to them.

For the younger audience which is particularly demanding when it comes to interest stimulation, the Interactive Science and Technology Exhibition is an alternative approach to learning the laws of science and scientific principles, complementing the methods and practices used in the school system. At the same time, it serves the special interests and learning needs of any population group.

The Exhibition Themes

The exhibition consists of three collections of fully interactive exhibits covering the following themes: Matter and Materials, Communication: Sound and Image, and Biotechnology. These are fields at the cutting edge of scientific research and technological development, which will play a catalytic role in day-to-day life over the decades to come.

The 65 interactive exhibits highlight the fundamental scientific principles governing these fields. Moreover, basic information on each exhibit and how it is used is provided as well basic social aspects of the issue. The exhibition also includes group activities and demonstrations by animators and, if appropriate, related industrial objects are also demonstrated.

Matter and Materials

Our understanding of the principles of physics which apply to matter is improving daily, in parallel with our ability to study and process matter, even in the field of the invisible microcosm. The exhibits in this section seek to introduce the public to the basic principles of this specific scientific domain and to offer visitors the opportunity to touch new creations in the field of matter and materials.

Some of the exhibits in this section are: States of Matter, Fibre Optics, Invisible Glass, Electromagnetics, Electrical Conductivity, Glass with Liquid Crystals, Thermo-Chromatic Fabric, the Memory of Materials, Composite Materials, Water Attraction & Repulsion.

Communication: Sound and Image

The purpose of this section is to familiarise visitors with new communication technologies which have brought about important changes to day-to-day life over recent years. Interactive exhibits which visitors can find at the exhibition allow them to learn the fundamental principles which relate to sound and image transmission, and to understand the day-to-day applications which relate to security and faster data transmission.

Some of the exhibits in this section are: Sound Waves, Sound Spectrum, Electromagnetic Spectrum, Playing with Light, Moving Images, Colour Perception, Exploring the Eye and Ear, Recording Nature, Sound Conversion and Recording, and Digital Images.

Biotechnology

Biotechnology provides a series of tools and techniques that enable living organisms or parts thereof to be 'processed', primarily in terms of their DNA molecules, in order to improve their features, produce specific use micro organisms and to produce new or change existing products.

The interactive exhibits hosted at the exhibition allow visitors to understand the basic principles which are involved in biotechnology starting from the molecule from a living organism and reaching as far as advanced techniques for identification, certification and processing of its characteristics.

Some of the exhibits in this section are: Life Scales, Cell Portraits, Journey to the Heart of a Cell, From DNA to Chromosomes, The Double Helix, Mendel's Laws, Genetically Modified Tomatoes, Plants and People, My 1000 Copies, Human Chromosomes, and Genetic Diagnosis.

Information on the Interactive Science and Technology Exhibition, entrance prices and booking procedures can be obtained by calling: 210 9469641, 9469600 between 09.00 and 15.30. The exhibition is open for schools from Wednesday to Friday from 10.00 to 14.00, and for the public on Saturday and Sunday from 11.00 to 15.00. Scheduled visits for schools or other organised groups can be arranged by contacting the Eugenides Foundation in advance.

Source: Eugenides Foundation