Copernicus Science Centre (Polish: Centrum Nauki Kopernik) is a science museum standing on the bank of the Vistula River in Warsaw.[1] 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.
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.[2]
Since 2008, the Copernicus Science Centre together with Polish Radio has organized the Science Picnic - Europe's largest outdoor science-popularization event.[3] 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.
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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 in the Copernicus Science Centre consists of over 400 interactive exhibits. The exhibition is divided into six sections concerning various fields of knowledge:
The Heavens of Copernicus is a modern planetarium where you 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.
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 does the current in electrical outlets come from, how does a TV set work 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.
The Copernicus Science Centre is a cultural institution established and financed by the City of Warsaw, the Minister of Science and Higher Education, and the Minister of National Education.