Interactive exhibitions and interesting experiments. This is how the Copernicus Science Center shows science

The main thing that visitors to the Copernicus Science Center see are the exhibitions. – The name refers to the language of the museum, although the exhibits do not resemble what we usually find in museums – says the spokesperson of the Copernicus Science Center Katarzyna Nowicka in an interview with “Wprost”.

Copernicus Science Center: Science through experimentation

There are hundreds of these interactive exhibits, or experimental stations at the Copernicus Science Centre. You can interact with them by pressing a button, turning a crank, or moving your own body in the right way, thanks to which visitors learn more about the surrounding world. All within one large exhibition space.

– On the first floor there is a large Experimentation zone, i.e. a place where, regardless of age, everyone will find something for themselves. It is a space where you can get to know science from different perspectives – explains the spokesman. – For example, in the zone dedicated to magnetism, we can experiment with magnets, but also with ferrofluids, with magnetic forces. You can see the magnetic phenomena that occur in everyday life. We look at one specific phenomenon through several exhibits – he adds.

The exhibits are also devoted to optics and optical illusions. – We can succumb to these illusions and look for an answer to the question why we succumb to them at all – says Katarzyna Nowicka. – There are also biological exhibits. This is a rarity in science centers. We have real life here, for example, hydras that you can watch, we have daphnia, we have all kinds of mushrooms – he lists.

A large part of the exhibition also concerns physical phenomena, where we will find exhibits related to waves, current, fluids and chaotic phenomena. There is also a high voltage theater on the first floor, entirely dedicated to electrical phenomena. Animators from the Center present various kinds of scientific shows in which electricity plays the main role.

On this floor there is also a DIY space for self-experimentation, where you can take on various challenges without detailed instructions. These are engineering, scientific and logical challenges, to which everyday objects are used: paper, paper clips, balls, rubber bands or sticks. “You have to think and face your own nervousness. By the way, you can get to know yourself, and this is a very interesting experience – argues the spokesman of the Copernicus Science Centre.

This level also includes laboratories: biological, physical and chemical (the robotic laboratory can be found on the ground floor). – All those who would like to feel like scientists are welcome to our laboratories. During the week, we conduct classes for school groups here, but on the weekend you can come here and see if scientific work in the laboratory is something you want to experience in the future – explains the spokesman. We have four laboratories. Each has different scenarios and different ideas for classes. Of course, they also change. So it’s worth visiting us and checking it on a regular basis – he adds.

Robotic Copernicus and an exhibition for “adults”

On the first floor you can also meet the robotic Nicolaus Copernicus and talk to him.

– In connection with the 550th birthday of Nicolaus Copernicus, we decided to give him a new, wonderful robotic body, as well as artificial intelligence with which he is equipped. It’s GPT-3, which allows him to talk and answer virtually all questions, including the most bizarre ones. It’s worth checking how it’s doing – says the spokesperson of the Copernicus Science Centre, leading us to a life-sized robot. – The face and clothing, the whole styling is inspired by Jan Matejko’s painting. Nicolaus Copernicus has already found a whole lot of friends, he is a unique person and will stay with us forever – he adds.

On the ground floor of the building, we can find more exhibitions.

– Downstairs we have a space for the youngest, the space of the “BZZ” exhibition. This place is prepared with children in mind. Everything is adjusted in accordance with their development both in terms of size and content – explains Katarzyna Nowicka. – The youngest will get to know the world there, we have hills, different textures, sounds, smells, noises, you can go on the bridge. Everything is very safe, aimed at supporting the development of children from three to six years old – he adds.

The Copernicus Science Center encourages adults to visit it as well.

– For balance, we have an exhibition for adults, although, of course, entry with children is not forbidden. The point is that the theme of the exhibition is quite serious, because it talks about the future. The exhibition is about what is not yet, but starts today, which is why we called it “The future is today” – says the spokeswoman. – Here you can find exhibits related to the development of technology. They actually ask us questions that we need to find answers to within ourselves. These are questions, for example, about whether we are ready to use autonomous cars, how deeply we can trust the robot, what we can say to artificial intelligence, can it fail us, how can it harm us? We also have a part that talks about Earth, where we look at our planet from a bird’s eye view – he lists.

An exhibition about sound and a planetarium

On the ground floor, we can also visit the Robotic Theatre, a place where robots perform performances. It is also a space for temporary exhibitions.

– At the moment it is an exhibition about music “GraMY – We will win”. The exhibition is aimed at elementary school students, but I have observed many times that older people also have a great time here. We have instruments here that are not really instruments. In practice, you can convince yourself that everything works, that you can create music from anything. And at this exhibition, we present evidence of this – emphasizes the spokesman.

Another important space that can be visited at the Copernicus Science Center is the Planetarium located in the neighboring building.

– The weather is always perfect in the planetarium, because what we see is a projection. A projection that very faithfully reflects the current state of the sky – explains Katarzyna Nowicka. – In the planetarium you can watch all kinds of films about space, you can take a space trip. But it is also a place where concerts, lectures, shows and various types of meetings related to current events, for example in the space sector, take place – he emphasizes.

The Copernicus Science Center can be visited daily. It is worth buying tickets online in advance, because the place is visited by many tourists.