Exhibitions at Cite des Sciences et de l’Industrie in Paris
Being the largest science museum in Europe, there are numerous different exhibitions that you can discover, and people of all ages are catered for with dedicated sections for children age two and up, so there will always be something you can discover that will be of interest.
There are also temporary exhibitions and one called Shadows and Light that was designed alongside the Pompidou Centre has been running since 2005 yet finishes in June 2013, but let us take a look at the permanent exhibitions you can discover, whioch are also known as Explora Exhibitions.
The Planetarium
At the fabulous Planetarium with its high resolution projection equipment with 360 degree computer generated images, you will take a thrilling journey to the outer reaches of the universe, and you will feel as though you are really in space.
And it is within this section that you can immerse yourself within short films and 30 minute theatre shows where you can listen to astronomy specialists and travel from planet to planet, explore the solar system and much more.
The Techno Gallery
Even though this is a permanent exhibition, it is also constantly changing and being updated all the time, as it explores new and emerging technologies, so anyone who is interested in technological advancements, especially teenagers and the younger generation will love the Techno Gallery.
It is here that you can try out new applications from a wide variety of areas such as science, health, communications and leisure activities with things like humanoid robots and new video games plus you can test and validate prototypes.
Yet for an even more hands on experience, you could try your hand at innovative design yourself by utilising a multi-touch table, which of course is one of the recent innovations of technological progress. In addition to these, you can also watch preview demonstrations of innovative objects as well.
Light Games
Featuring simple, yet often surprising experiments this entertaining exhibition explores the propogation of light, perception of colours, 3D images and optical illusions, which is designed in such a way as to provide a greater understanding of the physical mechanisms of light and vision.
Sounds
The next section at the Cite des Sciences explores the voice, hearing and the world of sound where you can try out new sound technologies with the latest tools developed by research laboratories, listen to and identify ambient sounds, discover the physical nature of sound, musical sound and much more.
Images
This fun section will enthral anyone wanting to learning about imagery where you can manipulate images and learn to decipher them by focusing on the complex world of the contemporary image.
With around 20 different components you can manipulate pictures, make the Mona Lisa talk with your own voice, include yourself in a TV commercial, try producing 3D photographs and the more extreme like examining matter with a virtual camera or exploring the invisible layers of a painting with different types of radiation.
Transport and Mankind
Since the middle of the 20th century the amount of people who travel has steadily risen and the whole world has become accessible to the majority of us, but of course this also provides its own problems with environmental issues, etc. And this exhibition explores human mobility with all different aspects such as safety, efficiency, eco-friendly options and technological innovation.
Energy
Energy consumption has increased substantially throughout the world, especially with more countries becoming developed and the increase in population, but unfortunately this has led to a massive increase in the burning of fossil fuels and the draining on natural gas reserves, etc. The permanent Energy exhibition at the Cite des Sciences et de l’Industrie explores different ways that the challenges of global warming can be met and how we can satisfy the needs of future generations.
Earthwatch: The Satellite Revolution
This section at the Cite des Sciences covers an area of around 1,000 square metres of exhibition space and is divided into two different parts and visitors will discover a completely different viewpoint of planet Earth observed by its thousands of satellites in orbit around it.
The first part called Monitoring the Earth, shows how countless different human activities depend on space technologies and satellites, and the second, which is called Journey into Space, shows how science and technologies have developed and shaped the history of space conquest.
The Great Story of the Universe
Spread over two levels, this ambitious exhibition takes people on a journey of exploration and investigation into the origins of the universe and it is here that you can discover how matter, light and energy are all interrelated. You can also find out more about the great scientists who formed the conceptions of the universe and established the laws of physics.
Innovations Gallery
The Innovations gallery is designed to showcase the process of innovation and is produced in partnership with different companies and is split into different sections that spotlights different innovations and at present a couple of these include energy efficiency in conjunction with Siemens and air traffic control in conjunction with Thales, yet these displays are changed approximately every 18 months.
Mathematics
OK, this really sounds like we will be going back to school, but in reality mathematics is part of our every day lives, and this permanent exhibition provides some easy to grasp applications that will allow you to understand movement, calculate probability or model physical phenomena and much more.
Man and his Genes
This exhibition is divided into four sections and the first looks at life forms and evolution, the next part then looks at the role of genes, and you can explore the microscopic world of cells and discover how genes influence the development of living beings.
Following on and as always at the Cite des Sciences et de l’Industrie, they are showcasing the most innovative research and the third section is all about genetic engineering, which presents key research into the genome and the possibilities it is opening up. Yet the last part is a very thought provoking section that focuses on bioethics and the debate on dangers of genetic manipulation.
3D Films
From when the Cite des Sciences et de l’Industrie first opened, they have always presented 3D films in the Louis-Lumiere cinema on many different scientific subjects and you could be exploring the depths of the ocean, the fascinating world of insects, travelling through space, or even take a journey inside the human body.
Cite des Enfants
You also have the Cite des Enfants, which has recently been expanded, improved and completely renovated with two separate sections depending upon the age of the child, but still with the same concept of helping children to develop and discover the world around them.
The first is the Cite des Enfants whidh is for children aged between 2 and 7 and this has themed areas such as I discover myself, I can do and I experiment and has a range of different activities that are specifically suited to young children accompanied by their parents.
The second section of the Cite des Enfants is designed specifically for children aged between 5 and 12 years of age and there are around 100 different activities that are organised into different themed areas called The body, Communicating, The TV studio, Water games, The garden and The factory.
It is here that the children can participate in different activities and experiments, plus there are 20 minute group activities run throughout the day for both the children and their parents or carers.
And so, as you can tell, it is no wonder that the Cite des Sciences has become one of the most popular museums in Paris that attracts millions of tourists and visitors each year. Not forgetting that this is also linked to The Geode cinema within the shiny sphere that has become a landmark in its own right within the Parc de la Villette, plus it is also linked with the Palais de la Decouverte within the Grand Palais that is the heart of Paris itself.
