Photos credit: © www.archi-me-des.com / Oliver Wia
Discovering science while being onboard a train is the creative idea of a mobile exhibition in Germany. The idea is to help show the public different aspects of science - in a new setting - and with an eye to the future. The 2009 exhibition will travel throughout Germany over eight months. SLIS faculty member Katy Börner announced that the two Illuminated Diagram Displays from the Places & Spaces: Mapping Science exhibit are on the train.
Read more about the German Science Train in these media links. Excerpts are included.
Science Train Takes Public on Research Voyage by German Missions in the United States (4/24/09)
"The first ever science exhibit aboard a train is traveling through Germany. Since March 2009, the innovative, mobile exhibit known as Expedition Zukunft (Expedition Future) has been touring, letting the public discover the meaning of science for the future. The exhibition is organized by the Max Planck Society as part of the Year of Science 2009.
In 12 converted train cars, visitors can dive into different subjects from cosmology to particle physics, nanotechnology and brain research to applied and industrial research in production, agriculture, energy, environment and mobility.
Bringing research to our everyday lives: Science and technology are of increasing importance to the lives of everyone, yet many current developments in international research are not well-known. Expedition Zukunft also wants to invite visitors to discuss technology's role in their everyday lives, as well as its future role, controversial technologies and the role of science in confronting global warming."
Science Express presents top German research
by the German Information Centre (4/21/09)
"The Science Train, which is being put on track by the Federal Government in collaboration with the Max Planck Society to mark the 60th anniversary of the Federal Republic, is part of the 2009 Year of Science celebrations, which are being conducted under the motto "Research Expedition Germany". Beginning on April 24, the exhibition will tour Germany for eight months and over a period of 216 days will stop at 62 stations from Kiel to Konstanz and from Aachen to Görlitz; the terminus is Berlin.
Once the train has started its journey, the exhibition organisers hope that it will engender as much enthusiasm as its model, the Science Express which the Max Planck Society despatched to 57 cities in India in 2007/08 - and which was boarded by 2.2 million visitors."
German science train
by EYE on the World Gallery (4/24/09)
Photos from The Plain Dealer (Cleveland.com)
"Three men look at the exhibits aboard the science information train Expedition Future in Berlin on Thursday, April 23, 2009. The train, which was launched by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Germany's Research and Education Minister Annette Schavan, will visit about 62 German cities until November. (AP Photo / Maya Hitij)"
Map of the planned destinations of the German Science Train (in German)
Posted May 06, 2009