Annual Report 2013

Annual Report 2013 Visitors – 6 Exhibitions – 10 Laboratories – 24 “Heavens of Copernicus” Planetarium – 26 Events: • Science Picnic – 38 • Science Picnics abroad – 44 • After Hours – 46 • Summer in Discovery Park – 50 • Summer Cinema – 52 • Przemiany Festival – 54 • Warsaw Health Resort – 58 • Other Events – 60 Copernicus and Education • Average marks for playing bridge, or a teacher out of this world – 62 • Copernican Revolution – 64 • Show and Tell Conference – 66 • Young Explorer Club program – 68 • Educational Events – 70 Local partners – 74 International partners – 76 Notable visitors – 80 Sponsors – 82 Partners – 84 Copernicus Conference Centre – 86 Media – 88 Awards – 90 Our team – 92 For the third year running, the Copernicus truly cares about the This ongoing development is annual number of visitors to the social and cultural aspects of made possible by our working Our mission is to Copernicus Science Centre has learning and education. It sup- closely with a wide network of exceeded a million. This shows ports the formation of ecosys- partners: our Organizers, various that Copernicus isn’t popu- tems of people, organizations, universities and research insti- encourage personal lar simply because of being a spaces and contexts that foster tutes, nongovernmental organi- novelty, but rather because the collaboration and partnership, zations, science centres, schools Centre accurately recognizes communication and civic and and companies. Our activities engagement in discovering and meets public needs. social engagement. It helps culti- would also not be able to grow vate the culture of science, since were it not for all the creative So, what are those needs? First the way in which scientists work people who are personally and and understanding the and foremost, people’s desire to (seeking the truth, focusing on actively engaged in pursuing our actively discover the world, and facts, respecting others) can and mission: to encourage people to to shape it creatively. This atti- should serve as a reference point get directly involved in discover- world, as well as taking tude is common to us all, regard- not just for contemporary educa- ing and understanding the world, less of age, gender or education. tion, but also for the general and to take responsibility for the It lies at the root of innovation, format of public discourse. changes occurring all around us. responsibility for the which itself is the key to the future of our society. However, we The Copernicus Science Centre’s – Robert Firmhofer, Director don’t always successfully foster team would not be credible in changes occurring and nurture this instinct, and our fostering of learning, crea- even go as far as stifling it: stu- tivity and innovation if we did dents who ask too many ques- not strive hard to manifest such around us. tions at school are rarely praised, traits ourselves. Progress is quite while employees who suggest simply written in Copernicus’ unconventional ways of solving DNA. Our High Voltage Theatre, problems are frequently regarded the interactive exhibition “Scent as unnecessary troublemakers. – An Invisible Code” and the film “Dream to Fly” made using Things are different at fulldome technology – awarded Copernicus. Exhibitions, work- the planetarium equivalent of shops and events held here pro- an Oscar – are all innovative vide a space for expressing the elements and also serve as a individual freedom within each promise of more novel concepts and every one of us: the free- that will be made real at the dom to discover the world, make Copernicus Science Centre in the sense of it, and change it for the near future. better. Visitors 7 Since the Copernicus Science well represented (15.7%), as are more accurately and allows us Centre first opened its doors adults aged 26–35 (12.3%). The to present our activities more to the public three years ago, majority of school groups come effectively. As well as providing we have welcomed over three to Copernicus from beyond the information about exhibitions million visitors: people of all Mazowsze Voivodeship (80.5%). and tickets, we also publish up- ages, from all walks of life, with For organized groups and indi- to-date multimedia materials and all levels of education and with vidual visitors, 43.4% were from popular science articles. all kinds of interests. They come Warsaw and 43.1% from regions to visit us from across Poland other than Mazowsze. Visitors and beyond. Our attendance continue to rate their satisfaction levels continue to be sky-high, with their trip very highly. The year after year. This is testament vast majority state that their level to the potential inherent in our of knowledge increased follow- society, and to the value pre- ing their visit and they feel more sented by science. We are proud interested in science than before. of the trust we have earned, and we wish to use our experience To make planning visits easier, 1,030,617 people visitors to help shape a society based last year (7 May) Copernicus in total on learning and appreciation of launched an online ticket book- knowledge, as well as sowing ing system where guests can the seeds of change in Polish select the exhibitions they want 781,962 attended exhibi- education. to see, including the planetarium, tions at the Copernicus Science workshops and laboratories. We Centre Once again, the largest group of have also launched a new web- our visitors were schoolchildren site for Copernicus. More ex- aged 7–12 (32.4% of all visitors). tensive and dynamic, it captures 195,710 visited the Heavens The age group 13–16 is also the character of our institution of Copernicus planetarium Our three-millionth guest arrived on 28 August: Małgorzata Dębska from Raszyn, with her sons Marcel and Mateusz, were visiting Copernicus for the fourth time. Copernicus Science Centre — Annual Report 2013 Visitors 9 It’s hard to know where to start, and impossible to leave. Loads of Visitors by age fun for kids and adults! 11.8% – 0–6 32.4% – 7–12 15.7% – 13–16 7.9% – 17–19 6.2% – 20–25 Brilliant… you can lose yourself and 12.3% – 26–35 10.4% – 36–45 feel like a kid again. 2.1% – 46–55 0.9% – 56–65 0.5% – over 65 years old An amazing place, which manages to surprise me every time. Visitors’ opinions (guests over 15 years old) Opinions from the CSC’s Facebook page Following your visit to the CSC, do you feel you have a greater Education levels of our visitors Following your visit, do you feel understanding of a particular Are you generally pleased with more interested in science? branch of science? your visit to the Copernicus 64.3% – primary / middle Visitors by region (individual Science Centre? school level (students in edu- guests and organized groups) Visitors by region (school trips) 27.1% – yes, definitely 29.7% – yes, definitely cation) 31.9% – yes 40.9% – yes 79.1% – yes, definitely 0.3% – vocational 43.4% – Warsaw 6.7% – Warsaw 23.5% – neither yes or no 15.3% – neither yes or no 18.4% – yes 0.4% – college 13.5% – Mazowsze (outside 12.8% – Mazowsze (outside 11.4% – not really 9.1% – not really 1.6% – neither yes or no 10.3% – secondary school Warsaw) Warsaw) 5.1% – definitely not 4.1% – definitely not 0.8% – not really 24.7% – higher 43.1% – other voivodeships 80.5% – other voivodeships 0.9% – I don’t know 0.8% – I don’t know 0.2% – definitely not Copernicus Science Centre — Annual Report 2013 Exhibitions 13 We continue to improve our We continue to surprise our visi- demonstrations, witnessed by Which galleries did you visit In general, how would you rate existing exhibitions and design tors with our latest displays. In around 32,000 people in total. today? each gallery you visited today? new ones, and they all fasci- March, we opened a new, elec- nate and inspire wonder. We trifying venue at Copernicus: the In 2013, we worked on develop- 93.5% The following were rated as deeply believe that science is High Voltage Theatre. More on ing the concept and creating Roots of Civilization “very interesting”: a driver for progress, and we this later on in this report. exhibits for a new travelling ex- strive to present this message hibition called “Captured Mind”, 91% 79.2% through our exhibitions. And we We also make sure visitors to which we will roll out in 2014. World in Motion Buzzz! believe all the greatest scien- Copernicus are kept up-to- The exhibition presents how we tific, technological and social date with the latest scientific perceive and discover the world 87.7% 72.1% changes start with an individual; achievements. Two days after and how we form and develop Humans and the Environment World in Motion with each of us; with an indi- the Nobel Prize was awarded relationships from the perspec- vidual sense of responsibility, for the discovery of the Higgs tive of physiology and psychol- 66.9% 64.4% creativity, courage to ask ques- boson, visitors were able to take ogy. Our brain uses our senses Light Zone RE: Generation tions, and capacity for critical a peek behind the scenes of this to create an image of the world thinking. momentous discovery at the around us; how do we cope with 49.2% 62.1% “Accelerating Science” exhibi- such vast numbers of stimuli? Is RE: Generation Humans and the Environment Our exhibitions evolve with us. tion fresh from CERN. Our next reality in fact as we perceive it? We dedicated last year to contemporary exhibition, “Scent – The exhibits are now being tested 15.9% 58.4% ducting an in-depth examina- An Invisible Code”, was not only by our visitors, and we value their Robotic Theatre Light Zone tion of public opinion about our the first of its type in Poland, but impressions and opinions while exhibitions, and we are now us- it was also a perfect example of we continue to perfect the exhi- 15.7% 54% ing this information to formulate successful international collabo- bition.

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