Annual Report 2015 They are building a sense of the strategy of reverting to the A modern-day social community, provoking past to show us the way to the critical thinking, and fostering the future. “Copernican imagination. Coca-Cola can still sometimes be a source of artistic However, I am convinced that Revolution” controversy. When the Chinese today we stand on the verge of a artist, dissident and provocateur certain “Copernican Revolution” The notion of a science centre Ai Weiwei put a Han dynasty urn in education. In this new way as an institution of interactive bearing the famous logo of the of teaching, the focus will be and alternative education now beverage on display at the Royal shifted away from the program has a history going back nearly Academy of Arts in London in and teacher towards the learner 50 years. In 1969, when Prof. 2015, it once again initiated a himself or herself, as an autono- Frank Oppenheimer created the debate about the limits of provo- mous, self-guided individual. famous Exploratorium in San cation in art. Several weeks later, They will know how to navigate Francisco, the idea was just as the world’s imagination was this new world where knowledge revolutionary as Andy Warhol’s captured by the discovery of is no longer monopolized, to do pop-art compositions of Coca- gravitational waves, and amazing so independently yet not alone, Cola bottles and just as inspiring images of Pluto captured by the in search of creative solutions to as Neil Armstrong’s walk on the New Horizons probe enthralled problems. The teacher will be an surface of the Moon. people around the globe. All this assistant and mentor to them, raises a certain question: does but will nevertheless not relieve Oppenheimer’s idea definitely the Exploratorium’s legacy, now learners of their responsibility changed the world. There are present in so many modern-day for the process of exploring the now thousands of science cen- incarnations, still embody the world for themselves, develop- tres around the globe, with a same revolutionary potential as it ing their own competence, and worldwide visitor count in excess once did? becoming a fully-fledged people of 300 million a year. Science and citizens. centres have shaped people’s The crisis that is plaguing edu- attitudes towards science. They cational systems the world over Science centres can play a signif- have shown them its experimen- nevertheless seems to be more icant role in this revolution. They tal dimension, enabled them to profound than it was sixty years are excellent research laborato- better understand the scientific ago. At its source lies a funda- ries where it can be analysed and method as a way of exploring the mental shift in social paradigms, studied how learning processes world, made them more aware of a change which schools, as a play out, which variables stimu- the role that science and tech- social institution, have not man- late them, and how curiosity and nology plays in the lives of each aged to keep pace with. We have interests can best be stimulated, of us. On a daily basis, science been unable to define a new role while creating conditions for col- centres are inspiring people, for schools and new educational laboration, developing creativity, sparking their curiosity, arousing objectives. We continue to apply and building self-awareness in their interest. They are influenc- schemas that used to function learning. Science centres also ing the educational and profes- well, not knowing how to pro- offer a natural testing-ground sional choices that will be made ceed when it turns out that the for modern solutions, for the by the youngest generations. world has changed too much for application of innovative tools, methods, and the latest tech- nologies, meant to assist in the learning process rather than take its place. The solutions devel- oped, tested, and prototyped at science centres can later be ap- plied at schools and within their entire educational environment. The Copernicus Science Centre embarked down the road to- wards such a transformation in 2015. The original concept for such change being worked out at our institution is a result of thor- ough strategic analysis based on experience gained in the short period since our Centre opened. As a result, in line with our new statues, Copernicus has become a research-and-development institution in its own right, with a highly innovative profile. The main topic of the research work is studying learning processes, whereas the development work focuses on creating educational tools and solutions. As such we are building bridges between education, science, and innova- tion, thereby drawing together school-, university-, and busi- ness-related circles. The most important participants in this process are, as usual, our visitors, who will have even better op- portunities to learn and explore through experimentation, exami- nation, building and creating. Robert Firmhofer Executive Director of the Copernicus Science Centre Copernicus Science Centre — Annual Report 2015 Contents Where are we heading? – 6 New Statutes – 8 Research and development – 10 Our visitors – 16 Exhibitions – 22 From the youngest to the eldest – 32 Laboratories – 36 New at the Heavens of Copernicus Planetarium – 38 The Copernican Revolution – 44 [email protected] – research collaboration with Stanford University – 48 Young Explorer Club programme – 50 ESERO Poland Programme – 54 Show and Tell Conference – 56 Other educational events – 58 A research-driven approach to the learning process – designing the Copernican Revolution Workshop – 64 19th Science Picnic of Polish Radio and the Copernicus Science Centre – 70 Science Picnics abroad – 74 Astronomical observations – 76 Meetings with scientists – 80 Przemiany Festival – 86 Summer at the Discovery Park – 90 Summer Cinema – 92 FameLab – 94 Other events – 96 Local partners – 98 International Partners – 100 Our guests – 102 Sponsors – 104 Copernicus Conference Centre – 106 Media – 108 Awards – 110 Our Team – 112 Finances – 116 Where are we heading? We are a modern, dynamic insti- tution enjoying great popularity both nationally and internation- ally. We could just enjoy our success and focus on providing our visitors with unforgettable experiences. But instead we are striving to keep moving for- ward – to learn and understand what happens at our exhibitions and discover the underlying mechanisms of learning. This direction of development means an expansion of our scope of activity. According to the new Statutes, signed in November, the Copernicus Science Centre has become a scientific institution in addition to its status as a cultural organisation. It is a place where science is experienced, but now also a place where science actu- ally gets done. The Copernicus strategic team, comprising the directors and selected section managers, dedi- cated 2015 to preparing a new detailed strategy and positing a new set of development goals for our institution. We created a policy map outlining our mission, vision, values, strategic goals and tactical aims. We also sketched out key areas of activities focus- ing on research and develop- ment. This 2015 Annual Report reflects our new strategic goals. 7 Copernicus Science Centre — Annual Report 2015 New Statutes The aim of the Copernicus Science Centre’s activity is to build scientific and social capital and to bring about a shift in the culture of learning, by engaging society, in particular our visitors, in a range of activities and by carrying out R&D work in this field. The Copernicus Science Centre Facilitating visitors’ active science, technology, multimedia achieves these goals by con- discovery of R&D processes by and space, as well as developing ducting cultural, educational creating and delivering laboratory educational and research tools and scientific activities, in classes and workshops, using existing knowledge to particular: create and design innovative Helping visitors understand products, projects and services Ensuring that visitors have a natural phenomena and learn popularising science top-quality experience by ar- about their history and applica- ranging workshop spaces and tions using innovative narrative Disseminating the results of offering exhibits that allow them presentation formats these activities via publications, to conduct independent obser- conferences, training and advi- vations and experiments, to Designing and developing new sory services and striving to create and build, and to interact scientific communication meth- ensure their broad impact by with scientists, animators and ods and studying the cognitive expanding our network of other visitors processes and social interactions educators of their participants Performing R&D work into Developing and supporting creating new exhibits and equip- Creating a space for aesthetic communities involved in advanc- ment allowing visitors to carry experiences by exhibiting works ing education and building out independent observations of art and hosting artistic events scientific capital by promoting and experiments and participating in in local, Conducting scientific research regional and international and R&D work in fields of networks 9 Making visitors more familiar Warsaw and engagement with Communicating our activities with space exploration and other local communities via websites, newsletters, tradi- scientific and cultural issues by tional and social media, as well as hosting presentations at the Implementing research preparing, publishing and distrib- planetarium projects independently