Gouda Swiyachandra Kolkata

Interactiveexhibits, immersive digital technologies and hands-on demonstrations are transforming the way scientific concepts are communicated to the public. Science City in Kolkata has emerged as a major centre for experiential science learning.

A media delegation from Telangana, which visited Kolkata as part of the five-day PIB Hyderabad media tour, explored various facilities at Science City and witnessed how science, technology and entertainment are combined to encourage curiosity and scientific enquiry among visitors of different age groups.

The delegation was briefed on the activities and facilities of Science City by Rajib Nath, Director (Hqrs), National Council of Science Museums (NCSM); Manoj Kumar Panda, Principal Curator, Science City, Kolkata; and Satyajit N Singh, PRO, NCSM. Rajib Nath explained the evolution of the science museum movement in India and the role played by the NCSM in popularising science.

He said the organised science museum movement began with the Birla Industrial and Technological Museum (BITM), Kolkata, in 1959, followed by the Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum (VITM), Bengaluru, in 1965. NCSM was established in 1978 and has since expanded the science museum network across the country.

NCSM currently directly administers 26 Science Museums and Science Centres, while another 29 centres have been handed over to State Governments and other authorities. Around 30 projects, including Science Museums, Science Centres, digital planetariums and innovation hubs, are also under development.

Science City, Kolkata, a unit of NCSM under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, was established as the first Science City in India and inaugurated on July 1, 1997, by the then Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral.

The complex houses several major facilities, including Space Odyssey, Dynamotion, Science Exploration Hall, Maritime Centre, Earth Exploration Hall and Science Park. These facilities use interactive exhibits, multimedia presentations and experiential learning methods to make complex scientific concepts accessible to visitors.

The delegation visited the Stimulation Centre, where visitors can understand scientific principles through demonstrations and hands-on activities. The Full Dome 3D Digital Theatre provided another immersive experience through large-format 2D and 3D digital projections covering themes related to science, astronomy and the natural world.

The Science Exploration Hall, spread over around 5,400 square metres, presents scientific concepts through interactive and enquiry-based exhibits. Its themes include the formation of the Solar System, evolution of life, human evolution, India’s science and technology heritage and emerging technologies.

A key attraction is Evolution of Life – A Dark Ride, which uses robotic animal models and audio-visual effects to portray major stages in the evolution of life across geological eras.

The delegation also explored the Earth Exploration Hall, which presents the Earth’s geography, geology, biodiversity, natural processes and environmental systems through interactive and multimedia technologies. Exhibits on climate change and environmental challenges help visitors understand the impact of human activities on the planet.

Another important attraction, Science on a Sphere, uses a spherical visualisation system to display planetary datasets and demonstrate dynamic processes involving land, oceans and the atmosphere.