Discover the Science Center Immaginario Scientifico: A Magical Experience for Kids in Trieste
It is in Grignano di Trieste and is called the Science Center Immaginario Scientifico. It’s a magical place for kids, with a planetarium and science labs where you can have birthday parties and spend the night at the museum.
Museum? Yes! Fun? Also!
A few kilometers from Trieste, in the bay of Grignano, there is a small jewel: a museum that is not only a scientific exhibition but also has hands-on activities, experiments, and very unique ways of showing things that can captivate both adults and children.
The Immaginario Scientifico, which opened in 1999, is a great example of how a traditional museum and a “new generation museum” can work well together. It has original ways of teaching that have earned it the name “new generation museum,” and it shows off and protects artifacts and instruments and lets people use the space in an interactive way.
The Center has five different parts: the multimedia exhibits (in the Kaleido section), the hands-on museum (in the Phenomena section), the sky in a dome (in the Cosmos section), and the informal learning labs (in the Demo.lab and X area.lab sections). Even though all places look the same from one point of view, they all have things that make them unique.
The parts of the scientific imagination
Kaleido
This section, called “Kaleido” or “Innovation,” has a multimedia environment that focuses on current scientific topics that are always changing. It’s a kind of “temporary exhibition” that was made to meet the needs of visitors and to show them new ideas that will make them want to come back again and again. So, enough with the noise. Hooray for change! Children will be particularly fascinated by this area for the exceptional images proposed, accompanied by unpublished music and texts. A real moment of encounter between science and emotion.
Fenomena
Fenomena, or “It’s illegal not to touch,” is a concept that is becoming more and more popular in museums. It is the idea of interaction pushed to the limit. All of the exhibits in this section must be looked at, of course, but they must also be touched to be a real part of science. So, there are no mementos. Instead, there are machines to start, buttons to push, knobs to turn, and things to touch.
All the objects on display come with specific instructions on how to use them. They also come with pictures and explanations that give useful and interesting information about the physics of the phenomena involved, as well as warnings about what to do if something goes wrong. To get the most out of the idea of interactive science, you can read, find, and make your own user manuals.
The Fenomena area is divided into six themed itineraries that are connected by a logical thread but can also be visited in a random order: mirrors (to learn about the laws of geometric optics), sounds (to learn about the properties of sound, such as how it travels and how echoes, resonance, and sound waves are made), lights and shadows (to learn about how light travels, how it is refracted, and how color is made), motions and fluids (to learn about how
Cosmos
Cosmos, or “the sky in a room,” is a show where you go into a planetarium and stay there with your mouth open and your head up, letting yourself be taken into the infinite cosmos and looking at 1,600 projected stars. When the lights go out, the sky lights up, the stars and planets move, dawn comes, and the sun goes down. Learn about the movements of the sun, the stars, our solar system, and the phases of the moon in a section that will stay with you forever.
Demo.lab and X.lab are hyper-interactive activities
The Demo section has themed workshops, demonstrations, interactions, and stimuli that let you try out different scientific fields for yourself.
Through experiments and ad hoc activities, participants can share and try out how theories work in the real world thanks to practical demonstrations. All of them were, of course, set up based on the age and level of knowledge of the participants. The X.labs, on the other hand, give you the freedom to use the materials and tools provided by the animators to interact directly with science. There are two kinds of X.labs: the EDULAB, which is a group activity that looks at prototypes and encourages sharing of materials and ideas, and Tinkering, which is a more individual chance to test yourself in designing and making things.
On the weekends, the Immaginario Scientifico hosts events like the Sunday Scientists creative construction workshops, the Family Lab family workshops, the Imaginary Nights, and the “scientific” birthday parties that can’t be missed.
Who said that science was boring?
With the educational Sunday Scientists workshops, kids ages 5 to 10 will have a one-of-a-kind chance to learn about the secrets and wonders of science by building prototypes, letting their imaginations run wild, and tackling math. Different kinds of meetings can be found at the Center. These workshops cost €7 per child, which includes entry to the museum.
The museum at night
A date night at the museum! Children ages 7 to 11 will spend an unforgettable night with a famous scientist from history, such as Copernicus, Galilei, Darwin, or Leonardo da Vinci, who will share secrets and stories about science and nature.
So, are you ready to see the landing on the moon, the discovery of Lucy, and the digging at Tutankhamun’s tomb? And then there are treasure hunts, scientific breakfasts, and sleeping in a sleeping bag to get a good night’s rest. The activity costs €39 per child, takes place on the night between Saturday and Sunday, and needs to be booked in advance.
Different, exciting, and bright birthday?
From a scientific point of view, it’s possible. In fact, kids ages 6 to 11 can plan their own parties at the venue. They can choose what activities to do and what theme to go with. Feeling more Jurassic or spacey? Volcanoes or winners of the Nobel Prize? No matter what your child wants, the museum will make it happen. The birthday party can be held every Saturday from 3:30 to 5:30 in the afternoon. The total price is €244 for a group of up to 25 people. Send an email to [email protected] to make a reservation.
The Family Lab
The family lab will bring parents and kids closer together. Choose your favorite subject—chemistry, physics, or technology—and start an unforgettable adventure that everyone can enjoy. Each workshop is on a different topic and is held on the last Sunday of every month. The price to take part is €7. The price includes the cost of getting into the museum. Lastly, you should make a reservation.
For people with special needs, the Immaginario Scientifico has come up with a set of custom tours and activities that are easy to use thanks to the placement of architectural barriers.
VisitAbile has games, activities that use the senses, and other ways to learn about the wonders of nature and physics. SperimentAbile, on the other hand, has a full schedule of events that help people learn more about chemistry, earth sciences, physics, archeology, and many other topics.
Every day except the weekend, groups of 12 to 20 people can do these things. They last from one hour to seventy-five minutes, and you have to book them ahead of time.
Information that will help you plan a trip to the museum
Name: Science Center of the Imaginary
- Where: Massimiliano e Carlotta, 15, Grignano (Trieste), right on the water
- Opening time: the museum is open every Sunday from 10 am to 8 pm
- Tickets: Kaleido is free, Fenomena costs €6.50 full price and €4.50 reduced price (children ages 6 to 12 and people over 65 get in free), and Cosmo costs €3.50 full price and €2.50 reduced price (same conditions as above)
- Visit length: Give yourself at least two hours to see everything
- Contacts: tel: 040 224424
