Copernicus Science Centre

About

Copernicus Science Centre (Polish: Centrum Nauki Kopernik) is a science museum standing on the bank of the Vistula River in Warsaw, Poland. It contains over 450 interactive exhibits that enable visitors to single-handedly carry out experiments and discover the laws of science for themselves. The centre is the largest institution of its type in Poland and one of the most advanced in Europe. In 2018, since its opening, it has been visited by over 8 million people. The first module of the Centre building was opened on 5 November 2010 with five galleries (On the move, Humans and the environment, Roots of civilization, Lightzone, Bzzz!); the exhibit for teenagers – RE: generation was opened 3 March 2011; a planetarium The Heavens of Copernicus opened on 19 June, the Discovery Park on 15 July, chemistry laboratory - 18 October; biology laboratory - 15 November, robotics workshop - 6 December, and physics laboratory - 20 December. Since 2008, the Copernicus Science Centre together with Polish Radio has organized the Science Picnic - Europe's largest outdoor science-popularization event. In 2011 the Centre hosted the ECSITE conference (European Network of Science Centres and Museums) – one...

- Early 2004 - Lech Kaczyński - Mayor of Warsaw, appoints the Science Centre Team, tasked with launching work on the project

- June 2005 - An Agreement on Establishing the Copernicus Science Centre

- December 2005 - An international architectural competition for the design of the Centre building is won by the RAr-2 architectural design firm in Ruda Śląska

- June 2006 - The travelling exhibition entitled Experiment! makes its début

- November 2006 - Tender contract awarded for the design and realization of two galleries of the permanent exhibitions: On the Move and Humans and the Environment

- December 2007 – Tender contract awarded for the design and realization of permanent exhibition: Roots of Civilization

- July 2008 - signing the agreement for realization of the Copernicus Science Centre building with the winner of the tender – Warbud S.A. The beginning of the construction

- October 2008 – Tender contract awarded for the design and realization of part of the permanent exhibition: LightZone

- November 2008 – Tender contract awarded for the design and realization of permanent exhibition: Youth Gallery

- 5 November 2010 - The first building module and most of the permanent exhibitions opened to the public

- 6 December 2010 - The Robotic Theatre premiere

- 31 January 2011 - The Planetarium gets a name (Heavens of Copernicus) and a logo

- 3 March 2011 - The premiere of the RE: generation (gallery for the young people)

- 19 June 2011 - The premiere of the planetarium The Heavens of Copernicus

- 15 July 2011 - The Discovery Park premiere

- 18 October 2011 - The chemistry laboratory premiere

- 15 November 2011 - The premiere of biology laboratory

- 6 December 2011 - The robotics workshop premiere

- 20 December 2011 - The premiere of physics laboratory