What is a Science Park and is it worth your time? The most interesting exhibits

» - as the image of the Alhambra, the world-famous palace of the era of the Al Andalus Caliphate, first appears before the mind's eye. I recall magnificent shady gardens and filigree floral ornaments the famous Patio de los Leones (Courtyard of the Lions). The shadows of the Moorish rulers and other inhabitants of these fabulous halls flash by. So it is, yes, but it turns out that Granada has something else to offer. No less unusual and original.
This is about Science Park (Parque de las Ciencias) , which was opened in Granada 10 years ago. At the end of last year, in 2008, the construction of new exhibition areas was completed, and the territory of the Park itself was expanded. This is not an ordinary museum, or rather, quite unusual. We are accustomed to the fact that the museum is a sacred space, where it is only allowed to look, in rare cases - to take pictures. The exhibits are hidden from “playful” hands in showcases, and some of the most valuable specimens are even behind armored glass, such as the Gioconda in the Louvre. So, in Granada, everything is completely different. The space of the Science Park was created for the curious and restless from 3 years old and up, we won’t specify how many years, in such a way that they would be interested here. By the way, remember the lessons of chemistry (physics) at school, in the seventh grade. When the teacher mutters something about organic and other acids, all eyes are fixed on where? That's right, out the window. But as soon as he takes two test tubes and merges their contents into one ... It is heard - BOOM!. And all attention immediately switches to the teacher's chair. So, in the Science Park of Granada, the same principle is applied - visibility. Any visitor can conduct their own "test tube experiment" on most of the exhibits (that is, laboratory equipment) of this "museum". True, not at all. There are also signs No Tocar (but do not touch the tokar).
All these wonders of science are located on an area of ​​30,000 sq.m.. In several buildings, each of which is equipped with the latest technology, there are: 10 interactive showrooms,Planetarium for 83 seats, auditorium, Cafe, Souvenir shop, huge hall with panoramic windows, where visitors are greeted by a 12-meter Foucault pendulum. It's something big and swaying. Well, you will see for yourself.

Waiting for the "demonstration flight"

Park visitors can climb observation deck at the top of the observation tower (50 m.) and from its height to survey the magnificent panorama of Granada and its environs. At the same time, the Alhambra will definitely fall into your field of vision. Along the way, you can "carry out" some scientific experiments in the tower. While walking through the park, you can look into Pavilion of temporary exhibitions(El Pabellón de Exposiciones Temporales), look at Lake with Moving Sculptures(el Lago con Esculturas Dinámicas), visit Astronomical Garden(Jardin de Astronomy). The paths laid along the water channels and decorated with pergolas lead to tropical butterfly park(Mariposario tropical), fountains(Juegos de agua) acoustic modules(Módulos de acústica), giant chess(Ajedrez gigante) small botanical garden y (Recorridos botanicos), oil mill(Almazara de aceite), maze of trees and bushes(Laberinto vegetal). The park has unusual attraction demonstration of birds of prey in flight(vuelo libre de aves rapaces).
Topics permanent exhibition :
Journey into the human body(Viaje al Cuerpo Humano) - I think what it is not required to explain.
Safety culture(Cultura de la Prevención) - here is collected material about the various dangers that lie in wait for a person on his life path and ways to avoid them. Among the exhibits are a car wrecked in an accident, a scoreboard counting the number of deaths on the roads of Spain in real time, etc.
Biosphere(Biosfera) - exhibits related to the science of our habitat.
The senses(Percepción) - various miracles associated with the human senses, as well as all sorts of devices that can deceive them. For example, a huge kaleidoscope, once inside which, a person is simply lost among his many reflections.
Eureka(Eureka) - the realm of physics. Here are collected "attractions", the basic principle of which is based on such physical concepts as: force, work, energy, acceleration, inertia, etc. Present in this section and electricity with magnetism, heat and temperature.
Al Andalus and Science(Al-Andalus y la Ciencia) - the history of development and the main achievements of science in the caliphate of Al-Andalus (as Andalusia was called during the time of Moorish rule).
RENPA exposition(Exposición RENPA) - dedicated to the natural wealth of Andalusia, reserves on the territory of Andalusia, as well as animals and flora this region of Spain.
Esplora Hall(Sala Explora) is designed for the youngest visitors - children from 3 to 7 years old. Here they can "play with science". During the holidays, this hall operates according to the general schedule of the Park. However, with the start school year in schools and before graduation, small "wild" tourists can visit this hall only on weekends (Saturday and Sunday).
The most interesting exhibits, according to the official website of the Science Park.
Eppur sea muove(Eppur si muove) is a dynamic sculpture by German designer Christian Tobin. A column of raw basalt, propelled only by water.
Ford T(Ford T) - built by Henry Ford. The first car in the world, the production of which was put on the conveyor.
Black hole(Agujero negro) is an attempt to explain the complex structure of our Universe in a simple and entertaining way.
Linotype(Linotipia) is one of the first printing machines of an era far from us, when mechanics reigned in technology.
flattened earth(La tierra achatada) - a demonstration of the reasons for such an unusual shape of our Earth.
Dear Automaton(Autómata amable): a robot that quotes Shakespeare, Cervantes or Darwin.

Practical information:
Time required for a complete inspection– approximately 4 hours.
Work schedule: Tuesday - Saturday: 10.00 - 19.00. Sundays and public holidays: 10.00 – 15.00. Closed: January 1st, May 1st, September 15th to 30th and December 25th.
Ticket price: Museum ticket: 5€. Planetarium ticket: 2.00€. Discount to the museum: 4€. Discount to the Planetarium: 1.50€. Benefits apply to persons over 65 and under 18, as well as organized groups> 15 people.
Temporary exhibitions, which are open until the end of September 2009: "The Adventures of Hearing"; “Perspective is a science and a miracle of displaying reality”; "Animal Poison". Exhibition “Animals in the Museum. The Art of Taxidermy” runs until May 2010.
Contact Information: Phone: 958131900 Fax: 958133582 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.parqueciencias.com
Location: Avenida del Mediterraneo, s/n, 18006 Granada.

Today we will talk about a somewhat unusual category of attractions, which is not very popular among city guests, especially among our compatriots - science museums. A very small number of tourists, organizing, include them in the list of objects to visit ... and in vain. Modern science museum will perfectly dilute cultural program , saturated with galleries, art museums and architectural monuments and will help you escape from aesthetic enrichment and spiritual food. The creative hemisphere of the brain will be able to rest, giving the opportunity to work with the rational half.

We came to this conclusion empirically, although visiting such an institution was never part of our plans. But the last independent trip to Spain opened our eyes. Being in Granada at the end of the trip and tired of the masterpieces of architecture, we spontaneously decided to visit Science Park (Parque de las Ciencias ), which was discovered quite by accident. It was not difficult to find him, because. We moved around the city on foot, in which GPS helped us.

The park captured our imagination from the very entrance, striking with the size of the occupied territory (70,000 sq. m!!!). Huge white pavilions hid something interesting that you certainly wanted to see. Once inside, we found ourselves in a huge hall among a crowd of children dressed in colorful T-shirts. To be honest, at first I wanted to stay and wait while my companions walked around the museum. However, the incessant hum emitted by a hundred children did not leave me a chance, and I went with everyone to walk around the expositions - which I did not regret.

The science park in Granada has existed for 10 years, and in 2008 it was reconstructed, during which exhibition pavilions were completed, which attracted our attention. In general, this "scientific" museum is designed for children from three years old and until curiosity runs out. We have enough of it, so it was incredibly interesting for us here.

The interest of the Park is ensured by the principle of visibility and interactivity embodied here, which directly contradicts the general idea of ​​traditional museums where nothing can be touched. Here, everything is the opposite: you can touch, feel, pull almost everything that we did together with curious Spanish children.

The pavilions are divided into thematic areas, including:

Journey through the human body(Viaje al Cuerpo Humano). We ran here in the first place, because. the exposition was devoted to a visual explanation of the principles of operation of different body systems. Being here, you do not need to imagine how much it is 4 liters of blood in the human body - in front of you are transparent flasks with 4 liters of red liquid - that's how much it is. Here, many exhibits were once part of living human organisms, but passed into the hands of science. Such exhibits in the Motherland could only be seen in the Anatomical Museum at Medina, and here three-year-old children already know what the human circulatory system looks like. Children in Granada will never forget where the liver is located. they themselves put it in place in the "collect the body" simulator. I really liked the mechanism for competitions for great mental activity: it was necessary to mentally move the object, resting against a special iron hoop - well, where else can I do this?

Biosphere(Biosphere). Quite an ordinary department, similar to many similar expositions in different museums.

The senses(Perception). It also demonstrates the abilities of various human feelings.

Eureka(Eureka). I am sure that my knowledge of physics would be much stronger if there was such a museum in our city. Closing the circuit, optical phenomena, various physical laws no longer seem so terrible when they can be seen visually.

Tyrannosaurus Rex. This is my favorite exhibit in the museum, because as a child I had an idea to become a paleontologist. Here, there are life-size models of a Tyrannosaurus rex that move a little, roar and perform certain actions: “fight” with stegosaurus, eat Triceratops, communicate with cubs and everywhere amusingly shake their little tail.

Safety culture(Cultura de la Prevención). It was interesting here for my companions employed in production. The exposition was dedicated to all man-made dangers that surround us in everyday life and at work.

Al Andalus and Science(Al-Andalus y la Ciencia). We didn't get to see it here.

RENPA exposition(Exposition RENPA). A slightly improved demonstration of stuffed animals, accompanied by various visual and sound effects.

performance hall(Sala Explora) - Territory of the smallest visitors. For obvious reasons, we were not there.

I have listed only the permanent expositions located in the main pavilions, and there is also a small poultry house where the birds do not sit in cages, but are tied to the ground by their paws, a pavilion with tropical butterflies, a labyrinth, giant chess, an area for intellectual games, fountains with moving figures and much more.

Where we haven't been, it's on the observation deck, located at a height of 50 m, I think the view from it is amazing. 4 hours allotted to get acquainted with the Park of Science was clearly not enough for us, and we simply did not have time to get here, especially since we did not have any pre-planned visit.

In general, we all liked the Science Park of Granada, because everyone here found something interesting for themselves. Therefore, my advice: when organizing a trip on your own, include in the list of “must see” objects that are far from the tourist trails, especially if there are no similar analogues in your homeland.

Contact information of the Science Park:

Admission (as of April 2012) 6.5€ - adult, visit to the Observatory is paid separately.

One has only to hear the name of the Spanish city of Granada, as the most beautiful place immediately appears before the eyes of everyone - the Science Park.

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Granada Park is the first interactive museum science of Andalusia, as well as the most important building among all the others that only exist in southern Europe. Since its inauguration in 1995, it has quadrupled in size and is now over 70,000 sq. meters. Outside, it presents itself as a complex of buildings and structures made according to modern architectural trends. The whole complex is surrounded by incredibly beautiful botanical gardens, which are decorated with dynamic sculptures and other equally interesting and exclusive exhibits.

The Science Park is not an ordinary museum, to be more precise, it is quite unusual! Many people who visit museums are used to the fact that everything is not available for viewing there, it is strictly forbidden to take photographs, the exhibits are hidden from the deft hands of many visitors behind shop windows or behind glass with a thick layer of armored material, such as, for example, the Jaconda from the Louvre.

Here, the opposite is true - a huge number of exhibits are available not just to photograph them, they can also be twisted in your hands. The park-museum even has its own motto, which reads “It is forbidden not to touch”! There are such interesting exhibits here, touching which, including, switching, turning on individual elements, transmitting signals to a computer, a person understands the principle of the structure of a particular device, how it works, and why in this moment some process takes place.

Museum halls

There are more than 10 halls in the Science Park, which have their own theme and tell a lot of interesting details. So, for example, in the Hall of Perception you can believe that there are many optical laws that operate in our world according to certain rules. Here you will also be given the opportunity to experiment with light and lenses, learn about optical and sound illusions. As for the Hall of the Biosphere, they will tell in detail about how all the continents, volcanoes and many components of our planet appeared in the world, about various cataclysms. In addition, the museum has:

  • Eureka Hall, where you can learn in detail many physical processes, as well as conduct some chemical experiments, see their reactions and their exciting ending, after which there is - BOOM!

  • Children's room, which will be incredibly interesting for children aged 3 years and above. They will learn a lot of fascinating and exciting things, they will be able to touch rare exhibits and samples of antiquities;
  • Temporary exhibition hall, in which it is impossible not to pay attention to the lake and the moving sculptures in it;
  • Astronomical observatory;
  • Planetarium, the capacity of which is more than 80 seats;
  • Parka with tropical butterflies. You can easily and simply walk to it along the paths that were laid along the water channels and decorated with a pergola. There are fountains, and acoustic modules, giant chess, an oil mill, a labyrinth of many bushes and trees.

At the very top of the tower you can see an observation platform, which is located at a height of 50 meters, and going up there, you can see the whole city with all its beauties at a glance.

On the territory of the Granada Science Park there is a cafeteria, an assembly hall, a souvenir shop, a large spacious hall with panoramic windows, at the entrance you can see Foucault's pendulum, which welcomes everyone, the size of which is about 12 meters.

The most interesting exhibits

The museum has a huge number of beautiful exhibits that may surprise you at first glance, but the most impressive are:

Empur Sea Muowe is a dynamic sculpture created by a German designer named Christian Tobin. He made a large column out of raw basalt material, and what is most interesting is that it only moves with the help of water.

Ford T - the building of Henry Ford - a car that was created for the first time in the world and put on the production line.

A black hole is a construction that was created in order to show visitors the approximate structure of the universe. This item was made in a very entertaining form, which simply cannot but attract special attention.

Linotype - a typewriter - the very first in the world! It was created in the distant past, when people did not yet know what technology was, but they were well versed in mechanics.

Flattened Earth - the design of our planet, and an explanation of the reasons why it is that way.

A kind automaton - a robot that can quote world poets such as Shakespeare, Cervantes, Darwin and many others.

Practical Information

In order to see the whole museum in its entirety, the visitor should expect at least 4-5 hours. The museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 7 pm, Sunday and public holidays from 10 am to 3 pm. The Park of Sciences does not work in the first days of January and May, on Christmas days, and also in the last two weeks of September.

Ticket prices

To visit the planetarium you will have to pay 2 euros out of your pockets, the cost entrance ticket to the museum 6 euros, preferential 3-4 euros. Pensioners and people over the age of 65, and young people under 18 can count on benefits.

How to get there

You can fly to the Science Park from any country, flights here are quite frequent, since Spain is located almost in the center of Europe. You can take a direct flight or a connecting flight. The main airports are in Madrid or Barcelona. From there, you can get to Granada by train or by regular bus.

The Science Park is not far from the center of Grenada, about a 15-minute leisurely walk. If you choose among public transport, then the bus is the best fit. They run in this direction quite often, especially the numbers - 1st, 4th, 5th, 10th, 11th. Another convenient form of transport is a taxi. It is worth saying a few words to the driver - Parque de las Ciencias, as he will immediately drive you to your desired destination for only 10 euros.

The presence of children in the traveling family makes some adjustments to the company's plans. This is how it happens with us, in every educational trip we definitely plan entertainment events in addition to cultural leisure). The youngest daughter, fourteen years old, with whom we went this time, loves amusement parks most of all. It didn’t work out with them, on the route we had Seville with its Isla Magica, but it opened only in April, I carefully studied the site of the park (- https://www.islamagica.es/

Therefore, Granada Parque de las Ciencias (Science Park) remained the only candidate for the entertainment of the child on a trip to Andalusia. But it turned out that this scientific and educational museum has become the most memorable and unusual park for my daughter in recent years.

We went to the Science Park in the afternoon March 18, after the Alhambra. At the end of our walks around the Alhambra, the daughter was already limping and moaning), complaining about her fate and her merciless mother. Less than an hour passed, we arrived at this park - the child was replaced :), she ran from hall to hall with tireless energy, everything was so interesting to her. We have never been to a place like this before (although we, in Nizhny, already have two small similar museums, we haven’t bothered to visit them yet :)), so it was interesting here for us adults too. So with full confidence I can advise you to pay attention to the Park of Science to everyone who will be in Granada with children, you will not regret a single second. We spent 4 hours in the park - it's catastrophically little)))! During this time, we were able to see almost half of the most interesting expositions! Unfortunately, we did not see a single show-experiment "How does it happen?" from different areas science and technology.

Park address - on the Avda website. de la Ciencia s/n 18006 Granada

We are from Alhambra we arrived by car, again not through the city, but with an exit to the A-44 highway, the route was laid at home, it was not far to go. The car was left on the street near the entrance, here:

There are streets around the entire Park with white lines at the curb, there are a lot of cars, but they found a place. There is a parking lot in the Park (the first 3 hours are free, there is information on the Park website), we did not use it.

Large buses with children drove up to the entrance one by one, it seemed that there would be no crowding. But no, the territory of the Park is very large, everyone somehow imperceptibly disperses.

To the left of the entrance are the ticket offices. The cashier spoke good English. We said that we want to buy 2 adult tickets and 1 children's ticket to visit the Park and plus the planetarium, these are separate tickets. Prices (for adults and children under 18):

General: 6.5 euro

Reduced: 5.5 euro

Planetario

General: 2.5 euro

Reduced: 2 euro

Current prices can be found here: http://www.parqueciencias.com/parqueciencias/menus/tarifas.html

The cashier began to convince us not to go to the planetarium, because the accompanying story was only in Spanish. We said that it's okay, the main thing is to look). They sold us these tickets, gave us a map, and wrote the next time for the session at the planetarium, circling the place on the map where it is located.

Even before entering the main premises, in the spacious hall of the museum, you can see several exhibits that invite visitors to the unusual world of science.

For example, in the hall everyone is watching an experiment with a ball - a model of a "black hole":

Again, not the first time I found the entrance to the Royal Chapel). Ticket - also 4 euros. Somehow it seemed to me either mysteriously, or solemnly. Still - actually a sarcophagus for four crowned persons: Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon, their daughter Juana La Locca (Mad) and her husband Philip the Handsome. The construction of the chapel began during the life of the Catholic kings, who wished to be buried in the city they conquered, in 1504, ended in 1517 (by that time Isabella had died first, then Philip, they were temporarily buried in another church).

Carrara marble tombstones, the work of the sculptor Domenico Fancelli (1517), look very majestic. I went down to the underground crypt, located under the tombstones, in a small room behind a lattice door there are coffins. I was surprised that there was a vase with fresh flowers near them, somehow it was unexpected.

There are many works of art in the chapel, I especially remember paintings on religious themes. This collection was collected by Isabella, then by her descendants. Here are the artists Northern Renaissance, there are paintings by Botticelli and Perugino. So, we can say that this is also a small art gallery.

So the time allotted for us to Granada was coming to an end, after a couple of hours we were leaving for Seville. We remember Granada as a very cozy, pleasant city, sunk into the soul with its different architectural "faces", it was comfortable and somehow sincere here. We left with a slight sadness...

Useful information:

-Science Park website http://www.parqueciencias.com/parqueciencias/

- Science Park. Granada http://www.2hispania.ru/granada_parque_ciencias/

-Catedral de Granada http://www.catedraldegranada.com/index.php/visitas

-Capilla Real de Granada http://www.capillarealgranada.com/

-Scheme of urban transport of Granada http://www.transportesrober.com/transporte/lineas.htm


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Science Park in , located in the central area of ​​the city, is the first such interactive museum in the territory. It occupies 70 thousand square meters. m and is located in close proximity to the historical center. The building does not have a number, but it is easy to identify by the bright sign - Parque de las Ciencias, as well as by the stylish appearance reflecting the impact on our world modern technologies. The complex consists of many halls dedicated to various areas, starting with the features of physiology human body and ending with the biological processes taking place on the planet. The museum is of great interest not only for an adult audience, but also for children from 3 years old and older, which can be judged with confidence looking at its ever-increasing attendance.

A significant advantage of the Science Park is the availability of exhibits that can be touched and even used for their intended purpose. Almost all the halls here are equipped with tablets containing all sorts of information about a particular exhibition object. Among the most interesting sections of the museum, it is worth highlighting a part of the expositions dedicated to: road accidents, optics in the current realities, as well as a planetarium and a section that talks about physical processes and mechanisms. The latter is of great interest to older children, since it describes in detail the main technical trends and developments of famous scientists, whose seemingly simple discoveries turned people's worldview upside down and made their existence in this world simpler and more convenient.

A separate place among museum expositions is occupied by halls dedicated to the history, traditions and culture of Andalusia, long years which was under the rule of the Arabs, as a result of which the region absorbed a lot of Eastern religion, architecture, and art. About the mixture of Spanish and Arabic culture, as well as about the discoveries that took place here in different eras and tells this section. Especially for children from 3 to 7 years old, the museum has an accessible exposition that tells the young guests of the complex about their environment, including such concepts as water, air, the formation of winds, rains and other natural phenomena.

For the convenience of visitors, all exhibits of the Science Park contain information stands in Spanish and English. During the tour of the museum, you can sit down to relax on comfortable benches, go to a cafe or buy souvenirs. Those who wish have the opportunity, with the help of museum staff, to conduct medical, chemical and physical experiments. A visit here is an excellent opportunity to learn a lot of interesting things about the world around us and get a lot of pleasant impressions.