The first half of the year has passed almost at the speed of light since the opening of the new Ventspils Science Center VIZIUM. VIZIUM has already attracted more than 100 visitors, delighting and introducing Ventspils residents and city guests from all over Latvia and abroad to the world of science and technology.
On December 18, it will be six months since the new Ventspils Science Center VIZIUM opened its doors to its first visitors with an ambitious event program. Guests of the science center's opening celebration had the opportunity not only to visit and try out the exhibits, but also to participate in a variety of festive activities.
Immediately after the opening of the science center, the first VIZIUM summer camp "TehnoEKO" was held with rich and diverse activities, which included working with technology, spending time in nature at various sightseeing attractions, and classes in the science center's exhibit hall and laboratory. In total, more than 250 students participated in the camp.
The new facility has awakened the curiosity of many – VIZIUM attracted more than 2 interested people in the first 50 months of operation, while at the beginning of November the 000th visitor was welcomed. VIZIUM has been visited not only by Latvian residents, but also by interested people from more than 100 countries around the world, such as Ukraine, Germany, the USA, Great Britain, Turkey, Finland, France and even China and India.
Students from all over Latvia have also shown great interest in the new science center – since the start of the school excursion season and up to now, more than 600 student groups, which includes almost 17 students, have visited the VIZIUM exhibition hall, creative workshops and science shows. In addition to visiting the exhibition and science shows, students have also actively participated in VIZIUM technical creative workshops, as well as 000 audiovisual workshops within the framework of the “Latvian School Bag” program.
Residents, various organizations, municipalities, and companies have also wanted to learn about the process of creating the science center building and exhibition, as well as about various details that are not visible when visiting the exhibition hall on a daily basis, so the opportunity is being offered to go on an informative tour of the VIZIUM building, which has been used by more than 140 groups.
VIZIUM regularly offers children and families various activities and thematic events, so that even those who have already visited the exhibition hall would be happy to return to the science center several times. For the first time, citizens had the opportunity to visit the VIZIUM terrace and viewing platform in the spring during the Terrace Festival, but later VIZIUM has invited them to such events as Father's Day, Senior Day, Scientists' Night, Halloween Week, National Holiday and Advent workshops. Meanwhile, for the youngest Ventspils residents, the science center has organized Little Researchers classes, providing parents with the opportunity to leave their children under the supervision of VIZIUM teachers every Saturday and Sunday.
The impressive building of the science center has not gone unnoticed - in March of this year, VIZIUM won the Latvian Construction Association's Annual Award 2021 - first place in the category "PUBLIC BUILDING - NEW CONSTRUCTION", and in September, in the competition "The Most Energy-Efficient Building in Latvia 2022" announced by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development and the Latvian Union of Civil Engineers, the science center building won the award-winning 1st place in the nomination "The Most Energy-Efficient Public Building in Latvia 2022".
VIZIUM aims to show that science can be exciting and interesting, but entertainment can be educational. The Science Center's exhibits educate about STEM in an entertaining way, thereby increasing a better understanding of school subjects and promoting young people's interest in connecting their future career choices with science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The Science Center offers visitors more than 80 exhibits and simulators in 7 different galleries dedicated to technology and natural sciences, where everyone has the opportunity not only to awaken their curiosity and explore the world of STEM, but also to have fun and spend time with family and friends.
