Over 30 activities and scientific exhibitions will invade the beaches of Niterói-RJ, for the 7th edition of O Museu Vai à Praia (Museum goes to the Beach). The project, supported by Instituto TIM, is an initiative of the Museum of Astronomy and Related Sciences (MAST) and takes marquees and structures to the beach, organized in open spaces that are true science museums: with experiments, meteorites, fossils, sea creatures, corals etc. The activities are free and will take place from March 15th to April 6th, on Saturdays and Sundays. It is the second time the event is held in Niterói and, this time, the invitation came from the Niterói City Government.
According to the head of Educational Services at MAST, Amannda Amorim, the aim is to make science more popular in a fun way, involving the public and the family. “The beach is a place for fun, so why not learn science while having fun?,” she asks. When choosing where the project would be held, the museum prioritized the busiest venues. “You’ll notice they’re beaches near the bus and ferry lines, as well as being near MAST,” explains Amanda. The lectures, interactive activities and exhibitions will take place on the beaches of Icaraí, Piratininga, Itaipu and Charitas.
Another 6 institutions were invited by MAST to participate in O Museu Vai à Praia: the National Observatory (ON/MCTI); the Interactive Science Space of the Rio de Janeiro Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology (IFRJ); the National Museum of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ); the House of Scientific Discovery and the Science Space of the Science Dissemination Center of the Fluminense Federal University (UFF); and the Science Alive Space.
The MAST activities will be the same every day at O Museu Vai à Praia. What will change is the participation of the institutions invited. “We’ll have rotating institutions, that is, not all the beaches will have the same institutions,” points out Amannda. MAST alone will take about 20 activities to the beaches, involving topics like global warming and the seasons of the year. The attractions of the four guests include exhibitions of living organisms, physics apparatus, fascinating talks about astronomy, amongst others.
The event begins at Icaraí beach, on March 15th, with the participation of MAST, House of Discovery, National Observatory, Interactive Science Space and UFF Science Space. The activities and exhibitions will be hosted by museum mediators – undergraduate, Master’s or Doctoral students who are scholars or researchers who have worked in the institutions.
Click here to see the full schedule of O Museu Vai à Praia.
