National Science Centre

National Science Centre is a premier science museum in India, located in New Delhi, and is one of the largest science centers in Asia. The centre is managed by the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Culture (India), and is affiliated with the Indian National Science Academy and the Indian Science Congress Association. The centre is dedicated to the Bharat Ratna awardee, Jawaharlal Nehru, and is inspired by the Science Museum, London and the Smithsonian Institution.

Introduction

The National Science Centre is a science communication organization that aims to promote science literacy and scientific awareness among the general public, with a focus on school education and teacher training. The centre is visited by over 1 million people every year, including students from Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. The centre has collaborations with international organizations such as the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), NASA, and the National Science Foundation (NSF), and has hosted exhibitions on Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, and Charles Darwin.

History

The National Science Centre was established in 1992, with the support of the Government of India and the Planning Commission of India. The centre was designed by the Architectural Services Department of the Ministry of Urban Development (India), and was built on a plot of land provided by the Delhi Development Authority. The centre has undergone several expansions and renovations, including the addition of a new planetarium and a 3D theatre, with funding from the Department of Science and Technology (India) and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (India).

Exhibitions

The National Science Centre has a range of exhibitions on science and technology, including human biology, physics, chemistry, and mathematics. The centre has exhibitions on space exploration, including a model of the International Space Station and a mockup of the Mars Curiosity Rover, developed in collaboration with ISRO and NASA. The centre also has exhibitions on environmental science, including climate change, biodiversity, and conservation biology, with support from the World Wildlife Fund and the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Education

The National Science Centre offers a range of educational programs for students and teachers, including workshops, lectures, and hands-on activities. The centre has a science library with a collection of over 10,000 books and journals, including publications from the National Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society. The centre also offers teacher training programs in collaboration with the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), with support from the Microsoft Corporation and the Google Foundation.

Research

The National Science Centre conducts research in science communication and science education, with a focus on public engagement with science and science policy. The centre has collaborations with research institutions such as the Indian Institute of Science and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, and has published research papers in journals such as Nature and Science. The centre also hosts conferences and seminars on science and technology policy, with support from the Department of Science and Technology (India) and the Ministry of Science and Technology (India).

Facilities

The National Science Centre has a range of facilities, including a planetarium, a 3D theatre, and a science park. The centre has a cafe and a gift shop, with a range of science-themed products, including books from the Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press. The centre also has a conference centre with facilities for seminars and workshops, with support from the Indian National Science Academy and the Indian Science Congress Association. The centre is located near the Pragati Maidan exhibition centre and the India Gate war memorial, and is accessible by Delhi Metro. Category:Science museums in India