On the occasion of International Museum Day 2nd edition of International Museum Expo starts at Science City, Kolkata

The second edition of the International Museum Expo started in Science City, Kolkata today. As a part of the expo, the exhibitions "Oppenheimer's Peaceful Explosion," "Innovative Edifices: The Structures and Vessels of Science Communication,", "Narratives Reimagined: Interactive Techscapes in Museum Storytelling," "Brilliance Beyond Borders: Our Triumphs, Trials, and Travails at the Science Nobels," "Echoes of Ingenuity: Reminiscences of the Industrial Evolution," and "Indian Women in Science: Busts and Murals" are on display at the Science City, Kolkata. Apart from these, visitors can also go through the digital panorama film on Durga Puja, Canvas Cyclorama: The Pulse of Indian Artistry," which suggests a continuous panoramic canvas, while "Pulse of Immortal Artistry" implies that the art is alive and has a heartbeat, inviting viewers to experience the timeless spirit of Indian art in a novel way. Apart from these, the mascot of the expo is also on display.

Dr. Shekhar C Mande, Chairman, Governing Body, NCSM, and former DG, CSIR, Secretary, DSIR, graced the occasion as Chief Guest in the august presence of Ms. Mugdha Sinha, Joint Secretary, GLAM Division, Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India; Shri A. D. Choudhury, DG, NCSM; Shri Samarendra Kumar, DDG, NCSM; and Shri Anurag Kumar, Director, Science City, Kolkata. Commemorating International Museum Day, the International Museum Expo is organised every year starting May 18, 2024. The first edition was organised last year at Pragati Maidan, Delhi.

After the first session, Sarah Kenderdine, Director of the Lab for Experimental Museology at EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland, delivered the keynote address on "Computational Museuology: Art and Science in the Age of Experience." This was followed by a mesmerising Odissi dance performance by renowned artist Dona Ganguly.

On this occasion Joint Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India Ms. Mugdha Sinha said that motivated by the stupendous success of the first edition, the second edition of the International Museum Expo is being organized in the city of Kolkata, from where India got its first museum in 1814. This year, the focus is on education and research in and through the science museums and centres. Science museums play a significant role in not only developing scientific temperament in society but also in supplementing formal science education in a non-formal setting, she said.

Shri A. D. Choudhury, Director General, NCSM, said, "we are excited to host the second edition of the prestigious International Museum Expo at Science City, Kolkata. The expo provides a platform where museum professionals, enthusiasts, and creative minds come together and contribute to the development of museums in different capacities through the exchange of ideas, networking, and initiating holistic conversations about museums. I hope the expo will expand its horizons in the coming years".

Other programmes and activities organised during these two days include: Panel Discussions on "Preservation and Documentation of Cultural, Scientific and Industrial Heritage", "Immersive Experiences in Museums and Science Museums", "Novel Museums and New Media", "Integrating Art, Science, and Technology in Museum Exhibitions", "Interaction between Entrepreneurs and Museum Professionals"; Master Classes on "Astrophotography" by Ajay Talwar, "Developing Mathematical Kits" by VSS Sastry, "Disaster Resilience in Museums" by G S Rautela, "Excellence in Demonstration" by noted Science Communicator, Eddie Goldstein. Workshops on "Wealth from Waste" for special children, on Telescope Making, on Kalighat Painting, and Joy of Toy were also organised. The Ideathon on Science Gallery and the Young Innovators Contest were also organised for the selected students from across India.

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BY/SKT