Where science comes alive

A Temple of Science

Even in the age of Internet, Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum is capturing the interest of many young minds, fuelling their scientific temperaments, finds out A Varsha Rao

I love this machine,” screams a kid to his father who is busy operating gears, few feet away. The mother stands enamoured with all the mechanical artefacts around her. The trio stand in one of the four floors of the expansive Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum, a massive structure spread across 20,000 sq ft in the sprawling lawns of Cubbon Park.

One of the very few thriving science centres in the country, the Museum’s foundation stone was laid by the then Chief Minister of Mysore State, BD Jatti. M Visvesvaraya in collaboration with other eminent thinkers envisioned the idea of a science centre, which was finally inaugurated by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in 1962, with the first gallery-‘Electro-technical Gallery’ opened for the public in 1965.

Something for everyone

The Museum is divided into four floors with every floor housing different galleries. As you enter the interiors, you are greeted by a massive structure of dinosaur with motion-attached parts. Yes, you can hear it roar and move its head around! The ground floor or the Engine Hall is divided into two sub-levels – the upper one with exhibits explaining everything automobile and the lower one with the history of engines, pulleys, levers and gears.

Do remember to look up towards the roof here, for it has the most interesting exhibit of the museum – a full-scale replica of the flight model of the Wright Brothers. “The replica is fascinating but I only wish it took flight too,” says Pasha, a Russian tourist. Making his wish into a reality is the Wright Brothers Flight Simulator, which was inaugurated on February 7. People can now experience the real thrill of flying in a vintage airplane, which is only the second 1:1 replica in the world.

Home to two galleries of ‘Electro-technic Room’ and ‘Fun Science’, the first floor of the Museum attracts hordes of kids, mainly because of the latter. In the ‘Fun Science’ gallery, kids can check the water content in their body here or whisper secrets at the Whispering Station. The Electro-technic Room is a storehouse of all electrical concepts – milestones, history, magnets, electrical safety and what not! Do not miss out on the special weather station here, for it gives you the privilege of being a weather reporter!

If engines and magnets don’t interest you, then head to the Space Gallery on the second floor. A proud collection of all the achievements of the country in rocket science, this gallery showcases the country’s mission to the Moon and Mars through interactive exhibits. Here, a unique Space Station allows you to track the satellites above Earth. After this enlightening journey into space, get back to earth in the Biotechnology Hall. You can expect to learn everything related to biology here – cell structures, biological processes, agriculture, and biotechnological advancements.

The third floor is dedicated to the electronic inventions of BEL. The best part of this hall is a section called ‘Science for children’ that has fun exhibits for kids. These exhibits explain everything from our olfactory senses to the sounds of different musical instruments to the pug marks of different animals. You might give a chance to the mirror maze – an extensive maze of walls covered with mirrors – to experience something truly magical.

The science-rich Museum also has an Innovation Hub, where science enthusiasts can showcase their innovation through programmes like Tod-Phod-Jod, Kabaad-se-Jugaad and so on. For simplifying science further, they have shows like ‘Science on a sphere’, Space Show and Science Show every day.

On any given day, you can overhear many professors conducting impromptu classes right in the Museum. Pradeep Bellubbi, a physics teacher, has got his students all the way from Sangli to get them excited about science. “These students have a lot of curiosity. And most of the exhibits here cover their entire syllabus. Looking at the interactive exhibits, they can learn easily,” says Pradeep.

The Museum’s outreach is far and wide. Gordon Dutton has brought in his grandson, Kiron from Glasgow, to the Museum. Having visited a number of museums like the Belfast Ulster Museum and the Indian Museum in Kolkata, the excited duo talk about their experience here. Gordon says, “It’s a beautiful and extensive museum. Four floors filled with pure science are indeed commendable. It’s a treasure trove.”

So how does one envision and create such an exquisite collection? A curator at the Museum elucidates on the curating process. “We have an ‘Exhibit Development Team’, which comprises of engineers, curators, field and industrial experts and scientific advisors. When a concept is proposed, we first discuss it at length. Every detail is pondered over, after which we decide on its practicality. If it looks feasible, we move on to the drawing stage which then ultimately, goes into the fabrication.”

Old versus new

But in an age, where information is just a click away, what does it take to keep an old-fashioned Museum alive and kicking? KG Kumar, Director, elaborates, “There is no substitute for physical learning.

Curiosity is inherent in every age group – no matter how old or young we are, we will want to switch on a machine, turn a knob and pull a lever. The virtual world doesn’t give us that luxury.”

Gordon supports this theory, but also points out the flaws. “My grandson loves to try out all the interactive exhibits. But I wish the instructions were more user-friendly.” KG Kumar explains, “We try our best to simplify the instructions. But beyond a point, it’s not possible, as you will lose out on the understanding. We try to strike a fine balance between all age groups.”

A curator further elaborates,“Yes, it is indeed a hard task. We make all the exhibits right here in the Museum. Also, it isn’t easy to simplify any science concept. Sometimes, the procedure is so complex that you end up diluting it by the final exhibit plan. But if you strive to explain the exhibit in its originality, you end up losing viewers.”

The Museum has a staggering 10 lakh footfalls a year, which means around 3000 visitors come to see ‘science come alive’. “Looking at the numbers, we keep the Museum open for 363 days in a year. Our exhibits are built with robustness ingrained in their core and their maintenance is undertaken online so as to reduce trouble for our visitors,” says a proud KG Kumar.

There are numerous museums in our country that are on par with international museums. So, what makes Visvesvaraya Museum special? KG Kumar chuckles, “Technology, for me, is something that I can touch and feel. Majority of the museums in the world are artefact-based, while ours is concept-based. Our exhibits are miniature versions of the real models. Take a look at the Wright Brother’s Plane replica. We made it right here in the premises with almost similar wood and fabric as the original one. So, I would say, content-wise, we are the richest museum in the country.”

So, head to Visvesvaraya Museum and experience the true magic of science. Because somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be discovered!