Prague's annual giant open-air lab invites school kids to love science

The annual Science Festival, a joint project of universities and academic institutions established six years ago, opens its day-long run tomorrow.

It’s one of Prague’s largest open-air science fairs, intended to present not only science and technology disciplines but practical demonstrations, challenges and quizzes, and the opportunity to try out hands-on experiments.

Taking place at Kulaťák in Dejvice, this year’s theme “Science in Professions” aims to show that science has diverse forms and uses in everyday life. Visitors will be able to literally “touch” science and its results in different professions at many outdoor exhibits on the grassy area near Vitezne namesti (Kulaťák) in Prague 6 and across Technicka Street.

“We will try to bring the interconnection of many of the hard-to-imagine worlds of science and its practical use closer,” say festival organizers.

Representatives of several institutes from the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic will be on hand: The Institute of Nuclear Physics explains that natural radioactivity originates in cosmic rays and long-term radioactive elements in the Earth’s crust; the Institute of Experimental Botany will offer the opportunity to see laboratory plants grown on nutrient media in glass; the Institute of Chemical Technology in Prague will offer a chance to reveal the secrets of the periodic table of elements.

The entire program of this year’s Science Festival is available at www.festival-vedy.cz.

Admission is free and the festival runs from 8:30am to 7pm, making it the perfect after school activity for those just returning to the classroom this week and anyone who simply loves science.