Why? to contribute to developing a national culture of S&T literacy, through communicating scientific principles to citizens where they learn, work and live.

The results: over 800,000 people have participated in these learning experiences nation wide, for free.

We establish - in your area - a centre where visitors can explore the wonders of science. We know many people "can't come to science", so we "take science to the people".

Our core competency is transporting collections of interactive exhibits to community venues. We visit schools, libraries, town halls, museums, universities and shopping malls across the country. For many learners attending under-resourced schools, these exhibits provide the only 3-D, interactive illustration of the scientific principles they are studying. Discovery Centre environments are inclusive, suitable for learners with disabilities.

• Mobile. The exhibits are designed for easy moving. Typically, the breakdown, transport and set-up of the new exhibition takes one day.
• Closely curriculum-related. They illustrate energy, electricity, mechanics, optics, sound, light, and even nuclear energy and astronomy. Alternatively display them according to the Natural Sciences Curriculum themes of Earth and Beyond, Life and Living, Matter and Materials and Energy and Change.
• An action research environment. We conduct research into visitor response, usage rates by schools, popularity and robustness of exhibits, and impact assessment at venues.

This Outreach Programme has reached over 750,000 visitors, usually free of charge, at over 85 exhibition venues nation-wide. The collection was loaned to the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology in 1998 as part of the national road show for the Year of Science and Technology. Since then it has participated in the SET weeks in both the Eastern and Western Cape Provinces.

The DiscoveryMobile, a science-exhibition-on-wheels, visits schools. It reaches approximately 80 schools, 20 000 learners and 300 educators annually. The DiscoveryMobile consists of 40 interactive exhibits and simulations, designed for the learners in grades 5 - 9, accompanied by lesson plans and worksheets.

New horizons

We provide our expertise in:

• Project management and Consultation: clients include the ISETT SETA, ThunderCity Entertainments and the IdeaTruck. As local pioneers in mobile science education, we can contribute our experience to the benefit of other developing projects.
• Designing and developing exhibits clients include the IT-Mobile, the Unizul Science Centre and the Cape Metropolitan Council. Watch out for our catalogue of exhibits for buyers and educators!
• Educational research and advice services we provide education strategies, management advice and consultation to projects and educators.
• Networking. Our values are co-operation, collaboration and communication between the organisations towards a shared goal of promoting science awareness.

"Scientists and technologists are problem solvers, innovators, entrepreneurs, business people, community leaders and artists. Science and technology is not a static category into which we plug machine-like robots that become instruments of production. Science and technology is in fact a broad strategy to address the persistent challenge of under-development of our continent."
-Dr. Ben Ngubane, Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology (2001)

DISCOVERY CENTRE
Room 2.802, Dept. Technology Promotions,
Cape Technikon,
P O Box 652, CAPE TOWN, 8000.
Phone (021) 460-3895 Fax (021) 460-3887
Email discovery [at] ctech.ac.za
A project of the Gateway Discovery Centre Trust

The DiscoveryMobile in action

The DiscoveryMobile official launch