Prince Felipe has become the new King of Spain – taking over from his dad, Juan Carlos – but did you know that Felipe is a lover of all things science and technology?
The fact that one of Spain’s top science and tech attractions has been named after him is a bit of a giveaway. The Príncipe Felipe Science Museum aka Museo de las Ciencias Príncipe Felipe is part of the City of Arts and Sciences, an entertainment-based cultural and architectural complex in Valencia. And it’s crammed full of some of the best science and technology exhibitions you’ll find anywhere in the world.
So, to celebrate King Felipe’s new reign, we’ve cherry picked some of the most impressive exhibitions that can be enjoyed at his museum.
Chromosome Forest
The Chromosome Forest consists of 23 gigantic pairs of chromosomes, representing the human species’ genome. Stroll around the display and you’ll discover many little known facts about, well, you: How much water is in your body? What is your chemical composition? What lets you listen? Where does blood go when it leaves your heart?
The Electricity Theatre
In front of an audience of 50 people, and with scenery that simulates an experimental science laboratory, a scientist will help you to understand the concepts related to physical phenomena that produce electricity.
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Bells that ring without touching, putting out candles without blowing on them, jumping rings, arcs that cross space, and neon tubes that light up when you touch the ends – these are weird and wonderful experiences of the Electricity Theatre.
Keep an eye out for demonstrations involving the Tesla Coil, an electromagnetic generator that produces spectacular effects.
Space Cadet School
Here, you will prepare for training in the "Escuela del cadete del espacio" (Space Cadet School), then travel through the Solar System guided by Profesor Bombilla (Professor Lightbulb) and his assistant, Sparky.
You’ll be able to travel across the solar system and get a feel for the distances between the planets thanks to this audio-visual spectacle.
Zero Gravity
Visitors can discover the wonder of gravity and learn how these affect life on Earth. You can also discover just how useful large space telescopes are, get to know the research teams that operate them and learn how they generate the energy they need to make them work.
A visual display with moving images of space projected overhead and on five mirror-covered surfaces, gives the feeling of infinite distance.
The Zero Gravity exhibition brings you spectacular and previously unpublished space images together with a rundown of the current and future space missions of the European Space Agency (ESA) – in fields such as observation of the Earth and meteorology, satellite communications and navigation; launchers, manned flights and space laboratories, and the exploration of the solar system and deep space. All this is illustrated with numerous photographs taken by the Hubble space telescope during its 20 years in orbit, which has captured impressive images of stars, planets, and galaxies.
Profiles of Science
Learn about 42 of the world’s greatest ever scientists. Profiles of Science pays homage to the most relevant figures in science for their contribution to the ever-growing scientific knowledge shared by humankind today. These historic characters -selected for the transcendence of their scientific work- include Leonardo Da Vinci; Nicolas Copernicus; Galileo Galillei; Benjamin Franklin; Max Planck; Albert Einstein; and Marie Curie.
Particularly noteworthy is the collection of great quotes from each of the scientists, such as Curie’s statement: "Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood."
