The proposal, designed by the ICM and the science communication platform La Ciència al Teu Món, is conceived to be itinerant and easy to adapt to any space and conditions.
The Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM) and the science communication platform La Ciència Al Teu Món present the SeaSensations exposition, an interactive proposal that seeks to bring knowledge about the smallest of the ocean, i.e. marine microorganisms, to the general public through the senses.
The exposition, financed by the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT - Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación), is made up of different interactive modules created with elements from everyday life that aim to immerse visitors in this underwater universe imperceptible to the human eye.
The exposure also invites visitors to explore the role of microorganisms, not only within the marine ecosystem, but also out of it, where the smallest ones in the ocean play an essential role in regulating the climate that allows life on Earth as we know it today.
Learning through the senses
Through interaction, participants' senses are stimulated to create emotions that allow them to experience and discover first-hand the characteristics and function of the different microorganisms, as well as the unimaginable spatial scales that exist between them.
The ultimate goal of the exposition, which was inaugurated last June at the Sant Jordi Castle in l'Ametlla de Mar (Tarragona), is to show society the existence of this invisible world that remains largely unknown even to scientists at the ICM, where marine microbiology plays a very important role in the research carried out.
In addition to the ICM and La Ciència al Teu Món, the Visual Impairment Association of Catalonia, the Impulsem work integration cooperative, l'Ametlla de Mar Town Council, and the environmental education company Plancton have also been actively involved in the project.
Upcoming "SeaSensations" activities
Next Tuesday 21 September an interactive and dynamic workshop will take place at the ICM facilities. The event is organised by the ICM and La Ciència al Teu Món in collaboration with the Association for the Visually Impaired of Catalonia. Participants from the Association will share their experience, knowledge and ideas on how to adapt interpretation techniques and methodologies used by this group.
The aim of the workshop is to compile ideas that could be implemented in upcoming activities aimed at the general public, and to allow both visually impaired and non-visually impaired audiences to understand and adapt the fascinating universe of marine microorganisms.
Likewise, during Science Week, which will be held from 1 to 14 November, the exposition, which is designed to be itinerant and easy to adapt to any space and conditions, will be on display at the ICM and will be open free of charge to anyone who wants to see it.