EDUCATION VIA ENTERTAINMENT: Visitors marvel at some of the new exhibits in Science City’s Dynamotion and Space Odyssey sections. Pictures by Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya

Science City has installed several new exhibits in its Dynamotion and Space Odyssey sections, in an effort to draw more visitors and acquaint them with the scientific principles behind physical events.

“The exhibits have been conceived, designed and developed by National Council of Science Museums in Calcutta, Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi. Each item has been designed in a way that viewing it, one will reap education through entertainment,” said G.S. Rautela, director of Science City.

“Our aim is to increase the number of visitors and turn the whole area into an edutainment (education-cum-entertainment) park,” he added. The authorities hope the new exhibits would boost the footfall — 13 lakh a year at present — several times.

The Dynamotion floor has 37 new exhibits on physical science. Among the items are Floor Piano (it emits musical notes when a visitor walks on it), See Your Voice, Infinite Well, Floating Dish, Spinning Eraser and Gyroscopic Effect.

A major draw in the Space Odyssey section is Simulated Solar System — an interactive, multimedia presentation depicting various facets of our planet: bathymetric view, topography, coastlines, river systems and the population distribution.

There will also be simulated reproduction of other planets of the solar system.

Another attraction in the Space Odyssey section is an exhibition — India in Space and India from Space — that provides extensive information on achievements of the Indian space programme and their application in various fields.

There is also a new set of “information panels” on the solar system. An interactive software relevant to the exhibition has been installed to provide information to students and other visitors.

A set of interactive exhibits on virtual reality has also been installed in Space Odyssey.

Another draw is Mirror Magic, which enthrals visitors with the amazing effects of mirrors and images. “One will get a glimpse of a virtual world,” said Rautela.