New opening and energy exhibition at ViteMeir
The exhibition on the 1st floor is changing.
From September 16, the 1st floor of ViteMeir will be an energy theme zone. Through new and interactive installations, visitors can play their way to new knowledge about energy. How do you actually make electricity? And how does it reach me and you? Learning by doing is the essence of all our content at the science center and the new energy exhibition is no exception. Some of the installations you can explore deal with topics such as the electricity grid, energy-intensive industry as a driver of social development in the region, energy storage and personal energy consumption.
"Contribute to solving current and future energy challenges by spreading knowledge and interest in energy as a field of study"
Society is facing major challenges related to an ever-increasing need for energy. If demand is to be met without having enormous consequences for the climate and the environment, future energy solutions must be more sustainable than what is mainly used today. It is today's children and young people who will develop the solutions of the future. It is therefore particularly important to be able to communicate knowledge about this topic to this particular target group. The main target group for the exhibition is young people aged 12-14, but it will also include something for both younger and older people. In addition to the installations in the exhibition, our own communicator ViteVero has developed a completely new and energetic "Energy Knowledge Show". Through this, we convey knowledge about energy in an entertaining way. New learning programs for students will also be developed in connection with the exhibition.
Science center in development
Vitensenteret i Sogn og Fjordane AS opened its doors to the public on November 11, 2021. Since then, almost 60,000 visitors have visited the center. The first year we had a traveling exhibition on the first floor. This was transferred to Vitensenter Nordland in the fall of 2022. Since then, we've developed new content to fill the center with other cool installations. A science center must be in constant development, yet this is probably the largest single development project ViteMeir will carry out in the exhibition for a long time. Almost the entire 1st floor will be new, but fear not, the favorite construction site, the water power plant and the truck will remain.
"In the development process, I have focused on topics that I believe are relevant to our guests' everyday lives and that can be useful to know more about"
"The vision of the new exhibition is to contribute to solving the energy challenges of today and tomorrow by spreading knowledge about and interest in energy as a professional field. In the development process, we have focused on topics that we believe are relevant to our guests' everyday lives, and that can be useful to know more about. We hope that the exhibition will help to generate interest both in energy as a field and in the need to find new and sustainable solutions to today's challenges," says Marit Haugan Hove, Head of Administration and Development at ViteMeir.
Local collaboration
No fewer than 13 different players have contributed to us soon being able to open the "Energy Zone" at ViteMeir. ViteMeir would like to thank Vestland County Council, Sognekraft, Hydro, Elkem, Sparebanken Sogn og Fjordane, Statkraft, Sparebanken Vest, Toyota Sogn, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Sogn og Fjordane Energi, Hafslund Eco, Okken Kraft and Aurland Energiverk.
"We hope the exhibition will inspire and engage children and young people to solve the energy challenges of today and tomorrow"
External contributions have been crucial to the realization of the project, both in terms of expertise from the power and energy industry, but not least financially. "As a driving force in Sogn, it was only natural to contribute to the establishment and development of the energy exhibition at ViteMeir," says Miriam Høyheim Lægreid on behalf of Sognekraft. "The exhibition conveys fundamental and important knowledge about the renewable energy system in which our region plays a decisive role. We hope the exhibition inspires and engages children and young people to solve today's and tomorrow's energy challenges," she concludes.
After almost two years of planning and development, we can finally say that we are approaching the opening of the energy exhibition. Almost all the installations have been developed by us, together with skilled professionals and suppliers. There are 185 square meters to be filled, and the process includes everything from choosing a theme, to design and development, obtaining technical content, testing, financing and physical construction. This would not have been possible without good cooperation with local and regional businesses, as well as close collaboration with professionals at HVL.