Ecsite, the European network of science centres and museums, will hold its 2023 conference from 15 to 17 June. This year’s event is hosted by Esplora Science Centre in Valletta, Malta.
The annual Ecsite Conference brings together professionals involved in science engagement from more than 50 different nations. It is a place where attendees can exchange knowledge, gain insight from one another, and establish crucial business relationships.
Over the course of the event, there will be 70+ educational sessions exploring a variety of topics. There will also be inspiring keynote addresses, showcase events, and the Business Bistro trade show. Attendees can also enjoy the annual Gala Dinner and Nocturne events.
Ecsite members gather in Malta for 2023 conference
The first Ecsite Conference took place in The Hague in 1990. Since that event, attendance has risen to over 1000 international scientific engagement experts. The Ecsite Conference in 2022, hosted by experimenta in Heilbronn, was a truly international affair, attended by 47 nations from across six continents.
This year’s host venue is Esplora, Malta’s Interactive Science Centre. This is an informal educational and leisure facility that caters to visitors of all ages. Sessions will also take place inside the Mediterranean Conference Centre.
Agenda highlights
Before Ecsite Conference 2023 kicks off in earnest, Wednesday 14 June will see a series of pre-conference events. This will include sessions on digital immersion, open schooling, and interactive learning, as well as the CEO focus session and an evening speakers reception.
Day one
Those attending the Ecsite Conference for the first time can begin with the Newcomers Breakfast on Thursday 15 June. This will be followed by the Opening Ceremony, featuring speeches by officials, the host and Ecsite representatives, as well as a few surprises. Then, the Business Bistro will officially be open for business
Concurrent sessions will take place throughout the afternoon, with breaks for lunch and coffee. Meanwhile, the Business Bistro will remain open all day.
Topics covered will include space research, science museums and politics, digital content, makerspaces, including young voices, and much more.
One highlight will be a session called ‘Sensitive science-society topics: risks, fears & responsibilities’.
In this panel, attendees will learn how to approach sensitive subjects such as mental health, cancer, vaccinations, and the climate urgency with the public, while being scientific, critical and managing emotions. Speakers include Catherine Oualian and Lisa Faye of Universcience, an organisation that works to make science accessible to all. They will be joined by Heidi Rosenström of Heureuka and Annemarie van Eekeren from NEMO Science Museum.
Tackling the planetary emergency
After the lunch break, attendees can choose from discussions and presentations on the latest developments in travelling exhibitions, cultivating 21st-century skills, the visitor experience and integrating community priorities into citizen science.
In ‘Cultural collaboration on the Planetary Emergency’, there will be insights from Marjolein van Breemen of the Naturalis Biodiversity Center; Camilla Tham from The Natural History Museum London; Dobrivoje Lale Eric of the Center for the Promotion of Science; Mairéad Hurley from Trinity College Dublin; and artist Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg.
Meanwhile, ‘Community voice, improving accessibility for all’ includes speakers Bronwyn O’Reilly from the Natural History Museum London; David Jones of the International Centre for Life; Akira Ohkubo from Miraikan; Patrizia Famà from MUSE Museo delle Scienze; and Anna Puchta of the Copernicus Science Centre.
Following a break for coffee, Amanda Mayne & Olivia O’Leary from The British Museum; Isabel Salgado of Fundación Caixa; Julie Leclair from the Canadian Museum of History; and Hillary Spencer of #taking risks, will speak in a session called ‘In real life: immersive experience and the future of travelling exhibitions.’
There will also be part two of the ‘What’s new in travelling exhibitions’ series. In addition, other sessions will look at indigenous knowledge, Erasmus+ and making art from science.
Another highlight will be ‘Climate and biodiversity: from Blah blah blah to impact’, with Brad Irwin of The Natural History Museum; Viola Hoffmann, Franziska Lang from experimental; Jens Astrup from the Natural History Museum of Denmark; and Claire Pillsbury from Exploratorium.
In the evening, Ecsite Conference 2023 attendees are invited to the Gala Dinner and 2023 Mariano Gago Ecsite Award ceremony.
Day two
Concurrent sessions will take place throughout Friday 16 June.
In the morning, Sarah Funk from the Science Center Netzwerk; Catherine Oualian of Universcience; Natalia Cândido Vendrasco from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; and Inga Specht of Leibniz Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversitätswandels will speak during a session called ‘What kind of science explainers do we need?’
Elsewhere, attendees can learn about AI, science and tourism, STE(A)M and youth climate action.
These sessions will be followed by the first keynote of the conference, delivered by Dr Lauren Vargas. A consultant, independent researcher and self-described ‘Digital Dragon Wrangler’, Vargas will share her unique perspective as an expert with years of experience in exploring the intersection between community and technology.
IP, technology and more
Afterwards, educational sessions will continue. This includes ‘Evidence for change: using tools to track and reduce the environmental impact of creating exhibitions’. This will feature insights from Hannah Boddy and Sarah Teale of National Museums Scotland; Christian Sichau of experimental; Maarten Taborsky from Bruns BV; and Gabrielle Zaug of Universcience.
In the latter part of the afternoon, sessions will cover topics such as guided-play environments, organisational design, the creative use of technology, how to support and empower diverse young people, and more.
In a session called ‘Intellectual property: the best-kept secret from museums and science centres’, attendees can hear from Frederic Bertley and Sara Leikin of COSI and Henna Bhatti from the Science Museum Group. They will be joined by Gail Lord of Lord Cultural Resources, the world’s largest cultural professional practice.
The Ecsite Annual General Meeting (AGM) will also take place on Friday afternoon. This is open to all Ecsite members. After this, there will be a range of community meet-ups, and the Business Bistro Happy Hour.
In the evening, Esplora Interactive Science Centre will host the annual Nocturne event.
Day three
Saturday 17 June at Ecsite Conference 2023 begins with more concurrent sessions. Subjects will include equity and inclusion, activism, children’s galleries, sustainable retail and more.
One highlight will be ‘Reinventing an icon: two perspectives’. In this session, attendees can hear from Science Center Singapore and NHM London. They’ll discuss pivotal anniversaries and how they are preparing to retain their iconic status in the future.
The speakers are Daniel Tan of Science Centre Singapore; Brad Irwin of the Natural History Museum London; Marjolein van Breemen from Naturalis Biodiversity Center; and Jim Broughton of Event, the experience design agency. Event is the designer behind some of the new galleries at Naturalis. It has also just completed the visitor experience masterplan in Singapore
Then, the second keynote address will be delivered by Rob Hopkins, co-founder of Transition Network and Transition Town Totnes. He is the author of several books including The Transition Handbook and most recently, From What Is to What If: unleashing the power of imagination to create the future we want.
Futures literacy
After this, attendees can learn about topics like science engagement through art, touring business models, making the Ecsite Conference sustainable and using data to better understand visitors.
In ‘The role of museums in advancing skills for the 21st Century’ participants can discover futures-oriented museums and discuss their role in advancing Futures Literacy, with Raul Corrêa-Smith of the MOTI Foundation; Lath Carlson from the Museum of the Future; Maria Isabel Garcia of The Mind Museum; and Stefan Brandt of Futurium.
There will also be a two-part follow-up workshop to Dr Lauren Vargas’s keynote speech.
Later in the afternoon, highlights include ‘Local programmes for global issues: let’s join forces’, with Agnes Ruiz of the American Museum of Natural History; Pauline Robert from The Natural History Museum, London; Sheldon Paquin from the Science Museum Group; David Forgeron of Universicence; and Stephen White of COSI.
Other topics being explored throughout the afternoon of day three include open sciences, inclusive language, tinkering, and more.
In ‘The crystal ball challenge: imagining the perfect exhibition on the climate and energy crisis’, attendees can hear from Raphael Chanay of Universcience; Lizzy Bakker from NEMO Science Museum; Adrien Stalter of Universcience; and Jürgen Öhlinger and Helene Wagner from Technisches Museum Wien.
Science centres from across Europe will then present experiments, hands-on activities and
demonstrations in The Grand Bazaar. Attendees can also join a conversation with this year’s Beacon of the Year Mariano Gago Ecsite award winner.
In the Closing and Handover event, Ecsite will goodbye and thank you to the 2023 hosts. The organisers will also reveal the host venue for the 2024 Ecsite Conference.
Finally, attendees can enjoy the Farewell Party. This is an informal social event where they can chat, share a drink with other participants and dance. It is a ticketed event.
Business Bistro at Ecsite Conference 2023
The trade show features 65 exhibitors and more than 1,000 science engagement professionals including key decision-makers from 450+ different organisations.
National Geographic Society, a sponsor of Ecsite Conference 2023, will be presenting several shows at booth #18. The team will also be speaking at the ‘What’s New in Traveling Exhibitions’ session on Thursday 15 June.
Visitors to the booth will be able to find out more about the Pristine Seas exhibition. This is currently on display at Museon-Ominversum, as well as the Wolves exhibition. Jen Wallace and Alexa Fedynsky will be present at the show. The team can be contacted by email for any questions or to request meeting times.
The Universcience team, Hélène Wang, Olivier Poublan and Matthieu Taunay, will be at booth #53. To book a meeting, contact the team by email. In the ‘What’s New in Traveling Exhibitions’ session on Thursday 15 June, Wang will present the firm’s new CROWDOLOGY, the science of crowds exhibition. This will be touring from Spring 2024.
With this exhibition, Universcience is tackling a phenomenon that has never been broached in a scientific exhibition. A crowd is not only a sum of individuals. Their interactions give rise to a little something more, which this exhibition looks to decipher. To this end, it calls on a variety of disciplines: fluid mechanics, granular physics, mathematics, behavioural science and social psychology.
Amy Seitz of Exhibits Development Group (EDG), a global leader in travelling exhibitions, will also present during the travelling exhibition showcase on 15 June. During this, she will share some of EDG’s latest exhibitions that push the boundaries of scientific education. This includes Evolution, Electric Playhouse Travels and Sherlock Holmes: The Exhibition.
Evolution is an immersive experience that sold out its opening month when it made its debut in Saudi Arabia. This exhibition will make its American premiere in the spring of 2024. Meanwhile, Electric Playhouse Travels is a STEAM-filled experience. This invites visitors into an immersive projection-mapped environment, where they can express themselves artistically and engage in healthy, active play. Electric Playhouse Travels has been breaking attendance records since its release in Boston.
Sherlock Holmes: The Exhibition is a science-driven, experiential, and environmental exhibition. It allows visitors to step into the shoes of the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes. Reach out to Carrie O’Keefe to schedule a time to meet up with Seitz at Ecsite Conference 2023. EDG will be at booth #13.
Travelling exhibitions and more on show
Imagine Exhibitions, a leader in worldwide travelling exhibitions and entertainment, will be at booth #16. Imagine Exhibitions recently announced that an immersive new experience is coming to the Las Vegas Strip. This will feature huge, lifelike animatronic dinosaurs.
At booth #52, the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) will showcase shows like T. rex: The Ultimate Predator; Nature’s Superheroes; Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids: Mythic Creatures; The World’s Largest Dinosaurs; Extinct & Endangered: Insects in Peril and more.
Meanwhile, Cosm, a global technology company that builds end-to-end solutions for immersive experiences, can be found at booth #7.
Other suppliers will also be present at the event. For instance, Marco Rosa of formula D_, a producer of internationally recognised and renowned visitor experiences, is travelling from Cape Town to Malta to participate in the conference, where he is looking forward to engaging with the key themes, especially sessions surrounding the climate and biodiversity crisis.
Rosa is also excited to make new connections with the European Science Centre community, especially after doing the same with the Museum Community in the USA a couple of weeks ago. If you’d like to meet him at the conference, click here.
Jonathan Cooper, representing Chaperone, a comprehensive and advanced user engagement platform for brand experiences, will be at the show. Attendees who want to find out more about Chaperone can book a meeting via email.
Please click here to register for the Ecsite Conference 2023
Ecsite has also announced that the 2023 International Directors Forum on Science Engagement will take place from 15-16 November. This will be hosted by Ecsite member Heureka, The Finnish Science Centre.
