In response to the cancellation of Ecsite 2020, the European network of science centres and museums has put together two days of virtual events – Ecsite Day and Business Day.
Ecsite Day will be taking place on Thursday 11 June at 10 am CEST. As well as a keynote lecture and other thought-provoking sessions from experts in the field, attendees will also benefit from networking opportunities and ways to share ideas and information.
This will be followed by Ecsite’s Business Day on Friday 19 June, a digital day exclusively dedicated to business opportunities. All exhibitors will have dedicated timeslots, as well as their own business page, where they can showcase products and solutions.
Both #EcsiteOnline events are open and free to all professionals engaging audiences with science and technology.
The Ecsite App
Ecsite is also pleased to announce the launch of its new app. This is designed to bring members together and to help them get the most out of their virtual Ecsite conference experience. The full programme is now available to view through the app.
Users simply need to download the free app and then create a profile. To connect with peers, they can also add their interests and relevant keywords into their profile. They can find others by using the free text search system.
The app also includes a meetups function. Here, members can use digital rooms to meet, discuss ideas and collaborate on projects.
The day will kick off at 10 am CEST with a warm welcome from Herbert Münder, Ecsite’s President. He will then introduce the Kavli Foundation lecture, given this year by Nicolas Nova. The keynote, entitled Design Fictions and the Near Future, will explore the concept of Design Fiction. This an approach that focuses on the creation of tangible evidence of the existence of possible near futures.
Nova is a co-founder of The Near Future Laboratory and Associate Professor at the Geneva School of Arts and Design. He is a multidisciplinary researcher working at the intersection of anthropology, computer science and design.
Educational and fun sessions
After the keynote lecture, two more inspiring sessions will follow. These will look at lessons from the pandemic and how they can be used to improve organisations, as well as the future of business models. During these sessions, attendees will see contributions from more than 40 people from across the Ecsite network.
The afternoon session will begin with a presentation by Catherine Franche, Ecsite’s Executive Director.
Participants in Ecsite Day can enjoy activities in the GameLab and learn to be creative with kitchen tools with the Make Ecsite community. Alongside the scheduled activities, attendees can also network through the app’s meetups function.
Finally, the day finishes with some music from the Ecsite Jazz Band and a fun pub quiz. A detailed programme for Ecsite Day is available now in the app.
Ecsite Business Day
In addition to Ecsite Day, the network is also holding a dedicated Business Day. This takes place on Friday 19 June and is designed to facilitate business-related collaboration and inspiration. It will include sessions by exhibitors, product demos and ways to connect with businesses.
Teo, the Touring Exhibitions Organisation, is the new global platform for international touring exhibitions. Created for hosts, producers and specialist providers of international touring exhibitions, it is a new global living resource to share, learn and connect and will also be present at Business Day.
Teo enables an open and free exploration of travelling projects and specialist profiles available around the world. It continuously shares in-depth content and industry updates with the community. Teo is an inclusive initiative that offers museums, science centres, galleries, libraries, cultural and experience venues and partner specialists a comprehensive entry point into the world of touring.
The team will be showcasing its virtual gallery of travelling exhibitions. The company will also soon be launching a full programme on sustainability in international touring exhibitions.
Imagine Exhibitions
Imagine Exhibitions is a Gold & Extra sponsor of Ecsite Day and Business Day.
Attendees can look for Imagine’s Special Exhibit page for details on how the company is using its position as a leader in travelling exhibitions and attractions to serve the industry during these challenging times.
This page includes information on several Imagine shows that can already accommodate social distancing measures. For instance, Dinosaurs Around the World, Sean Kenney’s Animal Super Powers made with LEGO(r) bricks, Real Bodies the Exhibition, and Sean Kenney’s Nature POP! made with LEGO bricks.
The team will also be talking about how it is using its responsive corporate culture to meet today’s needs. Additionally, Imagine Exhibitions will be taking part in the travelling exhibition session. This takes place on 19 June from 16.30 to 17.30 CEST. Its presentation will focus on some of its new, educational and socially distant offerings in its extensive portfolio.
Science North
Science North will also be presenting during the session on what’s new in touring exhibitions. Troy Rainville, Senior Manager, International Sales will be showcasing the company’s latest travelling exhibit, The Science of Guinness World Records.
This 600 – 1000 square metre exhibition is a partnership with Ripley Entertainment and Guinness World Records. Here, visitors can enjoy putting themselves in the shoes of record holders. They can even try their hand at some of the challenges themselves. The exhibition also explores the science behind these amazing achievements.
https://youtu.be/CPcf_ReF4-M
The Science of Guinness World Records reminds visitors that anyone can be a record-breaker. It also helps to explain the incredible.
Science North is working to support museums and science centres as they adapt to meet temporary COVID-19 restrictions. This includes reconfigured linear floor plans to help control visitor flow and capacity limitations, as well as expertise from its team of professional and experienced tech staff.
Keeping connected during COVID-19
As well as the Ecsite Day and Business Day programming, Ecsite is also hosting a weekly webinar on Wednesdays at 3 pm CEST. This is to help members stay connected and support each other with the challenges presented by coronavirus.
Previous sessions have covered topics such as supporting an inclusive response to the pandemic, decolonising museums and audience research & COVID-19. In addition to this, the network is hosting weekly members exchange sessions on Tuesdays at 3 pm CEST. These serve as a platform for peer discussions.
Ecsite Day sponsors
The keynote sponsor is the Kavli Foundation. Imagine Exhibitions is a Gold and Extra sponsor, while YIPP, Bruns, Archimedes Exhibitions and EXPO Booking are all gold sponsors of Ecsite Day and Business Day.
Ecsite Day and Business Day are free to all. To register for a place, click here and download the app.
Background image from 2019 Ecsite Conference.
