Museum design: MTE Studios' Professor Mike Bruton to Chair the 6th Science Centre World Congress Blooloop

Over 380 delegates from more than 60 countries including UAE, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to attend the Congress

Dubai and Cape Town based MTE Studios, a consultancy firm specializing in themed architecture and interactive exhibitions, well known for their turnkey themed projects and world-class installations in science centres and museum galleries worldwide, is honored to announce that their Director of Imagineering, Professor Mike Bruton, will chair the upcoming 6th Science Centre World Congress to be held in Cape Town, South Africa from September 4 to 8, 2011.

Ludo Verheyen, CEO, MTE Studios and Professor Bruton will be part of the concurrent sessions addressing science centre and museum professionals from around the world at the Congress where the consultancy firm will also have a team available at the exhibition running parallel to the Congress.

“The Science Centre World Congress is held every three years in a different continent. It is the main gathering of science centre professionals in the world and has three main goals: to assess the status of science centres worldwide and plot the way forward, to facilitate strategic discussions on new challenges and opportunities for science centres, and to promote the growth of science centres in the region in which the World Congress is being held. The 6th Science Centre World Congress in Cape Town, South Africa, will be attended by over 380 delegates from more than 60 countries, including delegates from the UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and various Muslim countries in North Africa. In addition, a three-day Capacity Building Workshop will be held before the main Congress to develop the skills of science centre professionals in Africa and the Middle East. MTE Studios is delighted to be a supporter of this exciting and inspiring event.” said Professor Bruton.

Recognized as one of the world’s leading museum and science centre professionals, Professor Bruton, along with his peers, will explore the relevance of the concept of the third paradigm museum, highlight the importance of building communities through science, investigate the role of science centres in the present environment, and discuss whether the science centre movement is colonialist. Ludo Verheyen with fellow delegates will highlight the opportunities created by acknowledging the multi-cultural roots of science and technology at the sessions.

"We’re honored that our Imagineering Director, Professor Bruton will be chairing one of the most prestigious events, a gathering that directs strategic planning for the worldwide science centre movement. It is a perfect platform for delegates to meet from all corners of the globe to discuss issues facing science centres and the important role that science centres can play in increasing public engagement in science and technology, ” said Verheyen.

With the theme "Science Across Cultures", the 6th Science Centre World Congress will encourage reconciliation between different cultures and a greater appreciation of the role that science centres can play in highlighting each culture’s unique contributions to science, technology and science education. In the plenary sessions, an international range of speakers will challenge the status quo and propose challenging new ideas. Sixty concurrent sessions on a range of challenging and inspiring topics will provide a comprehensive overview of strategic thinking in the science centre community today.

MTE Studios, creators of the ‘1000 Years of Knowledge Rediscovered’ permanent exhibition on display in the Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai have also played a major role in the design, manufacture and installation of numerous interactive exhibits at the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, Turkey, and recently delivered a turnkey science museum for the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia. The company is also known worldwide for their global travelling exhibition, ‘Sultans of Science’, celebrating the contributions of Muslim scholars in science and technology during the Golden Age of the Islamic World.

The exhibition has been showcased at the MTN Sciencentre in Cape Town, South Africa; the Liberty Science Center in New Jersey, USA; Ontario Science Centre in Canada and The TELUS World Of Science in Edmonton, Canada. Due to popular demand, the exhibition will soon be hosted at The Tech Museum in the United States. In addition to the design of galleries and the development, design, prototyping and manufacture of exhibitions, MTE Studios also offers operational planning and training for science centres and museums.

About MTE Studios:

MTE Studios is a specialized consultancy firm focused on themed architecture and interactive learning experiences. The firm designs, prototypes and manufactures inspiring interactive exhibits for science centers, museums, shopping malls and corporate environments.

MTE Studios translates unique residential, commercial, educational and leisure projects into stimulating lifescapes. Its scope of services ranges from creating a storyline, concept and detail design, documentation, project management and art direction during construction. MTE’s portfolio of completed projects includes museums, shopping malls, theme parks, FEC’s and residential developments.

With offices in Dubai, UAE and Cape Town, South Africa, MTE Studios has an interdisciplinary team of over 50 specialists, including architects, art directors, artists, engineers and interactive designers from over 12 countries. Visit www.mtestudios.com for more information