Kalimpong Science Centre has been established in Kalimpong, one of the Hill Sub-Division of Darjeeling District in the year 2008, conceived, designed and developed by National Council of Science Museums (Ministry of Culture, Government of India). It is knowledge-based organization of high quality and dedication; engage in popularizing Science and Technology among the general masses particularly, in students.
Kalimpong Science Centre was inaugurated on 2nd October’2008 by Shri B. L. Meena, IAS, and Honorable Admistrator-Darjeeling Gorkha Hill council.
Kalimpong Science Centre has been conceived, designed and developed by National Council of Science Museums (Ministry of Culture, Government of India). This Science Centre has been officially handed over to the Department of Education-Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council on 11th September’2007.
Kalimpong Science Centre has been registered under West Bengal Certificate of Registration of Societies Act XXVI of 1961 on 27th July’2007.
Main objectives of Kalimpong Science Centre:
2)To create, inculcate and sustain a general awareness in the public, especially the youth about science and its application to modern life.
3) To develop scientific attitude and temper with a view to helping children and adult to think and act rationally in a modern society.
4) To supplement science education by providing audio-visual media through science museum, exhibition, science club etc., and by organizing teacher education, design and development of teaching aids and experimental kits for students.
5) To identify, encourage and nurture creative scientific talent, especially among children.
6) To create infrastructure and facilities and to undertake programme to explain science to the general masses with the view of inculcating a scientific temper in them.
7) To arrange for permanent and semi-permanent display of visual object and exhibits on scientific and technical topics.
8) To design and produce exhibits, model and other visual objects needed not only for these centers but also by schools and community centers and advice the letter in the display and presentation of these objects according to their thematic and related patterns.
9) To procure films on science and technology and organize their screening to supplement science education in school and colleges.
10) To generate and improve, through students, teachers and others, new innovative forms of experiments and teaching methods, using commonly available local materials and appliances as well as organize their demonstration periodically with explanatory lectures.
11) To organize science hobby camps, science fairs, popular science lecture/seminars, etc. from time-to-time.
12) To initiate formation of science clubs, science promotional groups etc, in schools, colleges and in the community as well.
13) To arrange for mobile science exhibitions and semi-permanent exhibition for educating the general masses in urban and rural areas about the growth of science and technology, and its application in agriculture, industry, health, society development etc.
14) To provide common service facilities in the form of science library, reading rooms, small electrical/electronic/mechanical workplace, auditorium etc.
15) To organize in-service training for administrative and scientific personnel on the different aspects of establishing and maintaining science museums.
16) To carry out research in the history of science and technology with special reference to the State.
Current Attraction:
1) Fun Science :
The science starts with exploration and leads to discover. It is a result of this instinct of man that many inventions has been made that make our lives a lot luxurious that wasn’t even dreamt of in the past.
Fun Science Gallery as the name depicts has a lot of easy to use and understand exhibits that one is tempted to come and play with them, and explore them and learn the various secrets of scientific phenomena. Here in the gallery you can take courses of scientific exploration, play with exhibits and interact with them. You are bound to enjoy in the process with process of discovery in various arenas of physical science and increase your knowledge. You can see the various aspects of the pendulum, objects defying gravity, optical gadgets, rolling balls, light producing color shadows and there is a kaleidoscope that makes varied geometric patterns you can also capture your shadow and leave it behind mirrors making funny images of yourself.
You will be enchanted by the objects that seem to exist but is not there physically a view of an optical illusion. There are magnets that show different behavior under different condition.2) Digital Corridor:
Here as you pass from the fun science gallery to the digital gallery you will pass through a digital corridor where you will find your image on the adjacent walls in the form of bright red small light covering the area of the shadow caused by you. Your bright red shadow is bound to startle you. It is really a scientific wonder.
3) Digital Gallery:
Here you can find yourself among all of computerized scientific gadgets acquainting yourselves with all the secrets that make these gadgets work. There is a blue tooth printer which is a latest technology added to the scientific world. There is a phone where you can hear the voice of J. J. Thomson explaining the theory of electrons. You can learn the language of computers i.e. the binary digits and learn to spell your name in the binary code. Get yourself acquainted with the processes of supermarkets through the bar code reader and learn how the bar code reader identifies various products and their prices.
4) Taramandol:
Taramandal, a uniquely designed inflatable dome planetarium of the centre gives a fantastic view of the clear sky that you would see on a cloudless night and know about the various stars and constellations. It will also revel to the visitors the night sky of Kalimpong or any place in the northern hemisphere. It can accommodate about twenty-five visitors and there is a demonstrator who brings you in term with the night sky. It is a very lively demonstration and imparts great knowledge to the visitors.
5) Children Activity Corner:
Science is best learnt by fun and enjoyment. The Centre comes forward to promote activities that lend a helping hand in increasing the scientific outlook of children for better understanding of science. There are number of kits such as simple electricity, pendulum, magnet, light, sound, model of solar system etc. in the children’s activity corner and these kits helps them to be creative and sharp.
6) Science Park:
Outside the exhibition hall and in the open air, the science park with lush green where young children come close to nature and play with the specially designed exhibits placed in the surroundings. There are various exhibits in the open green park where the young children are bound to get enchanted by the various exhibits and the huge life sized Dinosaurs. We can imagine the process of evolution, which is still continuing comparing our present day animals to these prehistoric animals. The Dinosaur Park is sure to attract visitors of all age groups.
Here one can find various exhibits on simple mechanics sound, optics, pendulums etc. One can operate levers of different classes and experiment with various pulleys, reflectometer of sound, and enjoy the sympathetic swing. Look through a camera obscure, and above all one can lift himself and check his own weight. You will learn how difficult it is to move through a spider web and imagine the adaptability of a spider. The young hearts are bound to learn the basic principles of science while playing with these exhibits. There is also a medicinal garden where you will find the rarest of herbs. Brought from different locations the medicinal plants are sure to increase your knowledge with regards to their habitat and medicinal uses. 7) A CPC 800 celestron telescope with GPRS facility and a zorbing ball (Recently installed)
The telescope is a very modern one that should delight the stargazers. It has computer attached to it and one can trace any object in the celestial world through auto-tracking,With the new telescope in its kitty, the centre is planning to organise observation programmes during eclipses for the benefit of the stargazers. “It will surely be a new experience for enthusiasts to observe the eclipse through the powerful telescope.
Kalimpong, however, does not have an astronomy club of amateur stargazers. But there should be many takers even among the local people for the zorbing ball, for the thrill of rolling down a hill inside a ball made of transparent fibre.
“The diameter of the ball is 14 feet, and more than two persons can easily fit inside. The zorbing ball at our centre I believe is the first of its kind in the Northeast.
The zorbing ball is very light in weight since it is made of flexible plastic. The ball is double-sectioned, with one ball inside the other with an air layer between. This acts as a shock absorber for the rider, damping bumps while travelling.
“Zorbing is generally performed on a gentle slope, but can also be done on a level surface, permitting more rider control. Source: Kalimpong Science Centre
For More informatin please Visit an official Website of Kalimpong Science Centre at : http://kalimpongsciencecentre.com/
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