Phenomenta

Under the name Phänomenta exist in Germany four permanent exhibitions (in Bremerhaven , Flensburg , Lüdenscheid and in Peenemunde ) that their visitors the laws and phenomena of physics would like to familiarize.

Basic concept

With experiments, which the visitors of the respective exhibition can usually carry out completely themselves, the physics should be made interesting especially for children and young people. For this purpose, there are information boards for each experiment, on which it is described how the experiment should be carried out and why it leads to the determined result. In the Phenomenta in Peenemünde, for example, it is possible to use leverage to lift a 700 kg Trabant 601 with one hand. Also optical illusions part of the repertoire.

Locations

The firstphenomenta was created in the 1980s at the University of Education in Flensburg , which had specialized in teacher training for elementary schools , secondary schools and secondary schools . Professor Lutz Fiesser was responsible for the idea of this first science center in Germany. He later received the Federal Cross of Merit on ribbon for his pioneering work in science education . In the course of time, largely independent offshoots of this phenomenon emerged. However, the namephenomenta remained a protected name. Applications for its use for public exhibitions can be submitted to the Flensburg Phenomenta .

There are four permanent exhibitions in Germany today, namely thephenomenta in Bremerhaven , thephenomenta Flensburg , thephenomenta Lüdenscheid (founded in 1996) and thephenomenta in Peenemünde on the island of Usedom (opened in 2000). Former, apparently now closed, phenomena were in Suhl around 2006 and since 1998 in the historic town hall in Templin . Until 2012, there were also two Phenomenta touring exhibitions in different cities in Germany. Even today, some of the Phenomentas lend corresponding exhibits. In 2007, the Flensburg Phenomenta, together with the Mathematikum from Gießen, was involved in setting up the first exhibition of the Experiminta in Frankfurt am Main . In 2015, phæno, a science center with an obviously similar name and concept, was opened in Wolfsburg . The establishment of an Einstein Museum based on the model of thephenomenta in Ulm has apparently been planned since 2016 . In recent years ,phenomentas have also participated in the introduction of so-called mini -phenomentas, smaller phenomenas in German and foreign schools, for example in Thailand . The respective Phenomenta exhibitions are state financed primarily by the respective municipalities; in addition, through voluntary development associations and local sponsors . The entrance fees are tiered differently depending on the location.