Science Gallery Dublin on Westland Row
Jack Leahy
News Editor
Science Gallery International have signed a partnership agreement with the Karnataka State Government that may lead to the establishment of a Science Gallery in Bangalore, based on the Science Gallery model pioneered by Ireland’s leading university Trinity College Dublin.
Science Gallery International is an initiative pioneered by Trinity College Dublin and Karnataka State Government to collaborate in cutting-edge science projects. Building on the success of Science Gallery Dublin, it is hoped that Bangalore may host a similar initiative.
Mr. I. S. N. Prasad, Principal Secretary, Department of IT, BT and Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka, announced that his Government will commission a feasibility study into the potential for Science Gallery Bangalore, and will establish a Steering Committee to oversee its preparation. This will ensure the active participation of key stakeholders in the academic, research and cultural communities, including the Indian Institute of Science, the National Centre for Biological Sciences, and Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology.
Science Gallery Dublin uses broad themes to create multidisciplinary exhibition programmes, targeting 15-25 year olds. It aims “to ignite creativity where science and art collide” and has received more than one million visitors in just five years. With its innovative approach, engaging young adults with cutting-edge culture, it has built up a significant international profile. It is now being developed internationally and last year Science Gallery International received a gift of €1million from Google.org as seed-funding towards the formation of a Global Science Gallery Network.
“With a highly-educated, creative and technologically aware population, Bangalore is the ideal location for a Science Gallery in India,” commented the founding director of Science Gallery Michael John Gorman who was in Bangalore to sign the partnership. He also delivered a public lecture entitled ‘Bridging Art, Science and Technology’ at Bangalore’s National Gallery of Modern Art to mark the event.
“We look forward to studying the potential for developing Science Gallery Bangalore, which we hope will be equally successful, not only in showcasing cutting edge science, but also in reaching out to the widest possible public in an innovative and compelling manner. ” said Mr. Prasad.
“Science Gallery Dublin has been enormously successful in communicating world leading research at Trinity College Dublin to the citizens of Dublin, Ireland’s capital city and to the Irish public in general. A similar initiative in Bangalore would further reinforce its reputation as an innovative and creative hub,” concluded the Provost of Trinity College Dublin, Dr Patrick Prendergast on the occasion of the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding.
Advanced talks are also underway with the UK’s prestigious university, King’s College London with a view to establishing a Science Gallery there. Besides these locations, discussions are underway with potential partners to extend the Global Science Gallery Network to a number of cities including Singapore and New York, with a view to creating a network of eight galleries by 2020.
