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IN 2008, A forgotten corner of Trinity College Dublin was transformed into a living experiment called Science Gallery Dublin – and it has just celebrated its 10th anniversary.
Over the past decade, Science Gallery Dublin has developed an ever-changing programme of exhibitions and events fuelled by the expertise of scientists, students, artists, designers, creative thinkers and more.
The gallery aims to encourage young people to learn through their interests, and the focus has been on providing programmes and experiences that allow visitors to participate in and facilitate social connections.
Since opening in 2008, over 2.5 million visitors have passed through the gallery.
Director of Science Gallery Dublin Lynn Scarff has been with the centre since the get-go in 2008 but never expected it to become the massive success that it has.
“I was very lucky to be one of the founding team of the Science Gallery. It was a very rapid prototype from knowing roughly what we were going to do to 12 months later and opening the door,” Scarff told TheJournal.ie.
She said that looking back at documentation, the gallery only projected 50,000 visitors per year. However, since its launch, Science Gallery has had 42 exhibitions. It now attracts an average of 430,000 visitors a year.
“That just shows how popular it is. We weren’t really expecting that level of engagement,” Scarff said.
The world has changed immensely since 2008, be it socially or with regards to technology, and Scarff believes the gallery opened at a critically important time for science globally.
“Science Gallery is a great example of a unique idea that exploded onto the cultural scene just at the right time. In many ways, that’s what this year’s celebration is about. It’s about what we’ve done so far but it’s actually also more looking forward to the next 10 years and looking at what the next boundary to push is,” Scarff said.
[image alt="32875049242_ef20cff1cc_b" src="http://cdn.thejournal.ie/media/2018/02/32875049242_ef20cff1cc_b-296x197.jpg" width="296" height="197" credit-source="Science%20Gallery%20Dublin" caption="Humans%20Need%20Not%20Apply%20exhibition" class="alignnone" /end]
Going global
Science Gallery Dublin has not only seen its own centre grow and improve through the years, but it has helped spark a global network of galleries too.
Speaking of the success it has had in Dublin and the impact that has had, Scarff said: ”We all knew that we had a compelling idea and something that would resonate with people, but I think the thing we were most surprised about was its impact beyond Dublin and Ireland and how a global network just expanded from here.”
In 2012, the Science Gallery concept went global with the foundation of the Global Science Network, pioneered by Trinity College Dublin. Gallery projects are currently in development in Detroit, Bangalore, Melbourne and Venice. Science Gallery at King’s College, London is set to open its doors to the public later this year.
[image alt="34474091383_64cf75382d_b" src="http://cdn.thejournal.ie/media/2018/02/34474091383_64cf75382d_b-296x197.jpg" width="296" height="197" credit-source="Science%20Gallery%20Dublin" caption="Science%20Gallery's%20Sound%20Check%20exhibition%20in%20June%202017" class="alignnone" /end]
Turning the conversation back to Dublin, Scarff took a moment to reflect on her favourite moments at the gallery over the past decade. She said that rather than a particular exhibition standing out as a highlight, it was, in fact, the people involved.
“The highlight has been the level of human connection and interaction that happens in Science Gallery,” Scarff said.
“That has been the highlight in the sense that I’ve met artists that are working in so many different mediums, I’ve met scientists who are working on such incredible research, designers, people in technology, engineers…
The conversations have been the highlight more than anything.
To celebrate its first decade, Science Gallery Dublin yesterday held a full-day symposium, with Irish and international artists, experts, scientists and collaborators from the gallery’s first 10 years. They discussed the influence of art and science collaborative practice in a cultural, social, economic and educational context.
See here for the Science Gallery’s full 2018 programme.
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It’s a day for the high stool I think..
I just laid a high stool….now it’s a low stool!
Fluichy ar lá
Journal, what’s with the file photo? Can’t you people point your phone out of the window and take a picture of the actual storm effects?
The Jpurnal is based I Dublin and the worst of the storm is happening initially in the west of the country and they don’t have a camera with a two hundred mile zoom lens.
They don’t have windows because you don’t click their ads. :(
@DMcE talk about looking for something to complain about! Can you not picture a storm in your head or look out your own window?
Dam the cliffs are closed.
Drove on m50 slow down people
Today the council are out putting boiling tar into holes filled with water and throwing gravel on top.. its not going to stay .. why is this always done in the rain ???
What idiot council is doing that?
water conservation !
Have to spend the budget before the end of the year. Could do a bit of planning and fill the potholes earlier in the year
Don’t forget to turn the tap off when washing your teeth, its all about water conservation after all?.
Ugghh have to go to work in that. More of a day for the high stool
I don’t mean to poke holes but that headline picture looks alot like Toronto and their street cars in the background?
It’s alright ye all can go back out tuesday we have a meeting in Dublin to see we can we batten down storm austerity which has been raging for years
You’re some saucepan Derek… I really hope you get soaked today
And Tuesday
Cathal I wonder who pi$$ed on Derek’s cornflakes???
Cathal rather be a saucepan than a colander and have all drained out of me without trying to put a stop to it
Empty vessels make most noise
And the more noise the better
Did last sat not today though don’t like the same medicine over and over again like to try and do something about it
Some one spitting their dodie out …awhhhhhh. Did ya git out of your homeless sleeping bag on the wrong side this morning.. jockd ?? ,yellow to the front , brown to the back. Derek
Gem Larkin do not insult the name give it hack
Fcuk off Dessie!
A tarzans mate whether it rains or not Jane I’ll be there
Lol
We’re not in Kanas anymore Toto !
I was coming back home last night (well…. early morning… 3.00 am) with my Vespa…. I can tell I challenged several laws of physics driving my scooter around…. but was fun!
Went for a run then shopping, dinner and pints, you’re all wimps
Went t bring me dogs for walk ths mornin.the look on their faces.”No fkn way u gettn us out in that lad, p**ss off “
You can fly to Donegal?!
Haha see all hear all assummption making know damn all lackey
Meanwhile the government argues for an exemption from carbon emissions targets at the Paris conference. Didn’t someone tell these storms that we’re exempt? #denial
I was in Dublin yesterday & while it was raining up to 12 noon it cleared up good enough with some squally outbursts but nothing compared to what other counties got.. There was still a lot of dry intervals.. When i got back to cork last night it was bucketing again..
I drove from Dublin to athlone earlier today,to say it was an unpleasant experience is an understatement
Storm Desmond! Almost makes the bad weather sound kinda’ alright and that it’s even a bit of craic. Can’t wait to hear the future news about ‘Storm Jack Cruise’ and its ….Gaels of Laughter, Ha! .
Weather you wouldn’t even leave a ladder out in, I think?
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