The Miodrag Kostić Foundation presented the contents and activities that will take place in the Palace of Science, the largest center for research and popularization of science in the region, which according to plan will open its doors to visitors in December this year. At the end of last year, the public was introduced to the cooperation with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University of Belgrade, whose professors and students will have 19 state-of-the-art research centers at the Palace of Science, while the contents presented now are intended to popularize science for all generations, with a special focus on children and young people.
In the Palace of Science, there will be a permanent exhibition that will count over 30 educational and interactive exhibits that will explain technology, phenomena in space and nature, as well as the human being. In addition, a part of the space will be reserved for guest scientific exhibitions, so that new and attractive content from various scientific disciplines is regularly available to visitors.
"A large number of exhibits in the Palace of Science will include, in addition to the mandatory educational component, an element of fun and games, in order to bring technological innovations and scientific phenomena closer to the youngest in an interesting way. We are also preparing a specially equipped children's corner, in which there are contents from the field of programming, robotics , geology, but also art, designed for preschoolers. In its work, the foundation will pay special attention to primary school students with the aim of contributing to the quality of education, awakening curiosity and interest in science," said Nemanja Đorđević, manager of the Miodrag Kostić Foundation, noting that the entire space of 5.500m2 designed to offer visitors unique scientific experiences and exciting demonstrations, with robots, holograms, the application of augmented and virtual reality in exhibition settings.
In the Palace of Science, there will be the largest interactive globe in Europe, with a diameter of 3 meters, on the surface of which more than 500 different projections of the Earth, planets, airplane trajectories, geological phenomena and climate changes will be displayed, in real time thanks to the NASA database. Among the attractive facilities, the planetarium, a spherical cinema with an area of over 100 m, stands out2 with 36 seats, in which, in addition to projections on the theme of space, educational films from various scientific fields will be broadcast. Visitors will have a VR escape room at their disposal, while they will be able to take a break while visiting the exhibits in the scientific cafe and bookstore, as well as the restaurant that will be opened on the top floor. The Miodrag Kostić Endowment will also organize workshops, seminars and scientific lectures in its multifunctional hall.
Support for science and education was the motive for the president and founder of MK Group, Miodrag Kostić, to donate 25 million euros to the Palace of Science through his endowment and leave lasting value to current and future generations, believing that knowledge is the greatest value and what drives society forward. This space will enable young scientists to work in top conditions and push the boundaries in scientific research, but it will also open its doors to everyone, in a mission to bring scientific discoveries closer to their application in everyday life," said Aleksandra Stojanović, member of the Board of Directors of the Miodrag Foundation. Kostic.
The magnificent building on the corner of Kralja Milana and Knez Milos streets, which will house the Palace of Science, will reveal its renovated facade these days. The restoration and conservation works were carried out in cooperation with the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of the City of Belgrade, in order to preserve the architectural and artistic value of the building, which this year marks the 100th anniversary of its construction.
I am pleased that the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of the City of Belgrade is part of a project such as the Palace of Science. Its opening will take us far into the future, and the Miodrag Kostić Endowment is a true example of how to protect a cultural monument and how to approach the preservation of objects of exceptional architectural beauty and cultural value. There are rare buildings in Belgrade architecture with such rich facade decoration," said Olivera Vučković, director of the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of the City of Belgrade.
After a century, the Miodrag Kostić Endowment will breathe new life into the building at Kralja Milana 11, which was home to various banks, in the service of science and society, in the mission of development and exchange of knowledge that pushes boundaries.
