CITÉ DES SCIENCES ET DE L’INDUSTRIE

Description

Essentials about the Cité des sciences et de l’industrie in brief

Whether young or old – technology fans will have a hard time tearing themselves away from the Cité des sciences et de l’industrie (engl. “City of Science and Industry”). After all, the Cité des sciences is the largest technical museum in all of Europe and certainly one of the most exciting. Every year, more than five million visitors come here to discover the secrets of science.

The areas of the Cité des sciences et de l’industrie

Explora

The Cité is located in Parc de la Villette, the largest landscaped park in Paris. It is divided into several areas. The Explora area covers an incredible 30,000 square meters, or about two-thirds of the total exhibition space. Here, visitors can learn all kinds of interesting facts about mathematics, optics, actustics, hydrology, biology and biotechnology, energy, transportation, mineralogy and volcanology, as well as astronomy and space travel in the themed permanent exhibitions. Highlights of the exhibitions include outstanding examples of French engineering, such as the TGV high-speed train, the VAL driverless train of the Métro, and a model of the latest Rafale fighter aircraft. Also very popular are the flight simulator of an Airbus cockpit and a model of the European space launcher Ariane 5. In addition to the permanent exhibitions, the Cité des sciences also continuously organizes temporary exhibitions around many topics from science and technology.

Cités of children, health and careers

Another area of the Cité is the Science Library, which is divided into the Great Public, Childhood and History of Science sections. Especially designed for the visit of children between 3 and 12 years old is the Cité of Children, where children are taught knowledge through play. There is also the Cité of Professions, a place of information on training and professions, and the Cité of Health, an information and consultation room on all topics of health.

The Planetarium and La Géode

Last but not least, another highlight of the Cité des sciences is the planetarium, which projects the starry sky onto a dome 21 meters in diameter. 125 projectors simulate the course of the sun and the planets, creating the impression of a space journey. Next to the Cité des sciences is La Géode, a large silver sphere that houses an IMAX theater.