THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The famous Museum of the Moon, the celebrated work by British artist Luke Jerram, will be in town as a prelude to the maiden Global Science Festival Kerala (GSFK). The inflatable installation of the moon’s spherical model is rich in detail, recreating the Earth’s only natural satellite in all its glory with all the pits and shadows represented accurately.
The work spanning seven metres in diameter, features detailed NASA imagery of the lunar surface. Each centimetre in the work represents 5km on the surface of the moon. The work will be accompanied by a surround sound composition by award-winning composer Dan Jones.
The ‘Museum of the Moon’ will be showcased on December 5 at the Kanakakunnu Palace in Thiruvananthapuram. Finance Minister K N Balagopal will inaugurate the exhibition online at 7pm. Jerram will be the chief guest The moon will be on display till 4am on December 6.
According to Amuseum Gallery of Modern Art trustee Ajith Kumar, this will be an exciting opportunity for people to see the moon up close. “They will be able to enjoy the unique experience of spending a night with the moon,” Ajith says. Meanwhile, the GSFK will unfold at the Bio 360 Life Sciences Park in Thiruvananthapuram on December 15. The event will be a 45-day experience aimed at increasing science awareness and understanding among people.
“The festival is going to be organised in a 250,000sqft area. We are expecting a turnout of 10–12 lakh people at the event, potentially making it Asia’s largest science festival. Nobel Prize winner in chemistry Morten Meldal will attend. We hope for the participation of two additional Nobel Prize winners. Overall, GSFK is going to make a new history for science festivals,” Ajith says.
The people can experience different programmes, including a curated science exhibition, public talks by internationally renowned scientists, a science congress, and more. Cutting-edge technology will be on display in industrial pavilions.
The festival targets schoolchildren, especially higher secondary students, besides scientists, and the people from across the world.
Many special programmes, such as a walk-through 720-degree 3D installation of the universe and various parts of the human brain, a gathering of notable scientists and science communicators around the globe, sky-watching facilities through the telescope, and public lectures on science, art, culture, politics, literature, film, and gaming, will be held at the festival pavilion.
The GSFK is a collaborative effort initiated by the state government’s Science and Technology Department in partnership with the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology, and Environment and Amuseum ArtScience.