Discover science on Culture Night

Science HeaderCulture Night, the public event that celebrates culture and creativity across Ireland, is fast approaching, and in order to make the most of it, a bit of forward planning is advised. For those of you who just can’t get enough science during the day, a number of science/technology institutions are open late on the night.

The most obvious institution is the Science Gallery, located beside Pearse Street DART station. The current exhibition, STRANGE WEATHER, explores the idea of weather, and how we try to understand, adapt, and even control it. A talk by Jennifer McElwain, Lecturer in Plant Palaeoecology and Palaeobiology in UCD’s School of Biology and Environmental Science, will also be taking place on the night . The Science Gallery has no entry fee during the rest of the year, and as it is often quite busy on Culture Night,  the evening might be better spent somewhere that is usually off-limits, or  free for one night only.

For those with a preference for a more hands on night out, or an interest in hacking, TOG, Dublin’s own maker space is definitely the place to go. Over the evening, the nice folks at TOG will be showing people around their space, as well as running mini-workshops on all the different things they do, including lockpicking, fabing, crafting and soldering. They will also be showing off some of their past projects.

Parents with younger kids might appreciate an evening at the Greenhouse, ECO-UNESCO’s Dublin headquarters. The night involves creative recycling and other interactive workshops, a live storytelling of The Great Rubbish Adventure (a story designed to raise environmental awareness in 5-8 year olds), and screenings of youth targeted eco-films. Certainly one for the kids, teenagers and adults without kids might not get as much out of it.

Those interested in a combination of history and science would appreciate a visit to Dunsink Observatory, the first building in Ireland specifically constructed for scientific research. It played home to William Rowan Hamilton, Ireland’s greatest mathematician, and was the place where standard time for Ireland was set using astronomical observations until World War I. Visitors on the night can also see the magnificent Grubb telescope. In addition, the surrounding area would be the perfect place for a picnic and some stargazing, weather dependent.

Now that you know whats on offer, the real challenge is squeezing as much as possible into just one evening. More information on all the venues open on the night, as well as directions to those discussed above, can be found here.