The Science MuseumThe Science Museum

„„Cite-SciencesCite-Sciences

ExhibitionsExhibitions

Shows & MoviesShows & Movies

TasksTasks

Architectural adventureArchitectural adventure

The Main DatesThe Main Dates

The Cité in figures The Cité in figures

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ExhibitionsExhibitionsThe Explora exhibitions are the heart of the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie. They are meant for everyone, both those with a knowledge of science and those without. Come and explore, discover and see where you fit in to the way science and technology is changing.

Exhibitions at Science Museum :

The Universe  •Space•Planetarium•Tricks of light     

The Living World  •Man and his genes     

Communication  •Images•Sounds     

Industry  •Automobile•Aeronautics•Energy

Shows & MoviesShows & MoviesPlanetarium

With a completely revamped auditorium and new digital equipment the planetarium at the Cite des Sciences is ready to set off for the stars once again.The new planetarium uses all the resources of 3D video and can now take the audience on a journey from planet to planet, to visit the stars in the Milky Way and to explore galaxy clusters.Immersive shows and lecture-demonstrations will alternate, providing a wonderful spectacle while making the science content accessible to all.

La GeodeIn the 18th century, la Villette was a farming village in the little Parisien suburb, with the Ourcq river running through it. At the start of the 19th century, in order to supply Paris with drinking water, the Ourcq canal was breached and Napoleon the first made it cross the Villette basin to supply the Paris fountains. Baron Haussmann decided to hold the national meat market at Villette from 1867 onwards: the Grande Halle (Great Hall) could accommodate up to 4600 cattle. The famous abattoirs of La Villette finally closed their doors in 1974 leaving 55 hectares of fallow land to be converted as part of a vast urban project. This project's original aim was: "for science and culture to live side by side in a city-garden, a garden within the city". La Géode opened its doors one year before the Science and Industry Park, the opening of which on 13 March 1986 coincided with the passing through of Halley's comet. La Géode houses France's leading movie theatre, number one by dint of the number of people visiting it, entirely devoted to the projection of large scale films on its giant 1 000 m2 hemispheric screen.

Cineaxe

Cinaxe: the cinema that moves you!

Cinaxe takes you into the third dimension...The image comes out of the screen and you move with it!

Set off on an extraordinary voyage to the Egypt of the pharaohs, or deep into the world of Jules Verne! Discover the unique thrills offered by the combination of simulation and three-dimensional cinema! Journey through the third dimension ...When a feature film is shown through the simulator, it faithfully restores all the movements in perfect synchronization with the image, so you feel the effects of speed with maximum realism. "The curse of Tutankhamen" and " Mystery Island", feature films made in "3D", will sweep you along in two thrilling and heartstopping adventures. Get ready for take-off! (duration: 5 mins)

TasksTasksAn imposing part of the Parc de la Villette, the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie is one of the largest scientific and cultural centres in the world and also one of the most innovative.

A place of civilisation, its task is to assist all its contemporaries in entering the intelligence of today's world to better manage and master the future.

A place of education, it provides young people with the opportunity to explore informal ways of acquiring knowledge in partnership with French National Education.

A place for widening knowledge, it offers everyone - children and adults, general public and researchers - the many tools of its resource centres.

A place of social progress, it has successfully developed the Cité's vocational guidance centre, built up its interactive software library and presented exhibitions on different career sectors.

A place of debate, it directs its efforts towards bringing together researchers and participants who are eager to discuss important questions raised by scientific and technological progress. Each year, it hosts many conferences and congresses of national or international scope. Today, much of its work is devoted to making the skills it develops available to "virtual" users who wish to consult the Cité from their homes.

La Cité, an architectural La Cité, an architectural adventureadventure

The first records of La Villette date back to 1198. In the 18th century, La Villette was still a village, a small farming community just outside Paris, an ancient point of passage towards the North, the East and Germany. Parisians came to the l'Octroi rotunda built by Ledoux to stroll and taste the famous "guinget" (a local white wine) in cafés. In 1812, Napoleon had a canal dug from the Ourcq to supply Paris with water and named it the Bassin de la Villette. It was also open to boats.

From 1867, the Paris abattoirs were united in a single complex in La Villette. It was a vast "city of blood, meat and its trade" stretching over 40,000 square metres and its Grande Halle held up to 4,600 cattle. The bell at the top of the square Tour de l'Horloge (Clock Tower) governed the business of the abattoirs and their three thousand workers implacably. In 1974, the last ox was slaughtered. In 1979, development of the 136 acres of waste land and buildings was begun. One of the projects then drawn up by the State was the construction of a National Museum of Science and Technology.

In 1980, twenty-seven architects were consulted with a view to the creation of a "National Museum of Science, Technology and Industry" in an unfinished building intended for another purpose: the great abattoir sales hall whose construction was halted in 1973. It was to have been an abattoir, but it became the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie. The man behind this vast development project was the architect Adrien Fainsilber.

The plans submitted by Adrien Fainsilber were the result of study on the scale of the site and its environment. It established a special relationship between the Cité and the park, taking as much advantage as possible of its specific nature.The building's design was based on three themes: water, a pivotal theme linking the world and life, surrounds the main building; plant life has a place inside the Cité in three large bioclimatic greenhouses facing the park; light, "source of energy of the living world", brightens the permanent exhibition areas via two domes 17 metres in diameter.

The Main DatesThe Main DatesMid-1977: The architect Mr. Taillibert was asked by the President of the Republic, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, to study the possible conversion of existing buildings, especially the great abattoir sales hall. Mr. Taillibert concluded that this building could house a museum of science, technology and industry. Late 1977: Maurice Lévy, Professor of Physics at Paris VI University and former Chair of the CNES, was asked to report on whether it would be in the French public interest to create a museum of science, technology and industry. This was the "Lévy report", published in 1979, defining the content of the future Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie. July 1979: a decree officially founded the Public Establishment of the Parc de la Villette (EPPV), responsible for developing the 136 acres of the La Villette site. Paul Delouvrier was its Chair. December 1979: a limited board meeting decided to plan a museum according to the recommendations of the Lévy report; to create a park; to reserve space for an auditorium. Architects would be consulted on the creation of a museum of science, technology and industry in the former abattoir sales hall. February 1980: André Lebeau was named Director of the Museum Project at the EPPV. September 1980: after consultations with 27 French architects, Adrien Fainsilber became the museum's architect. July 1981: François Mitterrand, the President of the Republic, visited La Villette and confirmed the terms of reference of the Public Establishment. March 1982: a communiqué from the President of the Republic's office announced the major architectural and planning works, among them, the creation of a park and a facility devoted to music completing the development of the La Villette site. November 1983: Maurice Lévy became the Director of the Museum Project. 6th May 1985: opening of the Geode by François Mitterrand. 21st May 1985: Maurice Lévy was named Chair of the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie. October 1985 to 1986: development of the content of the exhibitions in the building. 13th March 1986: opening of the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie (on the arrival of Halley's Comet).

The Cité in figures The Cité in figures The Cité, which opened its doors on the 13th of March 1986 (the night on which Halley's comet passed), has welcomed 40 million visitors. Each year, it receives more than 3.5 million visitors. In terms of visitor numbers, this ranks it among the greatest cultural establishments in Paris. In addition, around 500,000 persons visit its exhibitions in the regions.

In 1998, the exhibition areas welcomed 1,623,468 paying visitors (including 523,569 at the Cité des enfants); the Médiathèque 1,122,526 users; the Cité's vocational guidance centre 281,532 users and the Geode 740,136 spectators. The other visitors enjoyed the free activities offered by the Cité (aquarium, conferences, film showings, etc.).

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► Made By : Philip KomorowskiMade By : Philip KomorowskiClass : 2 AClass : 2 A