Mathematikum

The Mathematikum is the first mathematical interactive museum in the world. It was founded by Albrecht Beutelspacher and is located in Giessen in the former customs office.

The Science Center was opened by Federal President Johannes Rau on 19 November 2002 and features exhibits about the mathematics. In May 2006, the 500,000. Visitors are welcomed in February 2010 of 1,045,957. Visit per year more than 150,000 visitors the Mathematikum.

Concept

The goal of the Mathematikum is to open people of every age, educational background and any gender through sensory experiences a new door to mathematics. Access to mathematics takes place not on formulas or equations and hardly symbols or numbers. Instead, visitors can gather "hands Mathematics" at over 150 experimental stations mathematical experiences under the motto. So there are about the possibility of the special properties of soap by its own Into locations in a soap film to discover, produce figures of mirrors to replicate geometrical body or rebuild of logs the Leonardo Bridge. Through this experimentation and practice the visitors complex mathematical relationships are made ​​unconsciously and simple way to "grasp ". Your own astonishment leads to first ask yourself questions to consider and to find first qualitative answers.

Museum visitors in a soap film

Experiment to determine the circle of pi

History

In 1993, Albrecht Beutelspacher at the Justus -Liebig- University Giessen, the Proseminar Geometric Models. The students were given the task to develop a geometric model to establish and declare the end plug in mathematics. 1994, the resulting objects were shown in an exhibition titled Hands-on Mathematics at the Institute for the Teaching of Mathematics at the University of Giessen. Additional exhibition came in 1995 in the School Museum Nuremberg. 1996 Students of the University of Giessen again designed an exhibition on mathematics to touch. In this context, the idea of ​​creating a mathematics museum, to implement a development association was founded. Developed in 1996 exhibition was established in 1998 and has since been shown professionally as a touring exhibition at home and abroad.

Plans for the implementation of a mathematics museum with a fixed location became more concrete in 1999, the implementation was done for financial reasons, however, only in 2001. Shortly before the end of 2000 handed the Hessian Minister of Science and Art, Ruth Wagner, the Friends one million DM for the construction Mathematikum. In addition, the city of Giessen decided at the beginning of 2001, the purchase of the former Main Customs Office and asked that the Friends to create a mathematics museum free of charge. Ground was broken in February 2002. After nine months of construction, the Mathematikum was opened on 19 November 2002 by the Federal President Johannes Rau. In March 2003 the second floor was opened and extended by a function room and a new showroom in November 2003. The recent expansion took place in 2009, when the mini- Mathematikum was opened on the 3rd floor of the Mathematikum.

Mini Mathematikum

Since 1 May 2009, consists Mathematikum the mini- Mathematikum as a permanent area. After previous temporary exhibitions it was stationary built within the walls of the Mathematikum on its own floor. The exhibition is primarily aimed at very young visitors aged four to eight years. The experiments were designed specifically for this age group and give basic maths topics such as numbers, shapes and patterns.

Traveling exhibition and cooperation

The permanent exhibition of the Mathematikum has evolved from the exhibition Hands-on Mathematics, which has Prof. Beutelspacher worked with students from 1994. This exhibition has been professionalized in 1998 and tested during the International Congress of Mathematicians in Berlin by about 10,000 people. Since then it was used as a traveling exhibition at schools, universities, but also museums and credit institutions at home and abroad. About 25 exhibitions are organized annually today. Schools and other interested parties can book the exhibition.

Moreover, the Mathematikum also produces exhibits for other Science Center. So in 2007, exhibits were transferred to the Dynamikum in Pirmasens and where an exhibition of pieces inspired by Mathematikum. The same is true with the Math Adventure Land, which opened in September 2008 in Dresden. , An exhibition was developed by the Giessen model and equipped with some produced in Mathematikum experiments.

Additional events

In addition Mathematikum monthly events such as children lectures, professional development for teachers and " Beutelspacher sofa" will take place.

Special

The Mathematikum developed for some years special exhibitions on topics that are in the near or broad sense to do with mathematics and the principle hands on - minds on - follow hearts on:

  • " Points of view - Optical phenomena, fascinating illusions, amazing insights " - 2006/2007, 2009, 2011/2012
  • "! Puzzle " ( puzzle games and puzzles shops) - Winter 2009/2010
  • " Naturals " ( Mathematics and Natural ) - Summer 2010
  • "Do not get me wrong! " (Language) - Winter 2010/2011
  • " What a coincidence " - Summer 2011
  • "I love Sophie - Philosophy discover " - Winter 2012/13
  • " Moving Moments" - Summer 2013

There are also regular art exhibitions under the theme "Art in Mathematikum " instead. In cooperation and in Wetzlar galleries enterprising participation David Gerstein (2008 ), Victor Vasarely (2009) have already been well-known artists such as James Rizzi (2004), Janosch (2005), Christo (2006 ), Volker Kühn ( 2007), is shown. Furthermore, in cooperation with the Caricaturas Museum Frankfurt Museum of Comic art by Robert Gernhardt (2010) and FW Bernstein presented.

Awards and Interesting

  • 2004 German IQ Price
  • 2006 Selected Landmark in 2006 by the initiative of Germany - Land of Ideas
  • 2008 Hessian Culture Award
  • 2010 special price as part of the museum price of the Sparkasse Cultural Foundation of Hesse- Thuringia.

The Pi - reading world record was set in Mathematikum On June 5, 2004. 30 hours a total of 108,000 decimal places of the circle number were presented by over 300 people.

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