Overview

The Estação Ciência (“Science Station”) is a dynamics and interactive science center with exhibits and activities in the areas of science and technology, in addition to courses, events and other activities, aiming to popularize science and to promote science disclosure in a fun and pleasurable way.

To receive the visitors, Estação Ciência has a team of interns (students USP) to assist in experiments, provide information and clarify questions about the exhibitions.

The annual public is more than 400 thousand people, among schoolchildren and the general public.

Structure

To receive visitors and better accommodate exhibitions and events, the Estação Ciência has:
• Accessibility for disabled and wheelchair;
• Coffee shop third party;
• Auditorium with 190 seats, dressing room and control room equipped;
• Multipurpose rooms for courses, trainings and meetings;
• Room visitor support;
• Mezzanine for events and temporary exhibitions;
• Sale of educational materials and souvenirs Station Science at the ticket office;
• Proximity to parks, railway station and bus terminal.

History of Estação Ciência

Constructed at the beginning of the century to house a weaving, the warehouses of Guaicurus Street, which now house the Estação Ciência, were almost destroyed by a large fire in 1936.

Constructed again soon after, were used as a seed deposit of the Secretary of State for Agriculture and also used by other organs of government, until the decade of 70.

In 1985, during the discussions on a new Bus Terminal at the neighbourhood of Lapa, merchants and community leaders of Lapa created a commission for preservation and use of this space. They claimed the historic value of the warehouses, where the textile factory provided work opportunities to the Italian colony installed in the region and workers in general.

At the end of that year, government departments began studies for preservation and use of these warehouses of industrial architecture typical of the beginning of the century, prohibiting demolition or any change in the structure of the building.

On December 19, 1986, through Decree No. 26,492, the government gave the state the use for the installation of the Center for Science for Youth, with total area of 1915 sq metres.

On June 24, 1987 was inaugurated the Estação Ciência.

The project was developed with the participation of a group of 60 people of CNPq, which included the collaboration of universities, various government agencies and businesses.

Why "Station"? Because the term offers trips to the world of scientific knowledge, knowledge that this must always be fed with new research. Because linking past and future, education and entertainment. And because it is close to railway stations and subways.