The Long Night of the Sciences in Olomouc, taking place this year on Friday, 30 September, will involve not only smell, touch, taste, hearing and sight, but also a sense of justice. From the afternoon until late in the evening, visitors will be able to visit the workplaces of Palacký University and University Hospital Olomouc, and both enjoy and educate themselves via the 100 interactive events that await them.
Lectures, exhibitions, diverse experiments, creative workshops, guided tours, film screenings, as well as tastings – this is what visitors can look forward to at this year’s Long Night of the Sciences in Olomouc.
“The programme is really rich, looking at the theme of With All the Senses from various angles, so both children and adults will find something to enjoy. All UP faculties are involved in the individual activities, as well as the interactive science museum Fort Science of the UP Faculty of Science, the UP Library, and the Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute CATRIN from the university campus in Olomouc-Holice. University Hospital Olomouc will allow visitors to take a tour and see some of its premises, usually inaccessible to the public, with their equipment,” said Ondřej Martínek, coordinator of the event from the UP Communications Office.
“In addition to the popular and educational activities, there is also an accompanying programme. For example, a UV workshop by the Olomouc art group Chaos Company will take place in front of Fort Science, including refreshments and music. A huge inflatable model of the Earth will be on display in front of the Faculty of Physical Culture in Neředín. As in previous years, we will also hand out small gifts to visitors at the individual stations, müsli bars, colouring books, and reusable bags for fruits or pastries,” he added.
During the Long Night of the Sciences, visitors will be able to see scientific work in practice and learn and experience something new regarding the five basic human senses (and more!) at a number of places in Olomouc. In order to make transportation easier, the organisers are preparing a special bus line that will run from the centre to the more distant venues in Holice, Neředín, and Nová Ulice throughout the evening.
The Long Night of the Sciences will start on Friday, 30 September at 4 pm, where the first guided tours of University Hospital Olomouc’s departments will take place, and it will run until midnight. A detailed programme is available on the event’s website.
Those who can’t wait can take part in a special national pub quiz on Monday, 26 September at 7pm. “In cooperation with the organisers of the popular Pub Quiz, we have prepared this as a teaser for Friday’s programme, on the same theme – With All the Senses. Those interested can join the quiz for free, and the winners will receive interesting prizes from the universities in their respective cities,” said Martínek. Information how to participate is on Facebook.
The Long Night of the Sciences is a popular science event with the aim to show people that science is not boring; on the contrary, it is a well of interesting facts and fascinating phenomena, and scientists are ordinary people who are devoted to work that benefits each of us. The event was initiated by the European Commission in 2005 and soon gained great popularity in the Czech Republic. Today, two dozen universities and more than forty scientific institutions, science centres, observatories, and other organisations in more than 100 locations across the country are involved. Olomouc’s Long Night of the Sciences regularly attracts up to 6,000 visitors.