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Timeline

24 Years of Dedicated Service to the Cause of Science

SCIENCE CITY, KOLKATA

Details of Project and Progressive Achievement since Inception
Year
Major Milestones / Activities
  • In January 1994, 49.6 acre land for beginning of a new venture was earmarked for development of Science City (30 acres of the land was gifted to the Science City by the Calcutta Municipal Corporation(CMC) and the remain ing 19.6 acres was acquired on long term lease from CMC.
  • Architectural model of Science City Master Plan was prepared by M/s. Development Consultants Pvt. Ltd., the primary consultant appointed by NCSM for this project.
  • Construction of Seminar Hall was completed and construction of other facilities comprising Main and Mini Auditoria of the Convention Centre Complex progressed as per schedule.
  • Building construction and exhibit development for Space Theatre, Dynamotion Hall and outdoor Science
    Park was initiated by NCSM.
  • Major construction work of the Convention Centre Complex was completed.
  • Construction for buildings for Space Odyssey and Dynamotion Hall was achieved prior to scheduled time of completion.
  • Campus development work was taken up including development of garden.
  • Exhibition titled Dinosaurs Alive was launched at Science City in June. The exhibition was held for 45 days
    which attracted large footfall.
  • Convention Centre Complex was inaugurated by Prof. Paul. J. Crutzen, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry in 1995 and an eminent environmental scientist on 21st December, 1996.
  • All major construction work of Science City was completed.
  • A large format pan hemispheric movie on Calcutta – “The City of Harmony” was made by Science City with technical support from M/s Goto Inc., Japan. That was the first ever pan hemispheric movie made in India.
  • Science City was inaugurated on 1st July 1997 by Shri Inder Kumar Gujral, Prime Minister of India in the presence of Shri K. V. Raghunatha Reddy, Governor of West Bengal, Shri Jyoti Basu, Chief Minister of West Bengal and Shri S. R. Bommai, Union Minister of HRD, Govt. of India.

Following facility for visitor were opened

  1.  
  1. Space Theatre with 360 seater hemispherical and tilted dome theatre with Astrovision 70 and HSS Helios Planetarium system.
  2. Time Machine
  3. Exhibits on Space
  4. Dynamotion with exhibits on Physical and Life science.
  5. Life Science Corner
  6. Cactus Corner
  7. Butterfly Garden
  8. Musical Fountain
  9. Convention Centre Complex
  10. Picnic Area
  11. Science Park
  12. Road Train
  • 18 meters high and 400 meters long, pulsed power, Ropeway was commissioned on Public Private Partnership model.
  • A children activity area with live specimen and specially developed kits for school children was opened.
  • Following shows were held
      1. Dog Show
      2. Flower Show
      3. Cactus Show
  • 2nd Science Centre World Congress (2SCWC) was held at the Convention Centre Complex of Science City during January 11-15, 1999.
  • A guided tour through Dynamotion, Science Park and Dinosaur Enclave were introduced for visitors during specific times of the day.

Science City recorded 18,72,654 footfall during the year.

  • Memorandum of understanding was signed with Calcutta Port Trust to set up a Maritime Museum in Science City, Calcutta.
  • Initial planning for a new facility titled Evolution Park: Theme tour was completed.
  • Mono Rail Cycle was introduced on 7th September 2000 in the park area of Science City.
  • Butterfly Enclave: A new Butterfly enclosure was developed in the Dynamotion Hall during the year by artificially controlling the temperature and humidity to suit butterfly breeding process.

  • Development of a new facility ‘Evolution Park: Theme Tour continued during the year.
  • ‘Evolution Park: Theme Tour’ was opened from 28th September 2001.
  • Dog Show was held on 15th and 16th December 2001 in collaboration with Calcutta Canine Club.
  • Gravity Coaster was introduced on 2nd February 2002.
  • A 10 panel exhibition on “Space Exploration through an Artist Eye” (NASA) was developed and displayed during the year.
  • Dog Show was held on 15th and 16th December 2002 in collaboration with Calcutta Canine Club.
  • Maritime Centre was inaugurated on 17th October 2003 in collaboration with Kolkata Port Trust. The exhibits are based on maritime history, shipping and navigation.
  • 3D Theatre with a unique feature of screening specially developed films on science, technology and environment with three dimensional effects was introduced on 23rd October, 2003.
  • Development of new exhibits for Dynamotion and Space Odyssey initiated as part of major up-gradation of existing expositions.
  • Work commenced for development of a section on Mirrors.
  • Prof. C.N.R. Rao, an eminent scientist of international repute addressed students to commemorate the Year of Scientific Awareness. 2469 students attended the programme. Prof. Rao also formally launched multimedia software on ‘Virtual Chemistry’ developed by NCSM.

 

  • Two new exhibitions titled “Giant Insects” and “Mirror Magic” was opened in October 2005.
  • On 24th January 2006, a popular science lecture on ‘Two Years on Mars: The Incredible Story of Spirit and Opportunity’ was delivered by a team of scientists from NASA, USA.
  • On 4th July 2006, the Union Minister for Tourism & Culture, Smt. Ambika Soni inaugurated the newly upgraded expositions in Dynamotion and Space Odyssey buildings.
  • A new exhibition titled World of Illusions was installed and commissioned.
  • Power of Ten, an exhibition with 43 exhibits which unfolds the smallest or biggest of the universe through a concept of zooming in or zooming out in the order of ten was installed and commissioned.
  • On 11th December 2007, a lecture on “Sound & Light” was delivered by Dr. Richard. E. Berg, Director, University of Maryland, USA.
  • On 13th December 2007, a lecture on “History of Probability Theory” was delivered by the first Indian Abel Laureate 2007, Prof. S.R. Srinivasa Varadhan from Courant Institute of Mathematical Science, New York, USA.
  • On 6th December 2008, the Union Minister for Culture, Smt Ambika Soni inaugurated the ‘Earth Exploration Hall’ – a unique permanent exposition on Planet Earth.
  • C. N. Rao, delivered a lecture in ‘Meet the Scientist’ programme.
  • Loren. W. Acton, Research Professor of Physics, Montana State University, USA, delivered a lecture in ‘Meet the Astronaut’ programme on 24th February 2009.
  • Up-gradation of the ticketing plaza in the Gate Complex of Science City was initiated.
  • On 16th January 2010, Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India laid the Foundation Stone of 2ndphase up-gradation of Science City comprising ‘Science Exploration Hall’ through a ceremony held in the Main Auditorium of Science City.
  • Work initiated to develop a walk-through butterfly corner in Dynamotion Hall.
  • H. W. Roesky, Dept. of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Gotingen, Germany, delivered a lecture on ‘Chemical Curiosities’
  • Work initiated for planning and conceptualization of new expositions for the upcoming Science Exploration Hall.
  • Construction of the new ticketing plaza of the Gate Complex was completed.
  • A state-of- the-art Nano laboratory was introduced for students and general visitors for hands-on activity on November 5, 2011. Kumari Selja, Hon’ble Minister of Culture, Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation, Govt. of India visited the facility on that day.
  • NCSM, along with all cultural institutions under the Ministry of Culture in Kolkata, jointly organized a cultural programme in the Main Auditorium of Science City on 9th May, 2011, to commemorate the 150thBirth Anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. Around 2,200 people witnessed the cultural activity.
  • A national seminar titled “Chemistry in Human Welfare” was organized on 2nd August 2011 to mark the 150th Birth Anniversary of Archarya Prafulla Chandra Ray.
  • A special programme, ‘Planet under Pressure’ was held from 23rd to 29th March 2012.
  • Content for the new expositions in the up-coming Science Exploration Hall was completed and work initiated for design of exhibits.
  • On 3rd May 2012, Ms. Marsha Ivin, former NASA Astronaut, shared her experiences on her Space Flights. More than 1000 student participants were participated.
  • Eve Wurtele of Iowa State University, USA, delivered a popular science lecture on ‘How Plants Make Medicines’ on 27th November 2012.
  • Fabrication of exhibits for new facility initiated.
  • Construction of the building to house the Science Exploration Hall was completed.
  • National Council of Science Museums organized a popular lecture on “Expedition-33 International Space Station Mission: Challenges and Success” by Cdr. Sunita Williams, Indian American Astronaut from NASA, USA at the Main Auditorium of Science City on 2nd April, 2013. About 2000 students and general public attended this lecture.
  • Work awarded for supply, installation, testing and commissioning of a Digital Panorama, depicting the story of ‘Human Evolution’ in the Science Exploration Hall. This work once completed, shall be the first of its kind in India.