Futuristic Museums: from Brazil to UAE

The modern museum buildings are often far cry from the classic architecture, while the glass cubes containing valuable museum items are gradually replaced by the advanced technologies    Museum collections are becoming more and more interactive, where instead of simply looking at the items you’re now given an opportunity actually interact with them. Obviously enough, most such museums are primary dedicated to the science and technology. For this list, we’ve chosen some of the most advanced museums in the world serving as an evidence that the education may and must be an exciting and enthralling process.

Museum of the Future, UAE

The museum, whose futuristic shape is somehow reminiscent of magnificent previous ring, is located only few blocks away from the city’s main landmark – the tallest building in the world Burj Khalifa. Although, the museum interiors are more like insides of the space shuttle: capsular elevators, sensory walls and real robotic assistant instead of the exhibition hall employees. Apart from making tremendous impression on its visitors, the museum also hosts research laboratories dedicated to the solutions in field of the artificial intelligence and technological innovations. At the exhibition space, the museum guides are willing to educate the visitors about the possible ways for future development of humanity and the new concepts and projects in field of the scientific and technological advances intended to make our world a better place to live in. How about an opportunity to go on the interactive journey through space and time, test the performance of physical body modifications, find out more about how the robotic technologies may influence our everyday life and dig deeper into the artificial intelligence development problems? If all these sound awesome to you, than you definitely should add the Museum of Future to your list of the must-visit spots! The venue is expected to open in the next year.

Museum of Tomorrow, Rio

    

    

This new experimental museum located in the spectacular district of Porto Maravilha has opened its doors only recently, but already has conquered attention of the technology enthusiasts from all around the world. The interactive museum items cover all the realms of the present and future life from the most scientifically advanced industries to the fine arts. The museum building itself is also unique and notorious by its unusual console roof diagonally protruding from the base and supported by the white curved ribs. The building layout was developed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. It seems like the museum is designed to literally withstand through centuries: its features are powered by the solar batteries that automatically follow the sun movement pattern throughout the day. The museum scales are also impressive: it includes 5 thousand square meters of exhibition space and lecture room for 400 persons equipped with the audiovisual displays and interactive installations. 

National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, Tokyo

    

    

In Japan, the innovations and high technologies are seamlessly integrated into the routine processes, national culture and everyday life in general like in no other place in the world. The six-level-high National Museum, which is globally known as simply Miraikan, has managed to embrace the newest scientific achievements in the various fields. The museum collections feature both the current project and completed items totaling up to more than 200 interactive installations. Here the visitors are given an opportunity to communicate with real humanoid robot, look at the Earth, as well as its atmospheric and hydrospheric processes within the touching distance and in general feel the magnificent power of scientific progress approaching us the velocity of light. Apart from educational projects, the museum also offers its visitors entertainment gaming experience. For example, every visitor may create his or her own perfect world simulation and decide what to preserve as a legacy for future generation and what to send to the history wasteland for eternity. Another exiting feature is specially equipped halls, where you can feel yourself in the epicenter of natural disaster, understand the reasons of its development and test your survival skills. It would take more than a week to watch all the videos, explore each audio record and personally try out every game the museum has to offer. Nevertheless, the little portion of information you may get at the museum by experimenting with its items within just in a single day will definitely change your vision of the world and encourage further interest towards the science. 

City of Arts and Sciences, Valencia

    

    

A hi-tech city build within the boundaries of the old town looks like a whole different universe. The area of two kilometers combines the science, nature, art and technology. The unique complex consists of six main elements, every of which is highly interesting in its own very special way. The Hemisphere zone hosts the documentary cinema halls with digital projectors, where you can embark for a space journey or watch the magnificent laser show. The Orange zone is the exhibition area of 17,5 thousand square meters with pods, alleys and the most rare and usual plants from every corner of the globe. At the Prince Felipe Museum of Science, the main slogan for the visitors is “Forbidden not to touch, not to feel, and not to think”. That’s exactly the reason why the museum has become the global leader in the interactive science field: since the day of its opening, it has welcomed more than 25 million visitors. The unique feature of the building is that it does not have any square corners, while its architecture is somehow reminiscent of the giant whale skeleton. As for the living sea animals, the Aquarium located within the complex boundaries features more than 500 thousand species and is the largest aquatic venue in the Europe.

Science Museum, Trento

    

    

The Italian architect Renzo Piano managed to transform the 19 square meter industrial zone into the award-winning innovative museum recognized as the European Museum of the Year 2015. It’s virtually impossible to leave the compound without discovering something new about the human origins, the DNA secrets, the urgent environmental issues and the latest technological advances. The state-of-art technologies accommodated within the museum walls offer an opportunity to experience the emotions of an alpinist climbing the sheer cliff or a skier speeding down along the snowy slope. Just admit that a chance to touch the real minerals, the fossils and the very first tools of trade isn’t something you get every day. Another museum exhibition is entirely composed of the petrified remains of dinosaurs that once inhibited the local area. The Hands-On halls of the museum’s technical department are the fantastic training facility where you can personally test the laws of physics and mathematics. Another exciting museum feature is a small ultra-modern lab, where you can learn who to work with 3D printer, laser cutter and other advanced XXI century technologies.