PETROSAINS TURNS 20
PETROSAINS, The Discovery Centre, is celebrating 20 years of creating wonder and nurturing interest towards science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in the nation.
As a corporate social responsibility arm of Petronas that anchors on the pillar of education, Petrosains has been actively playing a valuable role in the nation’s education landscape in informal learning specifically in the fields of STEM since its doors opened on March 25, 1999 to the first visitor.
Throughout the years, the science centre has grown into a globally recognised institution, encompassing satellite centres, travelling exhibitions and in-reach and outreach programme offerings.
Petrosains Chief Executive Officer Fedora Zulkifli attributed the progress and achievements to the support of all those involved in the past two decades including visitors, the community, employees as well as the Government, relevant agencies, the corporates and industry players.
“For the past 20 years, we have managed to reach millions of people through our various platforms.
“Through our people, programmes and exhibits, our objective was to inspire and spark interest towards the learning of STEM and lifelong learning in the nation, especially among the younger generation.
“We hope we have helped the nation to produce and mould scientifically literate citizens, critical thinkers and innovators who can bring our country forward and advance society in the future,” she said.
Petrosains is a fun destination with hundreds of innovative exhibits that occupy an area of more than 7,000sqm. Among the exhibition areas are the Geotime Diorama which displays realistic models of prehistoric creatures and provides information on geology and seismology, and the Speed exhibition area that showcases the science of speed and technology behind Formula One (F1) automotive racing. The highlight of the exhibits is the true-to-life oil platform.
To support and aid the exhibits in the learning process, live science shows and mini science experiments are presented everyday by Petrosains’ trained science communicators in the centre.
Besides the physical exhibits at the centre in Suria KLCC, significant in-reach and outreach programmes that were introduced over the years and still remain prominent today include the StreetSmart travelling exhibition in 2001, Sahabat Petrosains programme in 2002, DinoTrek travelling exhibition in 2003, Petrosains Science Show Competition 2009, Petrosains Science Festival in 2013
Two decades of driving interest in the learning of STEM
and Petrosains Robotic competition in 2018.
“In Petrosains, we always adopt highly interactive science communication methods together with engaging, fun-learning approaches to inculcate interest in the subject matter at hand, rather than rigorous memorisation of scientific facts,” explained Fedora.
Next level
“As a corporate social responsibility arm of Petronas that anchors on the pillar of education, we hope to continue delivering more creative and impactful learning experiences that will inspire people, especially the younger generation, in STEM.
“We also look forward to more partnerships and collaboration with other parties for the common purpose of strengthening the support towards the national education agenda in the learning of STEM.
“Beyond 2019, Petrosains aspires to bring Petrosains to the next level and be a world class global science centre through positive customer experiences and engagements, impactful educational programmes and upgraded exhibits,” said Fedora.
Big celebration
Petrosains is calling out to the public to join its anniversary celebration happening tomorrow until March 31 at its main centre at Suria KLCC.
“It coincides with the school holidays which is perfect for a fun family day out. As we mark our significant milestone, it is also a great opportunity to treat our visitors to exclusive privileges and fun-filled educational activities,” said Fedora, adding that lucky visitors at the celebration tomorrow will receive a surprise treat.
Throughout the week-long celebration, visitors can enjoy 20% off admission tickets and selected items at the Xplorasi Gift Shop.
Right after the entrance, visitors can learn about the science centre’s milestones featured on an elaborate wall mural, bringing them down memory lane from its humble beginnings to where it is today.
Visitors can also look forward to creating memories at the centre’s 20th anniversary photo booth and also experience the fun and educational hands-on interactive workshops.
“We are bringing new science shows and workshops focusing on 3D elements, robotics and IoT, while visitors can experience classic science shows that we did many years ago such as the Popping Coins and Cryogenics,” she said.
There will also be interesting talks by scientists on radiation and genetics, entertainment sessions from illusionists and musicians.
Meanwhile, the prehistoric creatures from the Petrosains DinoTrek travelling exhibition are coming home to Petrosains tomorrow, just in time for the celebration. The exhibition has travelled all over Malaysia and will now be housed permanently in Petrosains, Suria KLCC. Visitors can check out the newly refurbished Geotime Diorama exhibition area where eight dinosaurs from the travelling exhibition would stay put for good.
The celebration will also be extended to Petrosains PlaySmart satellite centres in Kuantan, Johor Baru and Kota Kinabalu.