One of this year’s three winners of Ecsite award of the European science centers and museums is the Young Explorers Clubs program run by the Copernicus Science Center.
The award has been granted annually since 2015 and its objective is to celebrate long-term projects that in modern way popularize science and achieve significant success in doing that.
Young Explorers Clubs were especially appreciated for creating a network of over 700 outposts where children and young people carry out experiments and develop their knowledge and imagination. The jury was impressed by the Young Explorers Clubs’ way of operating that can be shared with various communities and by educational aids worked out by them that are available in several language versions (e.g. English and Russian.)
“The award of Ecsite network which is composed of over 350 organizations is an evidence that Young Explorers Clubs have won prestige. At the same time it makes an opportunity for them to become recognizable in new communities,” Robert Firmhofer, Director of Copernicus Science Center says.
Young Explorers Clubs are continuation of the pilot project implemented by Kłodzko Educational Society as part of the “Equal Opportunities” Program in 2002. Presently YECs are managed by Copernicus Science Center. Their objective is to popularize sciences among children and young people. Their mode of operation allows young people to learn through experience and carry out hands-on experiments using simple and easily accessible materials. The Program Coordinator at Copernicus Science Center is Zuzanna Michalska.
