Science is everywhere. Even on holiday it is fun to undertake a scientifically tinged activity. The editors of NEMO Kennislink already give some first tips. Will you help fill the map?
The map below contains tips for scientifically oriented summer outings in Europe from the editors of NEMO Kennislink. We share our experiences below the map. Do you also have a good tip? Share it in the comments below. We'll be adding the best tips to the map throughout the summer!
Les Machines de l'île Nantes (France)
I am a big fan of automata. These forerunners of today's robots are true examples of pure mechanical ingenuity and complexity. Well-known examples of automata such as 'The Writer' and 'The Turk' are ingeniously constructed, but pale in comparison to the gigantic mechanical behemoths of Les Machines de l'île Nantes. At a former shipyard in the heart of the French city of Nantes, you can see a mechanical spider of 13 meters long and you can take a ride on a 12 meter high elephant made of 45 tons of steel and wood. Words are not enough to describe this steampunk paradise; luckily there is plenty of image and video material available online. A must visit for lovers of Jules Verne and Leonardo da Vinci.
- Ilja van Dam, editor-in-chief -
Arboretum Oostereng (Renkum)
In the middle of the forest, near the Renkums Beekdal, you will find Arboretum Oostereng. A walk through this collection of trees from 1911 is a must in itself:it is a beautiful piece of forest with great biodiversity where you will hardly meet anyone. With a short marked walk and an audio tour (via an app) you will learn about the special trees that have been planted here. Children will have a great time on the barefoot path and wooden giant xylophone. Still time left? Then go for a coffee nearby at 'Boscafé de Beken' and visit the information center there where you can learn everything about nature in this special environment.
- Thirza Lagewaard, Faces of Science -
Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum (Malta)
On the island of Malta you go 5,000 years back in time. While dolmens were being built in the Netherlands, prehistoric man in Malta was already an expert in building large stone temples, even underground. A unique example of this is the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum. Hypogeum means "underground place" in Greek. It is a temple for the dead, which is carved into the rock bottom. The dead were buried in the many burial chambers. This was accompanied by all kinds of rituals, such as singing and offerings to the gods. The walls are (still) painted in strange reddish patterns and the only light comes from the torch you bring. Perhaps prehistoric man saw this place as a gateway to the underworld. Do you dare to travel down?
- Leanne Jansen, Faces of Science -
Ytterby mine (Sweden)
The Ytterby Mine is an old quarry near Stockholm, where quartz was once extracted from the ground. However, the mine is best known as the place where most of the world's chemical elements were discovered. Between 1794 and 1878, researchers discovered the elements Yttrium, Terbium, Erbium and Ytterbium here. Despite the importance of this mine, it is not a tourist spot. It's right in the town of Ytterby, and a bit of detective work is needed if you want to find it. We eventually parked our car on the side of the road opposite Ytterbyvägen number 60, and found a staircase leading to the old entrance to the mine. You can no longer enter the mine, but there are some signs that tell something about the history. It is also a fairly inconspicuous place. But if you're in the area and interested in chemistry, I'd definitely pay a visit, because it's an important place in the history of chemistry.
- Renée Canrinus-Moezelaar, Chemistry editor -
Museo Elder (Gran Canaria)
Most tourists come to Gran Canaria for the nice weather, the beautiful sandy beaches and the clear blue water. But the island has much more to offer. In the city of Las Palmas you will find the Museo Elder, a beautiful museum about science and technology. Upon entering you immediately see a beautiful chain reaction:one of the largest marble runs I have ever seen and which you can enjoy for half an hour without getting bored. The rollers make loops, they are hoisted up and spin around their axis. The museum also has many things that you can sit on. Like a fighter jet, where you take a seat in the cockpit and games you play with VR glasses on. There is plenty to do for those whose hearts beat faster with technology and science. And for the fervent bathers:nobody will be surprised if you enter here in your swimming trunks.
- Robert Visscher, editor-in-chief and editor of Technology -
Breaking books (Leiden)
Leiden is the European City of Science this year and therefore organizes numerous activities, including during the summer holidays. A must for the bookworm is this exhibition about groundbreaking books. Leiden University is not only the oldest university in the Netherlands, but it had an enormous reputation in Europe from an early age. This was due to the presence of great scholars such as Josephus Scaliger, Herman Boerhaave and Johan Thorbecke. These scholars, as well as those living across the border, published their works here. The publishers in Leiden and Amsterdam served all of Europe due to the high quality of the printing and the freedom of the press. That is why René Descartes and Galileo Galilei also had their books printed in Leiden. These books, from the university library, can now be viewed by everyone. A designated committee made a selection of 25 books, and visitors can vote for their favorite!
- Mathilde Jansen, editor-in-chief and editor Linguistics -
Houses of Parliament (England)
Order, order! Who does not know the famous exclamation of the chairman of the British House of Commons. Those who visit London and are interested in British politics should definitely pay a visit to the Houses of Parliament. A place full of constitutional history and a must for political junkies. Guided tours – with or without a guide – are widely available. And other constitutional highlights, such as the UK Supreme Court, are just a stone's throw away.
- Max Vetzo, Faces of Science -
Viking Festival Trelleborg (Denmark)
A few years ago I was visiting my sister-in-law in Denmark. Looking for something nice in the area, she sent us to the Viking castle near Trelleborg. Built around 900 for Harald Bluetooth, then King of Denmark and Norway, this Viking fortress is one of the best-preserved relics of the Viking glory days. Coincidentally, just as we were there, a major annual Viking festival was taking place. Hundreds of "vikings" from all over Denmark and beyond had camped for a week and lived there as they did over a thousand years ago. An absolute must for fans of this ferocious legendary people, whether or not dressed as a Viking yourself.
- Ilja van Dam, editor-in-chief -
Festival Op 't Eiland (Nijmegen)
Once a year, Nijmegen transforms from a regional city to the center of the world. During the 4 days, hikers from all over the world gather to compete with the odometer. Coupled with these walks is a week full of parties and performances. I won't have to convince few people that the 4daagsefeesten are a top destination. What is less known, however, is the simultaneous festival On the Island. Within walking distance of the centre, on the island of Veur-Lent, a cultural enclave full of theatre, art and science is being created. During the day, art installations make you think and there are workshops for children. Every evening (19:00) a lecture is given by scientists from Radboud University on various topics. So give yourself the space to withdraw from the bustle of the city for a while, to be amazed by art and science in this inspiring place!
- Constant Swinkels, Faces of Science -
The Plastic Spotter canoe fleet of De Grachtwacht (Leiden)
Looking for a sporty Sunday outing that will make the world a little better? Join De Grachtwacht's De Plastic Spotter canoe fleet and explore Leiden from the water. Together with researchers Auke-Florian Hiemstra and Liselotte Rambonnet, you will search for plastic waste floating in Leiden's canals from your own canoe. “We not only clean the city, we also analyze where this waste comes from in order to turn off the tap.” During the clean-ups you not only collect waste, but also data. Reservations can be made via Dijffoutvissers.nl. Would you rather not go out on the water? No problem. Auke and Liselotte exhibit their most special finds from the canal in the bridge keeper's house on the Marebrug. Feel free to walk past the window exhibition if you are in the area. The current theme is 'Nature in times of corona', which also shows the first victim of corona litter in the Netherlands.
- Nathalie Winkster, editor Health -
Weltmaschine (Austria)
Who has ever taken apart a computer or bicycle in his or her youth, to see how it works? We are used to seeing technology as functional, but there is also the sheer beauty of how everything moves. This also affected Franz Gsellmann, who wanted to study electrical engineering, but as the son of a poor Austrian farmer, studying was not an option. So he built the Weltmaschine in a barn of the family farm. A curious device, built from scrap. In the four meter long and three meter high thing, hundreds of parts move into each other, propelled by electric motors. Gsellmann is long dead by now, but when I paid a visit, the ancient and warped daughter turned the machine on for me. It made a hell of a noise. Today we would call it dignified kinetic art, I was struck by the old woman's love for her father, and his dream of showing moving things.
- Leon Heuts, editor-in-chief -
IMAGINARY Exhibition (Leiden)
How beautiful can math be? The IMAGINARY exhibition shows that this summer with posters, puzzles and more. Can you cool down by drawing up the equation of a snowman? Or to get completely zen by laying a beautiful mathematical mosaic? This summer you can try it out in Leiden until 25 July. If you don't live near Leiden, that's okay:the exhibition will travel through many cities in the Netherlands and Flanders in the coming year! The schedule can be found on the IMAGINARY website.
- Clara Stegehuis, Faces of Science -
Leonardo da Vinci Museum and Birthplace (Italy)
Did you actually know that Leonardo da Vinci was born in the town of Vinci in Italy? I came here by accident last year. It is a small sympathetic village in Tuscany. The museum dedicated to this 'homo universalis' consists of two historic buildings, where you will find replicas and models of all kinds of (flying) machines and mechanical clocks. The birth house of Leonardo is 3 kilometers away, which you can also visit. You can do this by car, but rather walk, because the path to it is beautiful, between the olive trees (you can also start at the higher birth house and descend down). A film about Da Vinci's life can be seen in the house. If you watch the Leonardo series (with Aidan Turner in the lead role) beforehand, you will also be in the mood!
- Mathilde Jansen, editor-in-chief and editor Linguistics -
Museum Plantin-Moretus (Belgium)
A day of shopping in Antwerp? So set aside an hour (or two) for this beautiful museum. In the heart of Antwerp is the original residence and printing house of the publishing family Plantin-Moretus. They were the first industrial-scale printers 400 years ago. The building itself is worth a visit, but inside you will also find the oldest printing presses in the world and the very first atlas in the world and the first dictionary of Dutch. Here you will discover how word and image were spread when online media were still unthinkable. Personally, I also became very greedy with all the beautiful things in the museum shop. This summer, a special sensory treasure hunt for children has been set up in the museum.
- Erica Renckens, editor-in-chief and editor Talking about language -
Eise Eisinga Planetarium (Franeker)
Are you in Friesland this summer? Then be sure to visit the beautiful Franeker and the Royal Eise Eisinga Planetarium. Amateur astronomer Eise Eisinga completed a miniature solar system in the ceiling of his cozy canal house in 1781. The planetarium contains six planets (Uranus and Neptune had not yet been discovered) and is powered by a pendulum clock above the ceiling that you can see ticking. After more than two centuries, the golden miniature planets are still spinning properly, right above the old box bed. Eisinga built the ingenious and finely decorated planetarium to show the public how the solar system works and that planets would not collide (as a pastor predicted at the time). As an introduction to the main attraction, you visit a modest museum.
Once you've seen the planetarium, go outside in the second half of the night to see the conjunction of the planets. Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn can be seen simultaneously in the southern sky. Also this time they do not collide.
- Roel van der Heijden, editor Astronomy, Physics and Technology -
Physics-museum (Germany)
It does look a bit gruesome, those cupboards full of animals in spirits. The Museum fur Naturkunde in Berlin houses one of the most extensive collections in the world. They have no fewer than thirty million copies, of which the museum exhibits 276,000 jars. That's 12.6 kilometers of planks! Enough to look at and also to put the pedometer to work on your vacation. So get over the first embarrassment and look at all those different creatures floating in the strong water. Like a hammerhead shark staring at you with open mouth from the yellowish stuff. Does it give you the creeps? Even then, this museum is still interesting, especially because of the large dinosaur collection. In a large hall you will find the skeleton of a Brachiosaurs of no less than thirteen meters long.
- Robert Visscher, editor-in-chief and editor of Technology -
Thermenmuseum (Heerlen)
Perhaps you already knew that there were Romans in the Netherlands two thousand years ago, but did you also know that they built a large bathhouse in modern Heerlen? In the Thermenmuseum you can walk past and over the archaeological remains and see how bathing was done two thousand years ago. It was a large complex with hot and cold water pools and even a sauna. The museum uses the latest techniques to make the ancient remains 'live', but I have another tip for Roman baths. Let's be honest, in the Netherlands it's not nice weather every day. On a rainy day, watch the Netflix series Thermae Romae Novae about a time-traveling (yes) Roman bathhouse architect. There you will learn even more about life in a Roman bathhouse and this way you can place the archaeological excavation even more in context – and compare it with the Japanese bathing culture.
- Patricia Kret, Faces of Science -
Musee Quai Branly (France)
Paris is known for fine museums such as the Louvre and the Center Pompidou, but the show is stolen in this area by the much lesser-known Musee Quai Branly, which opened its doors in 2006. In this museum of ethnology you will find beautiful collections of art from Oceania, Africa and America. The most striking are the masks from Oceania. They are richly decorated and were used for all kinds of ceremonies. Sometimes they are also made of remarkable materials. For example, in this museum you will find a mask from Guinea that consists of aluminum plates and mirrors. It was used in initiation rituals. The building itself is also worth a look. The facade is completely covered with plants. The museum has beautiful art, but it is not without controversy. Part of the collection is under fire because France boasts of art treasures that actually belong to other countries and, according to critics, should be returned.
- Robert Visscher, editor-in-chief and editor of Technology -
Energy Junkies (Amsterdam)
We have to talk about it:will you opt for a flying holiday this year? Maybe, but what can you do about it? We all know that there is a climate crisis, but we are so used to having everything available and accessible. A quick microwave meal, a Netflix binge… We are even addicted – addicted to the energy needed to sustain our lifestyle, even though we know it has an impact on the climate.
The solution? Kick the habit! You can see how this is possible in the Energy Junkies exhibition in NEMO's De Studio. You make choices for the future. How would you turn energy addiction into a healthy habit? Put together your own CO2 diet, choose solutions from the climate pharmacy and dream about a world where we are cured of our energy addiction.
- Leon Heuts, editor-in-chief -
Do you also have great tips for a scientifically tinted activity this summer? Share it below!