‘1,001 Inventions’ launches interactive scientific exhibition

AMMAN — Deputising for Her Majesty Queen Rania, HRH Princess Sumaya on Wednesday inaugurated the “1,001 Inventions Exhibition: Discovering our past... Inspiring our future” at the Jordan Museum.

Organised by the Royal Scientific Society in partnership with the Jordan Museum and the 1,001 Inventions science and cultural organisation, the interactive educational exhibition sheds light on the scientific heritage of the Arab and Islamic “Golden Age”, spanning 1,000 years since the seventh century.

The exhibition aims to stimulate children’s and youth’s ambitions, and encourage their passion for science and knowledge to empower them to build a better future, Princess Sumaya said in her opening address on behalf of the Queen, the chairperson of the Jordan Museum Board of Trustees .

“The exhibition presents a fun learning experience that takes its audience on an adventure of discovery of the past, to encourage building a bright future,” the Princess, the president of the Royal Scientific Society, said.

As part of the Jordan Year of Science 2017, the exhibition was inaugurated a few days prior to the World Science Forum, a bi-annual international event that brings together the world’s leading scientists, which will be held at the Dead Sea on November 7.

The exhibition has previously toured the world, attracting 350 million visitors to its collection of interactive games, films, live shows and workshops, in addition to selling 200,000 copies of the book of the same title. The production of the film “1,001 Inventions and the library of secrets” was also awarded the best educational film award at the Cannes and New York festivals.

In addition to technology-based activities acquainting the audience with famous scientists from the past, visitors are also offered the chance to interact with and try using the models of important inventions made by these scientists as well as interact with actors playing the famous characters. 

The actors will explain their achievements and answer questions from the public, while occasionally bursting into monologues about their past lives.

Students will also get the chance to showcase their science projects, the Princess pointed out.

Ahmed Salim, co-founder and director of 1,001 Inventions, a British based, award-winning science and cultural heritage organisation that specialises in the achievements of the Golden Age heritage, stressed that the exhibition’s vision seeks to recreate the Muslim world’s golden era rather than just reminiscing about the past.

“This exhibition is looking at the past, but it’s helping us inspire a better future. As we go… and see and meet some of these characters from the past, don’t think that that past is gone and will never come back again, we can do this again,"  Salim said.

“We are standing on the shoulders of giants, from a 1,000 years ago, who dedicated their lives to improving the situation around them,” Salim added, stressing how much can be achieved even with minimal resources.