About us

The Decree establishing EPPDCSI (commonly called Universcience, which is the public body combining the Paris science museums “Palais de la Découverte” and “Cité de la Science et de l'Industrie”), defines its external activities as follows: “It shall contribute to the dissemination of the culture of science and technology at a national and international level by getting involved with and implementing partnerships with other bodies in the field”.
In this context, the Palais and the Cité have performed numerous activities such as forming regional and international partnerships, distributing products and services, enhancing the reputation of the institution and collaborating with various other bodies, whether in France (with local cultural bodies and AMCSTI, the Association of Museums for the Development of Scientific, Technical and Industrial Culture), in Europe (with ECSITE, the European Network of Science Centres and Museums) or worldwide (international science museum associations).
In total, a million visitors visit Universcience travelling exhibitions (300,000 in the French regions and 800,000 abroad) every year.

For a long time, Cité des Sciences and Palais de la Découverte have been committed to working with external bodies that promote scientific culture. There are two aspects to these activities: local event management and making cultural and pedagogical materials available.

Local event management consists of coordinating informal working groups such as exhibition co-producers, research bodies (via Cité’s Science and Society Management Team) or representatives of the Regional Council, through which the various stakeholders can meet to discuss common issues. This also includes participating in networks such as OCIM (the Office for Museum Cooperation and Information), CIRASTI (the Inter-Association Collective for Scientific, Technical and Industrial Activities) and AMCSTI (the Association of Museums for the Development of Scientific, Technical and Industrial Culture). Universcience also supports five regional “Exposciences” science exhibitions, where groups of young people (5 to 25 years old) present their projects on all areas of science and technology, and is involved in the “Prix Diderot de l’Initiative culturelle” competition.

These activities are currently in the deployment phase because the French government has given Universcience two new roles: administering part of the science culture budget and organising an operational governance model involving all national stakeholders. A certain number of national and local governance bodies are currently being put in place.

In this context, Universcience has just launched its website “Regional News” (A la Une des régions), jointly produced with AMCSTI. This website presents news from regional science-culture bodies.

The second aspect of its regional activities is the production and promotion of travelling exhibitions.
In 2010, around 50 such projects were implemented, such as the exhibition “Électricité, qu’y a-t-il derrière la prise ?” (Electricity, what’s behind the socket?) at Laval Science Museum and the exhibition “Illusions ça trompe énormément” (Amazing Illusions) at Orleans Museum. In some cases, travelling exhibitions can be made available free of charge, which means that partners can make the exhibition their own. In 2011, the exhibition “Population mondiale” (World population) will be made available in this way to the Lorraine Regional Council to be shown at the Chambley site.

Certain travelling exhibitions are co-produced with regional partners. An example of this is the exhibition “Vous avez dit Chimie ?” (Did you say Chemistry?), with the “Espace des Sciences” - Science Centre in Rennes, run by the Louis Pasteur University, Strasbourg “Le Jardin des Sciences” science museum, the CEA (the French Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission) and UIC (the French chemical industry’s professional body).

Finally, Universcience passes on its museum management expertise to local authorities who call upon its technical abilities. With regard to specialist assistance and consultancy, among other projects in 2010, Universcience was involved in a project with the Auvergne Regional Council for the creation of a 500m2 Science Park for 3 to 7 year-olds in the Vulcania facility near Clermont-Ferrand.
 

In the first instance, through its activity on both of its sites, Universcience is present at the international level via institutional networks and relations. It actively and increasingly participates in the major European and international museum networks, such as ECSITE (the European Network of Science Centres and Museums),ICOM (the International Council of Museums), ASTC (The Association of Science -Technology Centers in North America) and Hands-On International, the formerly European and now international network of children’s museums.

At a European level, Universcience plays an active role in European Commission programmes, in particular the FP7 programme Science in Society. Universcience targets European programmes and projects that are in line with its own programme and development priorities.

In addition, Universcience's international activity fulfils the roles that it has been assigned by the French ministries it is attached to: the Culture and Communication Ministry and the Higher Education and Research Ministry. It also works in close collaboration with French Foreign Ministry services, in Paris and abroad, who participate in and support its work to promote scientific culture. The strategy of Universcience is also part of the French policy of cultural programming (international cultural festivals). Finally, the role of local authorities is becoming increasingly important in the development of international projects.

This policy is applied in a variety of projects and partnerships, whether with institutions (collaborations with foreign institutional partners), industry (such as the joint production of the exhibition “Le Cheveu de décode” (Decoding the hair) with L’Oréal, which had around 2 million visitors abroad and generated significant media exposure) or museums (such as joint production of the exhibition “Bon Appétit” with three other large European Science Museums: Heureka in Helsinki, le Museo della Scienza in Milan and Technopolis in Mechelen, Belgium).

Universcience’s geographical strategy, which is spilt into zones, combines a “commercial” approach, for countries that have the necessary resources and collaborative operations in the context of the institution’s work as a public body.
 

Universcience Catalogue

Universcience makes its expertise available to professionals, institutions and businesses, in France and worldwide, that wish to put on a cultural event, design a new installation, enrich their collections or improve their visitor numbers.

The products and services available for French regions or internationally can be consulted on the Products and Services pages under the tab “For Professionals”:

Soon, this catalogue will also offer the travelling exhibitions designed by Palais de la Découverte, which can currently be consulted here.

Universcience external activities on Facebook

You can also find the latest information, events and external activities in French regions and internationally on the Facebook page Universcience hors les murs.

“Regional news” website

In partnership with AMCSTI, Universcience offers web users a site providing cultural and scientific news from all French regions, “A la Une des régions”

 
Newsletters

Nationally: Universcience produces “Lettre de la CSTI” (a scientific, technical and industrial culture newsletter), which provides information on the new governance model. S’inscrire à la Lettre de la CSTI (subscribe to the CSTI newsletter)
Internationally: Universcience produces an international newsletter for its partners and customers worldwide. “Subscribe to the International Newsletter”

Contact us:

Should you require any further information regarding Universcience’s external activities, please do not hesitate to contact us on: contactpro@universcience.fr