Why do cats fall for catnip? Why is my cat so cute? These are questions that 'cat owners' might ponder at least once. A place that kindly provided a scientific answer to these queries is the National Museum of Science in Daejeon, which held a 'Cat Academic Conference' on August 8th last year to celebrate 'World Cat Day' and address the curiosities of cat owners.
Kwon Seok-min, director of the National Museum of Science, noted in an interview held in Daejeon on the 13th, "The science museum has been somewhat stagnant, recognized as a place devoid of excitement for young people, while maintaining traditional exhibitions, education, and research. To dispel this perception, we have been planning and hosting innovative events each month since last year."
The National Museum of Science hosted an event to explore the scientific principles related to cats by gathering renowned scientists, including Professor Jang Hong-je of Kwangwoon University, Professor Cho Young-seok of Daegu University, and Professor Kim Beom-jun of Sungkyunkwan University, known for explaining science in an easy and fun way. Events such as 'Cat Wine Championship', 'Cat Talk', and 'Cat Owners Workshop' were tailored for cat enthusiasts. Thousands of visitors flocked to the National Museum of Science during the event.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the National Museum of Science. It has been evaluated as having aged, as it has been over 30 years since its transfer to Daejeon. However, the number of visitors to the National Museum of Science increased by 10.3% compared to the previous year. Notably, '2030' science enthusiasts have been visiting in large numbers.
The secret to attracting visitors back to the science museum after the COVID-19 pandemic was its innovative planned events, with the 'Cat Academic Conference' being a prime example. The event, held with the intent to scientifically explore the various behaviors and habits of cats, unofficially captivated the hearts of approximately 1.5 million cat owners nationwide.
Last June, the 'Dinosaur Enthusiasts Expo' held to celebrate Dinosaur Day was also successful. 'Enthusiast' is a Korean abbreviation of the Japanese word 'otaku,' meaning a fan of a specific field. This year, the plan is to hold a larger scale event in June. In February, an exhibition titled 'Serious About Bread' was held, focusing on the scientific explanation surrounding bread. This event was envisioned to enhance Daejeon's image as the 'city of bread', thanks to Seongshim Bakery.
Kwon pointed out that the museum should be a platform that continuously generates and disseminates fun, interest, and curiosity about science and technology, noting, "Recently, as science and technology have become more difficult and complex, it has been hard for the general public to find it engaging. To broaden interest and curiosity regarding science and technology, we operate a variety of science lectures on different topics every month."
What Kwon focused on was science enthusiasts. He stated, "Through enabling science and technology enthusiasts and clubs to fully express their talents and capabilities, the National Museum of Science has established itself as a sacred place for science enthusiasts," adding, "As a result, the number of visitors is expected to exceed last year's 920,000 and reach over 1 million this year."
The National Museum of Science reaching out to the younger generation and science enthusiasts ultimately aims to strengthen the general public's scientific literacy. The idea is that increasing easy and fun exhibition content and events will also help enhance the scientific literacy of the entire population. Kwon mentioned, "We are introducing experiential exhibition techniques using fields like music and art, and utilizing immersive mission-game techniques employed with cutting-edge technologies such as VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality)."
Kwon stated that the National Museum of Science, which celebrates its 80th anniversary this year, aims to transform into a next-generation space for experiencing and participating in scientific convergence technologies. He mentioned, "While discovering programs based on advanced technologies, we will also increase content exchanges with international planned exhibitions and global science museums," emphasizing, "We will establish a cooperation network with world-renowned science museums to promote internationalization."