The interactive traveling exhibition “Archimedes and his time” has arrived in Vilnius from Athens. Exhibits for the exhibition at the Museum of Energy and Technology have been collected from the Kostos Kotsan Museum of Ancient Greek Technology, which operates in Athens, Heraklion, Olympia and the port of Katakolo. Konstantinos Kotsanas, author of public reconstructions in Lithuania, founder of the museum.
May 2 his son Panagiotis Kotsanas will present the high technologies of ancient Greece on a free tour. A total of 350 ancient inventions and their interactive replicas have been restored in four technology museums – from robots, the first cinema, an analog computer, the first vending machine that filled customers with holy water during church downtime, to military engineering, measuring distances between celestial bodies, cryptographic methods, science illusions, sports, games and many others.
Athens in Vilnius
The exhibition aims to show that ancient Greek technology was strikingly similar to the beginnings of our modern technology. Mechanical engineer K. Kotsan has dedicated his life to researching technology. With his own funds, he founded the Museum of Ancient Greek Technology and constructed the exhibits himself, after a long and intensive study of ancient Greek, Latin and Arabic literature, vase painting and even the smallest relevant archaeological finds. All museums attract a large number of local and foreign visitors.
“The importance of technology in the development of civilizations cannot be overestimated, and ancient Greece is proof of that. The exhibition explores the inventions of historical figures such as Archimedes, which still inspire awe and admiration centuries later. From Antikythera’s counting mechanism to Philo’s automatic maid, the legacy of ancient Greek technology is woven into the fabric of human history, said P. Kotsanas, who is visiting Vilnius. – It is interesting to see parallels between ancient Greek technology and our modern innovations. With the exhibition, we aim to overcome the gap between the past and the present, to show the long-term relevance of the ingenuity of the ancient Greeks.”
“Archimedes and his time” has been recognized in prestigious science centers and museums in Asia, Europe and America. The arrival of Archimedes in Vilnius will impress the audience with interactive exhibitions, educational materials and allow a glimpse into the achievements of ancient Greek engineering.
10 kg of sand and 40 l of water
Since the autumn of last year, the Museum of Energy and Technology has exhibited an exhibition about Leonardo da Vinci, his work and inventions, the sketches of which have survived to this day. “After this exhibition, we definitely wanted to present Archimedes. His pioneering contributions to various fields of science, including mathematics, physics, engineering and astronomy, are enormous – his work influenced later mathematicians such as Newton or Leibniz, his principles and inventions continue to be studied and applied by engineers and scientists around the world,” said Energetikos and director of the technical museum Mykolas Bistrickas.
The exhibition is relevant not only for engineers, because ancient discoveries continue to influence and improve the quality of human life. In total, 10 kilograms of sand and 40 liters of water will be used in the interactive exhibits during the period of the exhibition. Practical experiments are adapted to different audiences, including students from 5th grade.
“In the museum, we already tell about the father of electricity and magnetic radiation, so we must also tell about more mundane inventions that have not changed over thousands of years. In this way, we want to contribute to formal education and facilitate the work of teachers, encourage students to be interested in science and its practical integration”, said M. Bistrickas.
Archimedes will stay in Vilnius until November 24.
Tags: impressive exhibitions coming Vilnius ancient inventions Greek Technical Museum MadeinVilnius .lt
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