|  | Designed for school children, the Espace des inventions in the Vallée de la Jeunesse is a science and technology learning centre. That is, it isn’t really a museum. Here, it’s okay to touch, handle, experiment, talk, and ask a lot of questions. In fact, these things are recommended, and the centre has a full team of instructors so that young visitors go away with the feeling that they have understood everything. The Espace des inventions offers theme-based exhibitions, generally lasting four to five months, on topics as diverse as cartography (how to represent our Earth on a flat surface when it is in fact round?), the air we breathe and which allows us to live but whose pollutants slowly kill us, and the incredible shape memory of some materials. All with a solid educational message for teachers to incorporate. A hands-on experience
The little inventors workshops encourage hands-on experiences and try to arouse curiosity and ingenuity in children by allowing them to make scientific objects or enjoy various experiences. Topics covered so far include: electricity, compasses, thermometers, sundials, and the perpetual calendar. Finally, through the “Bread, Science & Chocolate” exhibition, the Espace des inventions invites families every Sunday to scientific meetings for children 10 and older in a playful environment with the bonus of a snack. Examples of topics addressed include “Forensic Science in the Legal System” and “Meteorites, Rocks that Fall from the Sky”.
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