I.S.N. Prasad, principal IT secretary, Government of Karnataka; Dr SV Ranganath, chief secretary of State Government of Karnataka; Dr Patrick Prendergast, president, Trinity College Dublin; and Michael John Gorman, founding director, Science Gallery
The city of Bangalore, India, could one day have its own science gallery based on the Science Gallery model at Trinity College Dublin (TCD). That’s because India’s Karnataka State Government has signed a partnership agreement with Science Gallery to look into the potential for such a gallery in Bangalore.
In June it was announced that the Science Gallery was in advanced discussions with Kings College London regarding the setting up of the first Science Gallery outside of Ireland. The gallery is aiming to grow an international network of around eight science galleries by 2020 in cities such as Singapore and New York. Last year, Science Gallery received a €1m seed funding gift from Google to help grow the network.
Michael John Gorman, the founding director of Science Gallery, was in Bangalore on Friday together with TCD’s president Dr Patrick Prendergast to sign a partnership agreement with officials from the Government of Karnataka.
Gorman said Bangalore was an ideal location for a science gallery because of the city’s highly educated and technologically aware population.
I.S.N. Prasad, principal secretary from the Department of IT, BT and Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka, said the government would be commissioning a feasibility study to discuss the potential for such a gallery in the city and to set up a steering committee. He said stakeholders in the academic, research and cultural communities, including the Indian Institute of Science, the National Centre for Biological Sciences, and the Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology would be involved in the process.
“We look forward to studying the potential for developing Science Gallery Bangalore, which we hope will be equally successful, not only in showcasing cutting-edge science, but also in reaching out to the widest possible public in an innovative and compelling manner,” said Prasad.
In Dublin, Science Gallery runs interactive exhibitions, such as its current gaming-themed one GAME, which will run until 20 January 2013.
Since opening five years ago, Science Gallery has received more than 1m visitors.
