The Palace of Science – the Miodrag Kostić Endowment welcomed the team behind Hydropolis, a future science centre in Prague, for a two-day professional visit dedicated to exchanging knowledge, experience and best practices in the development and operation of contemporary science centres.
Hydropolis will be Prague’s first science centre entirely dedicated to water. Scheduled to open in autumn 2027, it will be located within a revitalised historic waterworks complex dating from the 19th century. Through interactive exhibitions, educational content and multisensory experiences, the future centre will introduce visitors to topics including water, water resources, water management technologies, climate change and sustainability.
The Hydropolis delegation consisted of Jana Myšková, Hydropolis Manager; Katerina Hrozová, Strategy and Collaboration Coordinator; Veronika Vančatová, Financial Specialist; Radka Rosebergová, Technology Manager and Expert Supervisor for Education at PVK; and Veronika Slavíková, responsible for communications and marketing.
During the first day of the visit, Nemanja Đorđević, Director of the Miodrag Kostić Endowment, and Gordana Grabež, Programme Director, presented the vision and development journey of the Palace of Science. The discussions covered the process of establishing the institution, the concept and implementation of its permanent exhibition, the development of educational programmes, strategic partnerships, the approach to visitor experience and plans for future development.
Accompanied by the Palace of Science’s science communicators, the guests toured the permanent exhibition and learned about its thematic and narrative structure, interactive exhibits and the ways in which scientific content is adapted to different visitor groups. The Hydropolis team then presented its own project, followed by an exchange of experience related to preparations for opening a new science centre.
The second day of the visit focused on specific programme-related and operational topics. Representatives of the two centres discussed the development and communication of educational programmes, evaluation methods, operational procedures, educational activities and cooperation with educational institutions.
Members of the Hydropolis delegation also had an opportunity to explore the exhibition independently, observe how visitors interact with the exhibits and participate in programmes, and speak with members of the Palace of Science’s operational team. The two-day visit concluded with a summary of the key insights and a discussion about opportunities for future cooperation.
The meeting between the Palace of Science and Hydropolis teams demonstrated the importance of international knowledge exchange and the open sharing of experience in developing science centres that respond to their visitors’ needs, encourage curiosity and make contemporary scientific topics accessible to wider audiences.