Thessaloniki NOESIS Science Center

Location: Thermi
Don't miss: Museums guide (free admission dates and other useful info)

First established in 1978 as the Technical Museum of Thessaloniki, NOESIS has evolved into the most significant science and technology museum in Greece. It is located in the area of Thermi, on the outskirts of Thessaloniki, in a state-of-the-art building complex with an overall surface of 14,000 square meters. Special attention has been paid to its striking architectural design, which alludes to Archimedes’ lever. Indeed, the oblong body of the main edifice looks like a lever raising the Globe, represented by the spherical building of the Planetarium!

The Museum houses several permanent and temporary exhibitions organized according to contemporary European standards. One of its most noteworthy sections is Classic Cars, where models that have played an instrumental role in the history of automotive engineering are on display, allowing visitors to compare the past and the present — and perhaps catch a fleeting glimpse of the future!

Another not-to-be-missed part is the Ancient Greek Technology exhibition, which aims to highlight an aspect of the ancient Greek civilization that has received much less attention than philosophy, art, or politics. Thus, visitors have a unique chance to see an impressive number of replicas of technological achievements from the Classical and Hellenistic eras, as well as learn about their construction techniques and the cultural context they appeared. The exhibits cover a wide range of fields, including everyday life, engineering, shipbuilding, war, automation, communications and much more.

Last but not least, the museum is complemented by several other facilities, located around the main building. Prominent among them is the Technopark, which proposes a variety of interactive activities and experiments from such fields as electricity, optics, magnetism and the solar system. Moreover, there is a 3D Cosmotheater screening movies and other educational material on a giant screen — the biggest flat screen in the entire country! Offering a lifelike experience, the Cosmotheater makes you feel as if you’re really at the top of Mount Everest or in the underground tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs, guaranteeing moments of tremendous fun for the entire family. The digital Planetarium and the Simulator, where you can experience the Great Wall of China, the cosmos, or the depths of the sea, are also well worth a visit. Other amenities comprise a library, a restaurant, as well as a gift shop.

Official website: www.noesis.edu.gr