The Gwacheon National Science Museum in Busan will roll out a wide range of hands-on educational programs incorporating cutting-edge science and technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), forensic science, and virtual reality (VR), for the summer vacation.
The National Busan Science Museum said Monday that it will operate a "Summer Semester Educational Program" for participants ranging from preschoolers to middle school students from the 25th through the 28th of next month.
For this summer semester, the museum has prepared 103 courses designed to foster creativity and inquiry skills. It has focused in particular on developing the problem-solving and self-directed inquiry capabilities needed in the AI era. The museum has also newly established a large number of programs that allow participants to directly experience future technologies such as forensic science, physical AI, VR, and maker education.
At the "SCI Detective Lab," aimed at third- and fourth-grade elementary students, participants solve cases and learn scientific principles using actual forensic investigation techniques such as bloodstain analysis, document examination, chromatography, and pH analysis. The "Physical AI Project," open to fourth-grade elementary students and above, allows participants to experience artificial intelligence and robotics by carrying out a Mars exploration mission using various sensors and robots.
Alongside these, the museum will newly operate courses that combine everyday life with future technology, including "VR Science Museum Made by My Own Hands," "Everyday Safety Maker," "Maker Project 3D Engineering," and "Veterinary Science Inquiry Class."
The courses are organized into categories such as experimental inquiry classes, artificial intelligence classes, creative maker classes, and thematic inquiry classes, allowing students to choose according to their age and areas of interest. Those who complete all four consecutive days of a course will receive a certificate of completion in the name of the National Busan Science Museum director, as well as vouchers for the permanent exhibition hall and the daytime observation program at the astronomical observatory.
Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis through the National Busan Science Museum website starting on the 8th. On that day, programs for 7-year-olds begin at 2 p.m., followed by first- and second-grade elementary students at 3 p.m., and third-grade elementary students and above at 4 p.m.
"In the era of the AI transformation, scientific thinking skills to investigate and solve problems on one's own are more important than anything else," said Choi Jun-young, head of the Education and Research Office at the National Busan Science Museum. "We have prepared programs so that children can develop an interest in science and cultivate key future capabilities through diverse experience-based education during the summer vacation."
