I traveled to Izmit, Turkey in the province of Koceali for 4 months to
help set up a new workspace at the Seka Park Bilim Merkezi (Science
Center). I was invited as a sub
contractor/ambassador for the Exploratorium to refurbish 40 Explo exhibits,
develop a functioning workshop, and help train the technical staff at the museum to start
developing their own exhibits. The
museum and workspace where built in what used to be the old machine shop for
the Seka Paper factory. We had to
make major renovations to the space and purchase new tools and materials for the shop which
turned out to be much more difficult than we expected. Still the group persevered through all
types of complications and setbacks, worked through the language barrier, and were able to leave the museum with a feeling of accomplishment. We were able to develop a functioning space for
fabrication and exhibit development, we put the final touches on a wing of the
museum gallery, and we assisted in the completion of the first three science
exhibits to be made in Turkey.
Some photos posted are from the blogs of Dave Johnson and
Kua Patten. The pictures are in chronological order from the beginning to end of the project, Nov 2014 - March 2015.
