The MagnifiScience Centre (MSC) is an independent science center in Karachi, with a mission to develop among the populace an interest in

scientific thinking The scientific method is an empirical method for acquiring knowledge that has characterized the development of science since at least the 17th century (with notable practitioners in previous centuries; see the article history of scientific me ...

scientific literacy Scientific literacy or science literacy encompasses written, numerical, and digital literacy as they pertain to understanding science, its methodology, observations, and theories. Scientific literacy is chiefly concerned with an understanding o ...

, and scientific methods through engagement with interactive exhibits and programmes. The MSC’s multistorey building, located in the

City Railway Colony City Railway Colony ( ur, سٹی ریلوے کالونی) is a neighbourhood in Saddar Town Saddar Saddar ( ur, ), also known as Saddar Bazaar, is a neighbourhood in Karachi, Pakistan. The locality was developed as the primary commercial district during the period of British-era rule in Karachi. As a result, Saddar contains the large concentr ...

, opened to the public in September 2021. Following its vision "science is for everyone", MSC promotes scientific literacy through experiential informal learning channels which spark curiosity, and encourage critical thinking and problem-solving. The MSC aims to remove barriers to STEM education for the public, particularly for marginalised communities and differently abled persons. The Science Centre features over 200 interactive exhibits that enable visitors to get a hands-on understanding of different science concepts and relate them to daily life. The MagnifiScience Centre is a project and run by

The Dawood Foundation The Dawood Foundation (TDF) is a not-for-profit family foundation based in Karachi, Pakistan. TDF has been working in Pakistan since the 1960s and has been heavily involved in establishing various formal and informal education institutions acros ...

, a

not-for-profit organisation A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

, certified by the

Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy The Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy (PCP) is an independent not-for-profit support organisation based in Islamabad, Pakistan. Founded in 2001, PCP is promoting indigenous philanthropy for social development across the country, and is probably ...

(PCP).

Origins of MagnifiScience

In 2016, The Dawood Foundation conducted its first science exhibition, called MagnifiScience exhibition at the

Dawood Public School Dawood Public School (DPS) is a trust owned institution that offers education to over 2500 girls in Karachi, Pakistan. DPS is affiliated with Cambridge University and offers a highly developed and holistic educational programme for girls from ...

. Due to its success, it was held again the following year at the same premises. Thereafter, Pakistan's first science studio - TDF MagnifiScience Children's Studio - was opened in 2018. In October 2018, a science exhibition was held in

Islamkot Islamkot Tehsil ( ur, ), () is a Tehsil in the Tharparkar District in Sindh, Pakistan. Hundreds of neem trees seen on Islamkot-Mithi, Islamkot-Chachro and Islamkot-Nagarparkar roads were planted during chairmanship of Nihalchand Pabani and under ...

Sindh Sindh (; ; ur, , ; historically romanized as Sind) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the southeastern region of the country, Sindh is the third-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the second-largest province ...

. An increasing need for a larger space led to the start of the construction of the building in 2019. In November 2021, the President of Pakistan, Dr

Arif Alvi Arif-ur-Rehman Alvi (; born 29 July 1949) is a Pakistani dentist and politician currently serving as the 13th President of Pakistan, in office since 9 September 2018. He was a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from June 2013 to May 2 ...

, officially inaugurated the Science Centre.

Building architecture

The Science Centre building spread over ground-plus-three-floor has been designed Madiha Ghani of Shahab Ghani and Associates. The MSC is a

pre-engineered building In structural engineering, a pre-engineered building (PEB) is designed by a PEB supplier or PEB manufacturer with a single design to be fabricated using various materials and methods to satisfy a wide range of structural and aesthetic design requ ...

, which is seismically sound, and conceptualised to minimise environmental impact. As part of its green initiatives, the premises feature a solar power system and a wastewater recycling system.

Interior and exhibitions

The over 200 exhibits across the floors showcase different themes addressing various scientific topics and concepts that are pertinent in the Pakistani context. These include different architectural and cultural elements of Karachi, sources of food, constructions and modes of transportation. The facility also covers the themes of human body, light, sound, illusions, mathematics, and physics including

renewable energy Renewable energy is energy that is collected from renewable resources that are naturally replenished on a human timescale. It includes sources such as sunlight, wind, the movement of water, and geothermal heat. Although most renewable energy ...

and

telecommunication Telecommunication is the transmission of information by various types of technologies over wire, radio, optical, or other electromagnetic systems. It has its origin in the desire of humans for communication over a distance greater than that fe ...

. In addition to the main exhibition areas, there is also a simulation of

mangrove A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows in coastal saline water, saline or brackish water. The term is also used for tropical coastal vegetation consisting of such species. Mangroves are taxonomically diverse, as a result of convergent evoluti ...

ecosystem installed inside the building which highlights the importance of native flora and fauna along Pakistan’s coastline. In the centre’s auditorium, science-related documentaries are screened as well as science-related program and workshops are held on a regular basis.

Outdoor areas

The original property of the science centre was formerly a colonial warehouse building located within the historic Railway Quarter. Adjacent to the property, passes the

Karachi Circular Railway Karachi Circular Railway (abbreviated as KCR) ( ur, , Sindhi: ڪراچي سرڪيولر ريلوي) is a partially active regional public transit system in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan, which serves the Karachi metropolitan area. KCR was fully ...

and the adjoining areas have a series of warehouses constructed during the

British Raj The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent; * * it is also called Crown rule in India, * * * * or Direct rule in India, * Quote: "Mill, who was himsel ...

. The site was originally owned by

Ralli Brothers The five Ralli brothers, Zannis a.k.a. John (1785–1859), Augustus (1792–1878), Pandia a.k.a. Zeus (1793–1865), Toumazis (1799–1858), and Eustratios (1800–84), founded Ralli Brothers, perhaps the most successful expatriate Greek merchant ...

Ltd in 1888. Today, the only remains of the warehouse are the stone boundary walls around the entire venue and a

gatehouse A gatehouse is a type of fortified gateway, an entry control point building, enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a town, religious house, castle, manor house, or other fortification building of importance. Gatehouses are typically the mos ...

which have been restored to bring back their original character as much as possible. The outdoor area comprises also the centre’s Science Garden which features a playground, a natural

maze A maze is a path or collection of paths, typically from an entrance to a goal. The word is used to refer both to branching tour puzzles through which the solver must find a route, and to simpler non-branching ("unicursal") patterns that lea ...

and many indigenous trees and plants. In front of the building are a few outdoor exhibits, games, and a pond featuring science-related-information about its

organisms In biology, an organism () is any living system that functions as an individual entity. All organisms are composed of cells (cell theory). Organisms are classified by taxonomy into groups such as multicellular animals, plants, and fungi; ...

living within.

References

External Links