Shenzhen Science Museum’s New Pavilion: A Full Immersion in Bringing Physics Books to Life with Light and Shadow

Securing Tickets to the “Science Spaceship”: A Deep Dive into Shenzhen’s Latest Must-See Attraction

The moment I secured tickets for this groundbreaking experience over the May Day holiday, I knew this would be no ordinary exploration. Dubbed the “Silver Spaceship” hovering over Guangming Science City, this new science museum saw 10,000 tickets vanish upon opening, welcoming over 150,000 visitors during its inaugural holiday week. What’s fueling this frenzy? It’s the secret sauce of transforming complex science into pure magic. As 28 laser projectors painted celestial trails across the building’s facade, I understood why this venue has become a viral sensation – every beam of light invites you to connect with science on a visceral level.

What left an even more indelible mark was the journey through the “Science Spaceship” itself. From the first to the fifth floor, an arsenal of projection techniques – including unconventional projection mapping, immersive displays, and 3D mapping – delivered a fantastical odyssey through the cosmos and across time itself.

I. Traversing the Universe with “Unconventional Projection”

[F4 Marine Science Hall: Exploring the Ocean Depths]

Within a hemispherical dome, projection technology transforms global warming and floating city concepts into an immersive mini-theater. Stepping into this space allows for a direct, tangible grasp of climate crisis challenges and visionary aquatic urbanism, turning abstract environmental issues into deeply engaging experiences.

[F5 Space Exploration Hall: Mars’ Environment and History]

Breaking free from flat displays, imagery is meticulously mapped onto spherical surfaces, offering visitors a unique perspective of Mars. This transforms abstract scientific data into vivid, dynamic visual narratives.

[F5 Space Exploration Hall: Piloting Zhurong on Mars]

Mars landscapes unfold across unconventional screens, enhanced by interactive controls like buttons and joysticks. Visitors can actively participate, steering the “Zhurong” rover, observing spectral imaging, and browsing multispectral camera feeds—an immersive way to unlock the secrets of space exploration.

II. Journeying Through Time with “Immersive Projection”

[F2 Hello World Hall: Voting for My Future Adventure]

This space is designed as a completely enveloping visual environment. Through audience voting on plot points, dynamic scenes unfold, showcasing virtual Mars base expeditions, lunar base research trips, and futuristic cityscapes, offering a deeply engaging preview of smart living.

[F4 Digital Wave Hall: Stepping into Zhuang Zhou’s Dreamscape]

Here, projection technology converges with virtual reality computer graphics and human-computer interaction to create a blended reality experience. Visitors can generate personalized animations from photos or interact with elements on screen, freely exploring the dreamlike world of Zhuang Zhou and experiencing the wonders of digital technology.

[F5 Space Exploration: My “Thrilling Nine Minutes”]

A CAVE environment, constructed with three-sided projection plus floor projection, offers a fully immersive viewing experience. Visitors follow the “Zhurong” rover’s landing sequence, embarking on a thrilling journey of space exploration.

III. Interactive Exhibits: Making Science Tangible Beyond Textbooks

[F3 Smart Mobility: Illuminating Shenzhen’s “Mountain-Sea Connection” with Your Fingertips]

This exhibit features an interactive radar projection wall displaying the master plan of Shenzhen’s “Mountain-Sea Connection” initiative. Touch-sensitive controls allow visitors to explore the planning details, bringing urban development strategies to life.

[F4 Marine Science Hall: Salvaging Underwater Secrets with a Sonar Joystick]

Visitors steer a virtual vessel using joysticks and activate sonar with button presses. The projection system dynamically responds, simulating sonar exploration to locate shipwrecks or aircraft debris, making maritime technology an interactive and engaging pursuit.

[F5 Quantum Science Hall: Teaming Up to Crack the Ultimate Code]

Utilizing projection technology onto a concave circular screen, visitors engage in a collaborative challenge. Based on on-screen prompts, participants choose roles as “sender” or “receiver” to complete a key distribution task within a time limit. This interactive light-and-shadow experience demystifies the abstract principles of quantum communication security.

IV. Outdoor 3D Mapping Light Show

As evening falls, the building’s facade transforms into a flowing river of stars. The 28 high-lumen laser projectors from Optoma deliver crisp visuals with precise color accuracy, unaffected by ambient light. The projections seamlessly follow the building’s contours, creating a technologically advanced 3D mapping light show that immerses the public in a fusion of architecture and light. Gasps of “Wow” ripple through the crowd, one little girl exclaiming, “Daddy, look, a time tunnel!”

The “Science Spaceship” by Day

The 3D Mapping Light Show by Night

About the Science Museum:

Located in the heart of Guangming Science City, the Shenzhen Science Museum is a flagship cultural facility for the new era. Spanning 128,300 square meters, it features four permanent exhibition halls with an impressive 950 interactive exhibits, positioning it among the leading science museums in China. Optoma’s engineering projectors, leveraging professional technology and innovative solutions, have been integral to crafting the museum’s exhibits. By employing diverse projection techniques such as unconventional mapping, immersive displays, and interactive interfaces, they’ve enabled the museum to create engaging educational scenarios, fundamentally redefining how science is understood through the captivating medium of light and shadow.