For the Very Adult, that is, for people over 65 years of age, we have prepared the “Sensory” workshops conducted by the Wzorowo project group, we offered guided tours around the Roots of Civilization exhibition with an explainer and a visit to the Robotic Theatre. We also encouraged the visitors to independently explore the centre and to hear a lecture explaining “How to take care of yourself during winter”.
The task of the participants attending the “Sensory” workshop was to create something that affects the senses, such as massage items. They could use beads of different sizes, needles, threads, strings, glue, wooden plates, felt, cotton, nails, hammers and a sewing machine. Seniors created, among others, flip-flops with massaging inner part of the sole, a weighing-down roller that helps for muscular pains, kitchen mittens embroidered with beads, massaging belts, little wooden plates for foot massage, various types of anti-stress toys to squeeze and even a house for the birds...
Irena, who came to the Copernicus Science Centre from as far as from Szczecin, explained that she had undergone a hand surgery and that she had to exercise regularly. She sewed an oblong bag out of yellow felt, divided into two pockets. She poured large beads into one of them, and small beads into the other. Genowefa, a graduate of chemistry at the Technical University of Lvov, with her beautiful characteristic accent, explained that the square, embroidered pad, which she was working on, was to be inserted under the back to keep the spine straight. What she liked most in the CSC was the Chemistry Laboratory, and she would willingly take part in the activities organised there.
We met the 91-year-old Józef Kardacz, who came with his wife (they have been married for 57 years!) when he was waiting for a performance at the Robotic Theatre. When we asked him what he remembered best from the Copernicus Science Centre, he said that everything here was extremely interesting, but: “What I liked most was the earthquake, but it wasn’t long until I wanted to get out from there”. Seniors waiting for the lecture entitled “How to take care of yourself during winter” were easily raised from their chairs by explainers, who offered them games with the famous Copernicus trolleys. Everyone wanted to hear the “springs”, think how to make an “impossible figure” and rack their heads over whether you can free your hands tied with a string.
All seniors, to whom we were able to talk, were in the Copernicus Science Centre for the first time, but they also immediately declared their willingness to make another visit. Stunned by the size of the building and number of exhibits, they found it a very interesting place for people of all ages. They unanimously declared that similar activities for seniors should be held much more often in the CSC.
Explainers from the Copernicus Science Centre were delighted with the Very Adult – they admired their openness, creativity and approach to life. For it must be admitted that these were not ordinary guests, but active people, biking or tennis fans, readers of the press and seekers of entertainment, members of choirs and Universities of the Third Age. They felt perfect in the Copernicus Science Centre, although one of the visitors concluded: “We are from another era”.
