MTE Studios strengthens consultancy position with presence at ECSITE 2008

The A-list of who's who of science centre and museum professionals around the world are gathering in the vibrant city of Budapest from the 29th to the 31st May for the opening of the annual European Network of Science Centres and Museums Conference (ECSITE), hosted in the heart of the Hungarian Natural History Museum.

MTE Studios CEO, Ludo Verheyen, believes that ECSITE is the most multi-cultural science centre and museums conference in Europe and have decided to join the stable of corporate sponsors for ECSITE.

"The annual ECSITE conference is known for its high quality programme. The decision by ECSITE to award the conference to a host organisation in Hungary is a clear indication to the science centre and museum world of the strong emerging market in the region. We are very excited at the prospect of adding organisations in Eastern Europe to our portfolio of international partners," said Verheyen.

MTE Studios is already involved in the design, manufacture and installation of interactive exhibits at the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, Turkey.

MTE Studios is well-known in the United Arab Emirates for the design and manufacture of the magnificent '1000 Years of Knowledge Rediscovered' permanent exhibition on display within the Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai.

The exhibition has also been translated into the global travelling exhibition, 'Sultans of Science', which has been showcased at the MTN Sciencentre in Cape Town, South Africa and the Liberty Science Center, New Jersey, USA.

'Sultans of Science' will travel to various venues in North America over the next five years. The exhibition has been so popular that duplicate exhibitions for the Asian and European markets are now being considered.

MTE Studios will attend ECSITE to search for a sponsor, strategic partners and host venues for the travel of 'Sultans of Science' through Europe.

The exhibition celebrates the contribution of Arab and Muslim scholars to science and technology during the Golden Age of the Islamic World (8th to 18th centuries) and the influence of their discoveries and inventions on contemporary society.

The exhibition covers the Arab and Muslim scientific endeavour including architecture, arts, astronomy, engineering, exploration, flight, mathematics, medicine, optics, fine and utilitarian technology, and water control.

Arab and Muslim discoveries and inventions are brought to life through more than 40 magnificent interactive exhibits and giant functional replicas that use cutting edge technology to recreate the ingenuity of a golden age.

"The exhibition sends a powerful message about the way we evaluate history and the need to embrace multi-cultural knowledge," said Verheyen.

In addition to the design of galleries and the development, design, prototyping and manufacture of exhibitions, MTE Studios also offers operational planning and training for science centres and museums.

The company has a portfolio of clients that includes the National Science Centre and Petrosains in Malaysia, the Ministry of Higher Education in Namibia, and the Boyden Observatory, MTN Sciencentre, SAASTA Interactive Science Park and SciBono Discovery Centre in South Africa.

More recently, MTE Studios concluded two interactive exhibitions, one on the latest nuclear reactor technology for the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (Pty) Ltd in South Africa, and the other a unique, modular water activity zone with various interactive components that include a water tower, water wheel, boat races, vortex experiments, weirs and a plumber's tool kit.

The company is currently also involved in the reproduction of their popular interactive activity zone, 'Build a City', where children learn to build, construct and work together to achieve mutual goals on a miniature building site. MTE Studios are also the lead consultants for the conceptualisation of the Pearls of Arabia project in Dubai, UAE.

"Our presence at ECSITE 2008 reiterates our commitment to enhance the knowledge of our creative and production team by learning about the latest trends in science communication, new exhibitions techniques and the visitor experience. We hope to benefit from the knowledge shared by reputable international specialists on current topics and new trends within the science centre and museum world," added Verheyen.