An innovative journey through time and space: the 'Time Machines' exhibition

We will present the behind the scenes of an expansive astrophysics exhibition, "Time Machines", hosted at the prestigious Palazzo Esposizioni in Rome from November 2023 to March 2024.

This was the first large exhibition conceived and realised by INAF, the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics. It offered visitors an extraordinary journey through space and time, all the way to the far reaches of the known Universe, until the dawn of cosmic history, with the help of telescopes, the “time machines” of astronomers and astrophysicists. With a pop style and eighties flair, the exhibition exploited the light travel time – the farther astronomical objects we observe, the further we see back in time – to explore planets, stars and galaxies along an itinerary that is both physical and conceptual. 

The exhibition was fully bilingual (Italian and English) and included dedicated panels specially designed for primary school children. 

The creation of the exhibition spanned almost two years, beginning with a core team that included astrophysicists to select the most relevant content, science communicators to make that content accessible, experienced curators of scientific exhibitions and museums, communication experts, and specialists in astronomy education and inclusive practices.

‘Time Machines’ integrated various interactive tools to tell the story of modern astrophysics, offering the public unique opportunities for active involvement and discovery. One example is a touch table conceived and designed to offer adults and children the individual and/or collaborative opportunity to touch the Solar System by accessing, visualising and manipulating a series of information boards. Through this exhibit, users could select their favourite planet, explore its characteristics and immerse themselves in a wide range of virtual and multimedia content related to the Solar System. It is also a very useful tool from a didactic point of view, as it goes beyond traditional pen-and-paper teaching methods and facilitates more effective learning for the individual and the class group, creating a playful and stimulating environment. 

Another example is the virtual tour of the INAF's main observatories. Wearing the virtual reality visor, the viewer is immersed in an immersive and high-impact 360° experience, exploring, while having fun, the key locations of Italian astrophysical research and the main celestial sources studied and observed in these places. 

Great emphasis was placed on inclusivity, from the sensory planetarium designed for blind people to sound exhibits and sign language guides for deaf people.

All this has led to a product that appeals to non-specialist people, capturing also those who are not usually interested in science and manages to create a community around such a complex object as an exhibition.