NCSM and Science Museum Group, London to jointly organise a unique travelling exhibition to tell the story of global efforts to develop vaccines at pandemic speed

New Delhi: National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), an organisation under the Ministry of Culture, GoI is collaborating with the Science Museum Group, London for an international travelling exhibition ‘Hunt for the Vaccine’. The exhibition will tell the story of the global effort to find new ways to develop vaccines at pandemic speed and look at vaccinations more broadly with a historical and contemporary view. The exhibition will set out the scientific principles underlying a vaccine’s creation and efficacy, while capturing the behind-the-scenes work that accompanies their rapid development, production, transport, and delivery.

The exhibition is scheduled to be inaugurated in November 2022 at Delhi and from there it will travel to other venues across India including metro cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata.

Shri Arijit Dutta Choudhury, Director General of the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), India said, “After the grand success of the exhibition ‘Superbugs: The End of Antibiotics?’ this is another project where we have collaborated with the SMG group, London for raising awareness among masses about the importance of vaccines in our lives. Due to Corona pandemic it will be very much relevant in India. This time we have added one Mobile Science Exhibition (MSE) Bus to travel to the nearby areas of each location. The MSE Bus will mainly communicate the messages of the exhibition in rural areas. At the same time, I hope, the project will further strengthen the bond between the two leading Science Museums network in India & UK.”

The Science Museum Group’s Acting Director and Chief Executive, Jonathan Newby, said: “The pandemic has provided a compelling reminder of how science and ingenuity is central to people’s lives and created an extraordinary opportunity to engage a global audience. We are excited to continue our ongoing partnership with the National Council of Science Museums to develop this new exhibition about the global hunt for an effective vaccine. This story has countless heroes, from the research scientists in labs, to the engineers and technicians ensuring vaccine delivery, and the thousands who volunteered to be a part of clinical trials – and we look forward to working with the NCSM to tell their stories on a global scale.”

“The new exhibition with some local specific content will also showcase the efforts made by India during the COVID-19 pandemic period. It will also highlight the global issue through a series of programme & events, digital and learning resources etc. for enhanced public engagement and understanding of the vaccines” , said Shri S. Kumar, Director NCSM and Head & Coordinator of the project in India.

The Science Museum Group is the world’s leading group of science museums, welcoming over five million visitors each year to five sites: the Science Museum in London; the National Railway Museum in York; the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester; the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford; and Locomotion in Shildon.

National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), a premiere institution in the field of science communication, is an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India. Primarily engaged in popularizing Science and Technology through a network of science centres, Mobile Science Exhibitions (MSE) units that visit rural schools and organise plethora of activities for public and students in particular, NCSM has now become a trend setter in the field of science communication both at national and international level. Presently NCSM, with its Headquarters in Kolkata, administers and manages 25 science museums/centres spread across the country and is the world’s largest network of science centres and museums that functions under a single administrative umbrella with an annual reach to about 15 million people. Innovation Hubs set up by NCSM, provide expert guidance and professional lab equipment facilities to young students to nurture creativity, innovation and engagement in science. 37 hubs are functional in science centres across the country reaching about 10,000 students annually through each hubs. For further information please visit www.ncsm.gov.in