ESKISEHIR METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY SCIENCE EXPERIMENT CENTER AND SABANCI PLANETARIUM «ONE FOR ALL, ALL FOR ONE» Didem AYDINMAKINA

 ESKİŞEHİR in TURKEY Eskisehir, with population of , is located between Ankara and İstanbul. With the foresight that the city trains and educates people. Eskisehir has become the culture, art and science capital of Anatolia with its eight stages, theater groups, symphony orchestras, international and national festivals and national opera weeks.

Eskisehir Metropolitan Municipality Science Center and Sabanci Planetarium, established in April 2012, contribute to the training of curious, inquisitive and creative generations at all ages. The center has 125 exhibits. The Planetarium constructed with the support of Sabanci Foundation is equipped with the latest technology. This Center contributes to the development of science tourism of the region by attracting of both national and international tourists. From its establishment, visitors have visited the center.

Science centers inspire people to explore science by creative learning. If we want to emphasize the cultural and community awareness on science, we have to show that «SCIENCE IS FUN AND IT IS FOR EVERYONE» to our audiences. To achieve this goal, «ONE-METHOD- FITS-ALL» approach is not sufficient for every center, located in different geographies with different parameters. But combining the cities forces to create synergy, not only on science but also on the analysis of the problems, development of strategies, and the implementation of solutions can ease the pathroad.

Keeping this in mind, while planning and preparing the cities scientific events and activities, this 4 year-old center, also work in collaboration with the two big universities in Eskisehir.

Science festivals,workshops, science talks, career days, teacher educations, astronomy talks etc. can be given as examples to these activities.

Eskisehir has two universities: Anadolu and Osmangazi Universities. From its establishment, to the operating and organizing activities of the Science Center, we have structured our experiences on cooperation in many fields. COOPERATIONS

 Before the establishment of the Center, the Eskisehir Metropolitan Municipality formed a committee from the scientists from Anadolu University. Our scientific advisory committee traveled the other science centers in the world and combined their observations with their scientific knowledge. After they determined the theme of the Science Center, the experiment sets to be used were determined.

 COOPERATIONS This cooperation in the opening process helped us to determine a road map. Also scientific advisory committee advised us to manufacture the experiment sets in the locally basis instead of importing. Due to this, our Science Center saved 85% in the opening cost.

 COOPERATIONS After the opening process, a national «exhibit design competition » was organised. The aim of this colloboration with scientists was to include the people in the design process. Different age groups presented many successful projects in this competition.

 Another «joining-forces» sample can be given to the implementation of the «Community Service Applications" courses held in the education faculties of the universities. With this cooperation, university students leaded by their lecturers observed children on various ages before they designed the content of the program. COOPERATIONS

 After the observation, the «Sound of Science» Education Program and the content of the «Geography Tour» were designed for the Center. This cooperation won the 1st place of a prestigious prize in «Prof. Dr. Yahya Özsoy Community Service Applications Competition» in Turkey. COOPERATIONS

 Also MA and PhD level researchers cooperated with the Science Center which led the science center to be included in the published academic articles. COOPERATIONS

 ARCHEOLOGY Another sample can be given to the archeology education program. An archeological excavation area and its program was generated with the Archeology Department of Anadolu University. In this program, students learn the basic awareness tips on archeology, how the arceologic excavations are made directly from the lecturers in the university.

 ARCHEOLOGY This program enables the students to learn how to excavate like an archeologist, secure the excavating area, to make tests with the founded materials and to combine and clean the materials.

 SCIENCE FESTIVAL In 2014, Eskisehir Science Experiment Center organized its first science festival in our city with the cooporations of the universities and non-govermental organizations.

 SCIENCE FESTIVAL By having 40 different science and art workshops, science talks, science shows, sportive activities and competitions, the Science festival brought science and people together. Also this cooperation inspired us to organise more expanded festivals reaching more amount of people in the upcoming years.

 SCIENCE TALKS In our science center, inspiration is not only given to students but also to the teachers. Science talks bring scientists and teachers together. In these talks, scientists share their experiences, talk about the scientific agenda and invest on the teachers professional improvement.

 SCIENCE TALKS Also Science Center cooperates with the Turkish scientists working in CERN and NASA. These seminars and workshops transfer the latest developments of science from the first hand to the students and teachers.

 SCIENCE TALKS In the latest workshop, Turkish teachers on the national level, who followed a training program in CERN, came to our science center and shared their knowledge and experience with our teachers.

 TUBITAK The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) opens grant calls for supporting the scientific activities. With this opportunity, the Center cooperates with the universities to strengthen the projects scientifically. On the other hand, the universities are willing to cooperate with the Center to reach more people then they intend for their projects. Science festivals and STEM educations can be given as examples.

 CONCLUSION Since the opening, Eskisehir Science Center and Sabanci Planetarium reached lots of visitors for popularizing science and creating curiosity. Both scientists and science communicators, the partners, leveraged their expertise and resources. It is «One For All- All For One» but «Win-Win» in total for the target audience.