Mobile Science Museum Expands Experiential Learning Across São Paulo Communities

Progressive educational principles emphasizing experiential, hands-on learning are being deployed to broaden access to scientific knowledge across diverse regions of São Paulo. This initiative is directed by the Museu Catavento, an institution operating under the São Paulo State Secretariat of Culture, Economy, and Creative Industries. The outreach effort is executed through the 'Ciência que vai até você' action, which functions as a component of the larger 'CultSP na Estrada' program, officially launched in mid-2025.

The itinerant cultural initiative, 'CultSP na Estrada,' is designed to significantly increase the cultural footprint in the inland and coastal areas of São Paulo state. In its initial five months, concluding in January 2026, the program successfully engaged an estimated 80,000 individuals with its various offerings. A key element of this outreach, the mobile science truck, began a specific tour on February 3, 2026, arriving in Valinhos, where it offered complimentary interactive science experiences and educational workshops in front of the Municipal Hall until February 6, 2026.

The mobile unit itself is a substantial structure, measuring 20 meters in length, which expands internally to provide a 60 square meter exhibition space. This venue transports nine core experiments covering physics, chemistry, biology, geography, and history, all sourced from the main Museu Catavento facility in São Paulo. Each internal circuit is a focused, 25-minute engagement, accommodating up to 20 visitors per session, facilitated by a team of four trained educators who mediate the activities.

Advanced pedagogical demonstrations are central to the truck's offerings, including a Van de Graaff generator illustrating static electricity and a bicycle generator showcasing energy creation. The mobile unit also features a detailed 3D model of the Earth's core and an auditory installation reproducing the songs of 30 distinct Brazilian bird species. Complementing the internal circuit, external workshops reinforce the mission to democratize scientific literacy, showcasing apparatus such as an intoxication simulator and a water and oil polarity experiment.

The mobile museum maintains a broad itinerary, aiming to reach 39 different cities by the end of March 2026. This decentralized cultural strategy, structured around seven distinct regional poles, is projected to positively impact over 10,000 residents monthly. The parent institution, Museu Catavento, established in 2009 in the Palácio das Indústrias, currently hosts over 250 installations across its four main sections: 'Universo,' 'Vida,' 'Engenho,' and 'Sociedade.' The 'CultSP na Estrada' program is managed by the Secretariat of Culture, Economy, and Creative Industries, with organizations like Poiesis involved in managing itinerancy components.