Visitors cycle to measure their carbon discharge at the Low-carbon City section of the museum. (Photo provided to China Daily)
The central government proposed the development of a low-carbon city in 2006, which gave the Hangzhou authorities the idea of building the museum in a bid to make environmental education more thought-provoking.
More than 100 programs integrating science knowledge with fun interactions are available for visitors. Most are free, except the two theaters featuring scientific films, such as the one about marine life. Each film lasts roughly 40 minutes and is priced from 15 yuan ($2.25) to 30 yuan.
The museum was opened in 2012 and popularity soared after it began to offer free entry in May 2015. That year the museum attracted 820,000 visitors, a 60-percent rise on 2014, and the success story continues: Over the first seven months of 2016, there were around 500,000 visits, including foreign visitors from more than 20 countries such as the United States, Canada, France, Japan and India. The museum offers an English and a Japanese guide service, though reservations need to be made in advance.
Although many children are attracted by the virtual-reality experiences, Ji says, many also enjoy getting their hands dirty. Half-day courses on recycling waste are available for free, where kids learn to make useful daily items out of ring-pull cans, old newspapers and CD/DVD discs. At tree-planting events held every year, children are given planting kits containing seeds and how-to instructions. Ji says he believes this experience can have a profound impact on children, many of them from urban areas where they may have little direct contact with nature.
As the planet warms as a result of human activity, disasters like those portrayed on the exciting ride represent a growing threat to humanity. However, by educating and informing young people about the dangers, and helping them design a cleaner better world, the possible dangers can still be avoided.
