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Last Tuesday, February 11, we officially opened the Open Science Hub ‘De Oerknal’ in Exloo. After years of development, the opening was finally there! The opening ceremony started with Elsbeth Jansen, Mayor Jan Seton of Borger-Odoorn, and the children’s mayor Bibi Wubs.

The Open Science Hub ‘The Big Bang’ has been specially designed for young students aged 10 to 14. In this unique learning environment, they are introduced to (radio) astronomy in a playful way through three escape rooms equipped with interactive technology. In teams of four to six players, participants take on the roles of researcher, philosopher, or engineer and embark on an adventurous journey through time. During their journey of discovery, they seek answers to three major questions:

- Where are we in the universe?

- Where (or when) did the universe begin?

- What does the future of the universe look like?

At the end of the escape room, the students will reflect on an inspiring learning experience in which technology, science, and collaboration are central. Over the coming period, we will continue to refine and optimize the escape room. Any potential improvements will be addressed so that we can officially welcome school classes.

Once the escape room has been fully tested, we will also make this known to you. It will be very exciting to experience this together with your team!