Maritime exhibition "Your compass points to the sea"

Try steering a ship in the wind and waves, plan ship traffic in the Gulf of Riga, participate in wetsuit and lifejacket donning speed competitions and get to know the structure of the ship - you can find out about this and much more at the new Riga Technical University (RTU) curiosity center "Futurimo Rīga" exhibition "Your the compass points to the sea». The exhibition allows children and young people, through interactive exhibits and various tasks, to get to know the versatility of seafaring and the engineering skills needed to work on ships, in ports and in maritime-related companies.

The exhibition will be on view until October at "Futurimo Rīga", Meža iela 1, k6. The working hours of the Curiosity Center on weekdays are from 10.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m., and on holidays - from 10.00 to 18.00. The center is closed on Mondays. More information.

The exhibition is interactive, giving visitors the opportunity to experience what happens at sea, on ships and in ports. The exhibits are suitable for visitors of different ages, so that they can have an authentic experience, for example, in the exhibition hall there is a stylized model of a sailing ship that you can climb on, try to "steer" the ship with the help of the steering console, raise and lower the sail, turn the propeller, etc. On the other hand, in a specially created pool, visitors can indulge themselves in steering ships, despite the wind and waves. Ship traffic, avoiding various obstacles and collisions, can also be played at another stand, where various ship models are available, while on the ship location data monitoring and analysis platform, anyone interested can follow in real time how ships move through the world's waters.

At the exhibition, it is possible to find out what a ship's bridge looks like, what is done in the engine room, find out about cargo operations in ports, find out who needs ships and how many different types of ships there are, as well as how modern technologies enter maritime affairs. At the exhibition, you can view various models, such as propellers and engines, as well as naval warships, take a virtual tour of Latvian maritime heritage, watch videos about how a ship is built and how it is launched, etc. There is also the opportunity to try on sailor clothing and safety equipment, including the hard hat used by ship crews in areas where pirates attack.

Children and young people can gain additional experience by participating in various tasks, such as orienting in space and time by navigation maps and other navigation signs, dealing with emergency situations, learning about types of pollution and their prevention. Visitors can also challenge themselves by measuring how far the horizon, another ship, lighthouse, yacht or other object is, take part in a knot tying relay, gain and test their knowledge of what ships are carrying and try to safely load and balance ships them.

The exhibition was created in cooperation with the Latvian Maritime Union, VSIA "Latvijas Jūras administrācija", RTU Latvian Maritime Academy, RTU Liepāja Maritime College, SIA "Novikontas Maritime College", NBS Naval Headquarters, SIA "LSC", SIA "LVR Flote", Riga Freeports administration and other Latvian large and small port authorities, as well as SIA «Proalifing».

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