Cork observatory wins Thea award
Sunday, 9 March 2008
Blackrock Castle Obervatory in Cork has won a prestigious science award at a ceremony in Los Angeles.
It was one of 17 winners of a Thea award, which recognises excellence in the creation of outstanding visitor experiences and exhibits.
More than 120 nominees were considered for the awards.
Blackrock Castle Observatory won its award for a science centre on a limited budget.
It was given for the interactive experience Cosmos at the Castle which allowed visitors explore cosmology, astronomy and the evolution of life.
They also access the on-site radio telescope and send multimedia impressions of life on Earth to the planet of their choice.
The finale is an interactive cinema experience in which guests monitor a deadly comet rushing towards Earth and decide how to save the planet.
Other award winners were Sea World in San Diego and the Shuttle launch experience at the Kennedy Space Centre.
To watch the announcement by 'Buzz' Price, and reactions by veteran astronaut Fred Gregory, Dr Niall Smith, Director of Blackrock Castle Observatory and Director of Research at Cork Institute of Technology, Leo Enright, Chairman, Discover Science and Engineering, and Mark Leslie, Creative Director, Martello Media, click here
