ABSTRACT
This essay explores the early development of pre-modern interactive science displays in the Islamic world and the rapid development of modern interactive science centres in the Middle East. The so-called ‘Dark Ages’ in Europe largely coincided with the ‘Golden Age of Islamic Science’ (ca 800–1,500 CE), when science and technology, as well as interactive learning institutions, flourished in the Islamic world. This 700-year period was characterized by a unique suite of socio-economic circumstances that make it possible for Muslim scholars to flourish. One of the expressions of this development was the design of automatons and interactive mechanical devices called ‘trick devices’, such as birds that sang automatically, automated water clocks, and the camera obscura. The House of Wisdom in Baghdad, operational from about 750 to 1258 CE, featured many interactive devices and therefore should qualify as a precursor to modern interactive science centres. The essay describes many of these modern institutions, as they exist today in more than 15 countries in the Middle East, and discusses how ambitious national goals and generous budgets have resulted in some of these institutions competing with the world's best. The essay concludes with a discussion of the trends and challenges that relate to the status of these institutions.
