Our DNA
Outreach at the heart of what we do
The choices and the style behind its cultural and scientific outreach form the foundation of SEMECCEL’s identity, from which all its activities take shape.
An approach that fosters curiosity, participation and personal experience for everyone.
An enthusiastic approach to space, aeronautics, history and the future of humankind, offering audiences an alternative to traditional academic teaching methods. Visitors move instantly from what can be a daunting perception of these subjects to a living, fully accessible and often sensory experience.
For our audiences, the cultural experience thus becomes not one of effort, but one of personal connection, feeling and enjoyment.
Making science as exciting as science fiction
An innovative approach to outreach
To implement this innovative approach to outreach, SEMECCEL relies in particular on:
Unquestioned credibility on content
Built on close ties and lasting partnerships with players in the space, aeronautics, scientific and education sectors. Privileged relationships with associations and enthusiasts in these fields, and staff who are passionate about outreach and engaging with the public.
The inherently compelling nature of the subjects covered
The Cité de l’espace and L’Envol des Pionniers are fortunate to address powerful, rich subject matter:
- Space-related topics and their scientific content naturally carry strong appeal, since everything in space is “extraordinary” compared with our frame of reference on Earth;
- A remarkable source of inspiration lies in the human values that allowed a seemingly impossible project to be achieved and expanded into the outcome we know today (Toulouse becoming a world capital of aeronautics)
A content approach that encourages involvement and sparks visitors' curiosity
Surprise, emotion, sensation and enjoyment are the keys to the outreach style developed by SEMECCEL. Whether through exhibitions, activities or audiovisual shows, experience, immersive staging, live human interaction and sensory elements (visual, tactile, physical…) are at the very heart of its outreach tools.
Captivating scenographic and museographic approaches
Immersive settings, audiovisual shows, sensory and physical experiences, unique and/or striking objects, innovative interactive elements… From the most instructive to the most playful, every means is considered and chosen for its ability to captivate audiences and make content accessible.
Human-led outreach
It is ever-present. Our guides and experts engage with every type of audience in a wide range of settings, whether regular or one-off, on-site or off-site: role-play, guided tours, activities, labs, live commentary on space events, talks, TV and radio appearances, and more. Human-led outreach is an essential part of SEMECCEL’s identity.
What I hear, I forget; what I see, I remember; what I do, I understand.
Its guiding principles
By drawing on such a wide range of means in service of its cultural mission, SEMECCEL enables its audiences to engage with cultural content in a simple and lively way, placing the emphasis on the sheer excitement of discovery.- Surprise: highlighting the extraordinary nature of most subjects in order to capture attention, spark curiosity, generate interest and, in turn, make it easier to convey scientific content;
- Accessibility: content within reach of every curious mind, whatever their level of knowledge;
- (Inter)action / experimentation / immersion: making people live the experience rather than simply showing it to them;
- Emotion: wonder, sensation… The aim is to genuinely involve visitors in their journey of discovery, allowing them to feel a personal connection with the content and information presented to them.
It is in these principles that we find the origin of SEMECCEL’s signature: “A catalyst for cultural and scientific emotion”