Città della Scienza: Naples' hub of innovation

Città della Scienza is one of our city's many crowning glories: an initiative for the promotion and dissemination of science that takes place in Naples, within a complex made up of an interactive science museum, a business incubator and a training centre; it is run by the IDIS Foundation - Città della Scienza and is located in the Bagnoli district.

by Silvia Semonella

The history

After a trial phase, begun in 1987, with temporary activities based on an idea by Vittorio Silvestrini, the first edition of “Futuro Remoto” (Remote Future) was born, held at the Mostra d'Oltremare (Overseas Exhibition Centre).

Following the success it enjoyed, from 1989 to 1992 the “Fondazione Idis” was established, which in 1996, following an agreement with the Ministry of the Budget, the Campania Region and the Municipality of Naples, promoted precisely the construction of Città della Scienza.

In 2001, the Science Centre was inaugurated in its final configuration, and, in 2003, the project finally appeared complete, with the opening of the “Congress Centre”, the “Advanced Training Centre” and the "Business Innovation Centre". The construction of an Interactive Museum of the Human Body and a Planetarium was also planned, though these were only completed in 2016.

The BIC

The Business Innovation Centre (BIC) is Città della Scienza's operational tool for promoting a new paradigm of sustainable development based on the knowledge economy, with the aim of contributing to the re-industrialisation of the metropolitan city of Naples, of Campania and of Southern Italy. The centre operates according to an “open-door” business approach, based on collaboration and social trust. It fosters the exchange of ideas, information, skills and contacts, and helps to create a stimulating, creative and receptive environment. It is also home to numerous events and themed meetings for training and in-depth discussion on topics of interest to startups and businesses (new technologies, finance, notices and calls for funding, etc.). Every year, the centre is visited by institutional representatives, both local and national, as well as by foreign delegations, diplomatic and entrepreneurial alike.

Since 2013, the centre has been a member of the EBN (European Business Network), of which it is the Italian representative, and forms a fundamental part of Città della Scienza's so-called knowledge triangle, operating through a multifunctional structure. This includes an Internationalisation Office, an International Technology Transfer Centre dedicated to managing and enhancing activities related to technology transfer, a Scouting and Opportunities Office responsible for identifying funding opportunities at international, national and regional level, an Advanced Training Centre, Specialist Business Services, the D.RE.A.M. FabLab (a large workshop/laboratory and experimentation centre dedicated to new digital manufacturing technologies and to innovation in production and distribution processes) and a Knowledge Industry Area for post-incubation.

The fire

On 4 May 2013, a huge arson attack destroyed four of the six pavilions of Città della Scienza, corresponding to the entire Science Centre. Following the disaster, a crowdfunding platform was launched to raise funds for reconstruction, and numerous intellectuals, including Claudio Abbado, Renzo Piano, David Gross and several physicists from CERN, joined the committee set up to run it.

At present, works have come to a halt following the redevelopment project for the Bagnoli area; nonetheless, Città della Scienza continues to hold on and remains a point of reference for science lovers coming from all over Italy.