River (2nd floor)

The leitmotif of the exhibition, which consists of twenty-six stands, is the river and its surroundings. The exhibition is based on the nature of the Vistula River in Toruń and the role it has played and continues to play in the city's development. The exhibition presents the river as an element that shapes the environment and various ecosystems. It also shows the impact of the river on people's lives and the possibilities of its economic use. The main exhibit is a large model of the river from its source to its deltaic estuary, which is visible upon entering the two-storey exhibition space on the second floor, to the right of the lift exit. Walking along the river, the visitor has the opportunity to learn about the natural curiosities that characterize the upper, middle and lower reaches of the river.

The Source of the River is in the right-hand corner of the hall. On the other side of the spring, visitors can see the Water Purification System in operation, which runs in a closed circuit in the riverbed. There is also a model of rock strata, typical for Polish mountain springs. The riverbed of the model is profiled in such a way that the water flows down to the lower parts of the river and meets the next stations placed there. The first are Obstacles and a Water Wheel, which the visitor can manipulate to model the width of the riverbed and observe the flow.

As you move along the riverbed, you will come across several devices that move water from the riverbed level to a sump above the riverbed and back down again. These include the Water Elevator and Cascades , the Archimedes Screw , as well as the Bilge Pump and the Peristaltic Pump. It is worth stopping here for a moment to get a practical feel for how these devices work. The next station in the riverbed, is the Dam , which visitors can build themselves using blocks that allow the water to flow freely. Below the dam are the Fountains , where we place balls in the stream so that the water column holds them in place. In the riverbed that branches off at this point, at the Build Your River and Match Nature stations, we can model the riverbed ourselves with river stones and also grind them. In the last section of the river, at the delta, there is a Harbour with models of boats and cars, and Water Cannons that can be used to shoot balls down a specially prepared ball slide.

In the vicinity of the riverbed, there are also freestanding stands, such as the Hydroelectric Power Station , or Micro-and Macro-exhibits presenting the flora and fauna of the river and its surroundings. Also noteworthy is the Q&A stand, which presents various aspects of human use of the river. Due to the large number of exhibits designed for children, the whole family will have a great time. The exhibition is located in the largest exhibition space in the Innovation Centre Mill of Knowledge Innovation Centre. There is space for large-format photographs about the river and the protection of river ecosystems.

Due to its size, the exhibition space is also used for events, popular science lectures, conferences and theme evenings, and its unique character makes it much more attractive. It has been used for popular science conferences, methodological conferences, lectures for different audiences, theatre performances, science shows, concerts and tastings.