Students visit an aquarium in Huai'an, Jiangsu province. [Photo/Jiangsu International Online]

Museums and research institutes in East China's Jiangsu province have been organizing a variety of activities to popularize scientific knowledge.

For example, an aquarium in Huai'an has held activities such as science experiments, giveaway programs and sleepovers to help teenagers know more about marine creatures. The place has received more than 1 million visitors since its opening in May 2015.

The Jiangsu Marine Surveillance Center has also built a base to promote ocean science. Students can visit patrol vessels, learn about fishing boats and gear, and do experiments to measure the PH level of seawater at the base, said Chen Dong, director of its resource and environmental protection department.

Various exhibitions have also been staged for purposes of scientific education. The chrysanthemum plantation of Nanjing Agricultural University, which spans more than 10 hectares and is home to over 5,000 species of the flower, is currently preparing for the 10th chrysanthemum exhibition.

Guan Zhiyong, a team leader at the plantation, said they hold such an exhibition every October to November to showcase new varieties and technologies. About 500,000 people visit the flowers every year.

The Nanjing Science and Technology Museum built a 4,000-square-meter exhibition hall in the first half of 2022 that features high-tech products developed by local enterprises and research institutes. A record 257,400 people visited the museum during the summer holiday, according to Zhang Zhiqiang, the curator.

The museum has also established partnerships with about 40 primary and middle schools, including special schools, in Nanjing to hold educational activities.

Research institutes also use digital media to present scientific knowledge. For example, the rivers and lakes management research base of the Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute held a live-streaming session about water pollution in Taihu Lake on Sept 19.

The research base has also shared contents on Douyin and Bilibili, two top video sharing platforms in China, to teach the public about water science.