The Portuguese Minister of Science and Education Nuno Crato, and other dignitaries were on location in Monte de Santa Luzia, a region where quartz was once mined, on the outskirts of Viseu (a city in north central Portugal) this past Monday, April 30th, 2012, to inaugurate the first museum dedicated exclusively to Quartz.

The exploratory space was 100% conceptualized, managed and developed by YDreams, who planned and designed interactive technologies for the educational environment in accordance with script content developed by Professor Galopim de Carvalho, a renowned Portuguese Geologist.

The exhibit consists of six distinct stages: Quartz in Monte de Santa Luzia, the Earth as a Source of Quartz, the Kingdom of Quartz, the ‘Properties of Minerals’ Lab, a Showcase of Quartz samples, and Practical Applications for Quartz. The permanent museum project required a marriage of complex educational content and immersive interactive technologies that have resulted in a compelling and smoothly operational experience for visitors of all ages.

Below, some images of the museum on inauguration day:

Nuno Crato and Professor Galopim de Carvalho interact with touch kiosk

RTP1 news crew on location for official inauguration

Another great piece of news, as we get to the end of 2008, Fluviário de Mora won the Best Portuguese 2008 Museum award.

Together with Teixeira Duarte (construction), Promontório (architecture) and Henrique Cayatte (design), YDreams was responsible for the only (but massive) interactive installation of the museum. We created an interactive wall featuring an interface similar to the ones we use on our yMagic line of products, but seamlessly integrated into the modules.