The project

A place of scientific,
technical and industrial culture dedicated to water,
in Vittel

- to create a place of regional, national and international reference that is in line around the theme of water, in its scientific, health, economic, industrial, historical, geopolitical, cultural and humanitarian aspects,

- to answer to the expectations of different audiences (children, secondary school students, people having hydrotherapy, tourists, convention participants…) present in Vittel at different times of the year, through varied, innovative and frequently renewed actions and activities,

- to treat the themes of water from different approaches thanks to the diversity of activities and supports developed at the same time in situ, outside the walls, online and internationally,

- to diffuse the results of the research work treating water themes to school children and the general public.

- to create a scientific culture area of reference on fresh water,

- to contribute to education in preservation of the environment, sustainable development and the sustainable management of water, by committing to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) (see 4th World Water Forum, Mexico, March 2006),

- to combine the pedagogic, scientific, informative, playful and cultural aspects linked to water,

- to reinforce the reputation of Vittel, a place of excellence and reference associating water, well-being and fitness,

- to develop in Lorraine, and especially in the west of the Vosges, activities of scientific, technical and industrial culture,

- to create a place of resources and discussions in situ and at a distance, promoting and developing the usage of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and that is an actor of the society of information and knowledge,

- to contribute to creating a national and international interactive network of scientific, technical and industrial culture.

- the protection of ground water
- surface and ground water
- water use and management
- water and food
- water and health: benefits including thermal treatments and dangers (pollution)
- quality of drinking water
- environmental risks: water and agriculture, water and industry, water and social responsibility
- water professions
- water and the climate
- water, strategic issues and sustainable development

- to form a scientific council in charge of proposing the main subjects, focuses, themes, and a steering committee

- to host in Vittel two or three temporary exhibitions on water (rented or negotiated from the CSSTI, Water Museums, maisons de l’eau [water centres], research centres, Water Agencies, water professionals…)

- to open an edutainment workshop bound for students, destined to deliver pedagogic and behavioural messages on water and sustainable development, to present simple scientific experiments on the physics and chemistry of water, in partnership with the research centres in Lorraine and water professionals

- to open a cyberspace (multimedia space, website consultation, selection of CD-ROMs and DVDs on water, interactive terminals, immersive applications…) offering a set of resources (quizzes, pedagogic activities, games, videos…) on the numerous focuses and variations of the theme of water

- to organise in Vittel and in other sites in Lorraineconférences-débates with researchers, academics and water professionals, presentations of research work and theses, destined on one hand for students, and on the other hand for the general public

- to broadcast these conferences-debates by videoconference towards teaching institutions in Lorraine (notably) and by webcast on the Internet and then to make them accessible as recorded videos on demand on the www.leseaux-et-leshommes.eu/

to organise screenings of films on water (from the film and video libraries of research centres, water agencies, the CNRS and also catalogues of general public films) / to schedule scientific plays

- to broadcast by live videoconference to Vittel, conferences or debates on the theme of water organised by other institutions (“Science Innovation Society” Conferences in Nancy, College of the Cité des sciences [Science park], Université de Tous Les Savoirs [University of All Knowledge], ECOLE de la mer [School of the Sea] La Rochelle, Pont en Royans Museum of Water…)

- to design, produce, enrich and update the Water Centre’s website

- to lead actions “outside the walls” in Lorraine destined for secondary schools (science bars, travelling exhibitions, film screenings, debates…)

- to develop an online action program “outside the walls,” destined for secondary schools notably abroad

- videoconferences, “video-chats” between Vittel and educational institutions in France and abroad

- “Electronic twinning,” online exchanges with classes in developing countries where the question of water is a strategic issue / participation in humanitarian projects in the water domain (micro-dams, well sinking, irrigation, sanitation, health education…)

- relay, via the Web, of large international expeditions on the themes of water led by the IRD, the Museum of Natural History, the IFREMER, the CNRS…) (See Santo 2006, Antarctica, Jean-Louis Etienne…)

- to get closer to Vittel’s library-media library in order to organise a cultural event with it on the theme of water in Vittel (Book fair, contemporary art event…)

- to participate in the Science Festival

The actions carried out during the Science Festival in Vittel in 2006 – which were, for some, also carried out in 2007 – have already made it possible to test the feasibility, pertinence and interest of the partners of the different proposed activities.

The year 2007 was devoted to prefiguring the Water Centre through the actions proposed above and to establishing a group of partnerships with the research centres, universities, national education, associations of scientific culture, water professionals, tour operators, water museums, CCSTI, foreign educational institutions…

After its assumption of duties in 2008, the management team of the Water Centre will set out to develop different activities in order to reinforce these partnerships and to design, look for financing and carry out new actions and temporary or permanent exhibitions.

At the same time as these prefiguration actions, thought was made in 2007 (definition study) in putting together the museographic, set design and architectural program, and the fitting out and overhaul, from 2008, of the spaces and the set design of the current site of the permanent exhibition on the water of Vittel’s thermal baths, so as to make them appropriate for the functions and activities of the Centre (“Water watch” project).