The Pavilion of Knowledge - Ciência Viva is an interactive science and technology museum that has been open to the public since July 25th 1999. It is an integral part of the Ciência Viva Centres Network and serves as both the driving force and resource centre for this network.

The main objective is to stimulate scientific knowledge and promote scientific and technological culture among all citizens. The exhibitions and activities proposed allow visitors to explore many wide-ranging themes with interactive Exhibits, relaxing and having fun at the same time.

Besides the major theme exhibitions, the Pavilion of Knowledge - Ciência Viva promotes various scientific and educational initiatives.

The Pavilion of Knowledge - Ciência Viva received the following awards:

• 2000 - Award of the Portuguese Association of Numerous Families, for being the first institution of the kind to introduce a family ticket that does not put a limit to the number of children.
  
  www.apfn.com.pt
  
  
• 2001 - Honorary Award of the Portuguese Society of Multiple Sclerosis, for our continuous efforts to make the space and our services accessible for all and for having specialized members of staff, that can give the necessary support to visitors with special needs.
  
  www.spem.org

The Ciência Viva* programme is a national initiative for scientific and technological culture. Since 1996, true to its guiding principle of bringing scientific and school communities together in order to improve basic education, Ciência Viva has promoted the following projects:

• Support and financing for science experiment projects in schools;
  
• A nationwide science awareness-raising network of interactive centres;
  
• National science awareness-raising campaigns, stimulating associative science and giving the population opportunities for scientific observation and direct contact with experts from different fields.
  

* On July 17th 1998, the Ciência Viva Association - National Agency for Scientific and Technological Culture was incorporated by deed, published in the Official Journal (DR III) 56/98 of 5 November.