The Świętokrzyskie Archeo-Geological Trail
The enthusiasts of geology and palaeontology have been coming to the Świętokrzyskie Mountains for ages in search of interesting pieces of rocks, and the traces of organisms that used to live here millions of years ago, which are preserved in them. This fascinating knowledge can be even more widely popularised by way of visiting the Świętokrzyskie Archeo-Geological Trail, comprising, among others, the Kadzielnia Reserve, the Paradise Cave and the Bałtów Jurassic Park.
The heart of the trail is the Geo-Education Centre in Kielce, situated in a modern building, perfectly incorporated into the landscape of the former Wietrznia quarry. This location encourages tourists to take trips in the area and look for the treasures of inanimate nature. The building houses a multimedia exhibition devoted to the geological processes taking place in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains. Visitors’ attention is attracted by special dioramas with models of organisms that used to live in the lagoons, reefs and the deep sea present in this area 359 million years ago. Apart from traditional tours, you can experience an unforgettable adventure – in a special capsule, a 5D film, enriched with extraordinary sensory experiences, entitled “A Journey to the Centre of the Earth”, is projected. Young people are also attracted by the interactive model of a tetrapod – the first vertebrate in the Earth’s history that came ashore. Its traces were found precisely in the vicinity of Kielce. Because of innovative methods and educational tools being applied, the geological and geographical knowledge can be communicated in an accessible way. The visiting programme and the information communicated by the guides have been adjusted to the needs of both primary school children and secondary school students. The centre is, on average, visited by 2,000 people every month.
The centre’s employees have developed a special educational programme and are in the process of preparing cyclical events to promote geology. The participants of classes entitled “Where do you come from, rock?” learn in what conditions rocks are formed and what their structure is, and become familiar with characteristic specimens from the Świętokrzyskie Region. By contrast, the main characters of the classes “This is where they walked, this is where they slept” are the region’s inhabitants that lived here millions of years ago, i.e. a tetrapod and an Allosaurus. Young people are eager to spend their time in the centre mainly because of the innovative and interactive solutions used also during workshops. In order to reach its addressees even more effectively, the centre is planning to launch a multimedia Smartphone application “Get to know the beauty of the Kielce Geo-Park”.
The Geo-Education Centre also offers practical classes, during which children and young people have an opportunity to become acquainted with the secrets of stone polishing and produce simple models of fossil animals. Moreover, they learn how to prepare fossils to enrich individual collections or the collections of school thematic laboratories. Genuine geology enthusiasts, in turn, have the Geology Enthusiasts Club at their disposal, which offers regular workshops run by experienced specialists in this area.
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