An interactive exhibition that transforms telescopes into «time machines» has opened permanently at the Sparkme Space Academy in Matera, Italy, offering visitors a multisensory journey through the cosmos. The exhibition, titled «Macchine del tempo. Il viaggio nell’universo inizia da te» (Time Machines: Your Journey into the Universe Begins with You), was created by Italy’s National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) in collaboration with the Pleiadi Benefit Corporation and Sparkme. It is designed to make astrophysics accessible to a broad audience, from school groups to casual visitors, by blending science, art, and technology.
The exhibition is structured around four thematic rooms. The first room offers an immersive experience that simulates leaving Earth and traveling through the solar system, with planets recreated to scale relative to the city of Matera. Visitors then move on to explore exoplanets, the vast distances between stars and galaxies, and the early universe. The journey concludes with a playful 1980s-style game room and a multimedia «art gallery» that showcases images captured by telescopes. All content is presented in both Italian and English, with tactile representations, sonifications of astronomical data, and a multisensory planetarium in the educational area to ensure inclusivity.
«The title of the exhibition – 'Macchine del tempo' – evokes the idea that building instruments capable of seeing far, very far, at astronomical distances, allows us to see the universe in remote epochs,» said Roberto Ragazzoni, president of INAF. He added that the exhibition also symbolizes the forward-looking use of resources to address new challenges, develop innovative technologies, and create growth opportunities for the region. Ragazzoni noted that the permanent installation in Matera comes at a time when INAF is supporting major technological infrastructures, including the Einstein Telescope in Sardinia, Cherenkov telescope prototypes in Sicily, and radio telescopes in Calabria to study the Sun’s effects on Earth.
The exhibition has already attracted significant interest from schools, with more than 100 schools and over 7,000 visitors registered. Vito Gaudiano, CEO of Openet, which operates the Sparkme Space Academy, emphasized the educational impact. «This initiative creates deep synergies among the most important players in the scientific ecosystem, giving life to a true 'galaxy' of collaborations,» he said. «Our goal with this exhibition is to inspire curiosity and wonder, offering new perspectives on the cosmos and our place within it.»
The opening ceremony on July 6 was attended by local political authorities, including Edmondo Cirielli, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Mario Cospito, ambassador and advisor for aerospace policies. Cirielli described research and innovation as «tools of progress and engines of development not only for the territory but for the entire country.» The exhibition follows successful earlier editions at Palazzo Esposizioni Roma in Rome and Ogr Torino in Turin, and now becomes a permanent part of the Space Academy’s museum and science center, enriching its educational offerings.
INAF’s original concept for the exhibition, developed from the Pleiadi Benefit Corporation’s project, focuses on explaining the instruments of Italian ingenuity—telescopes built in INAF observatories—and giving voice to the researchers who use them. The experience begins with the visitors themselves, then moves to Galileo, the Italian who first used a «time machine» by pointing his telescope at the sky. The exhibition is integrated into Sparkme’s cultural and scientific programming, reinforcing its role as a hub for innovation and contemporary culture in the Basilicata region.