Puzzling games, giant soap skin and much more - the Mathematikum is back in Cottbus

The traveling exhibition from Giessen has traveled far and wide in Germany. For a total of four weeks, it is at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) - for the third time. The Mathematikum shows a wide variety of facets of Mathematics in impressive experiments and dazzling colors, up close and personal. It's exciting for young and old. An offer that is especially popular with school classes. At BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, the exhibition is presented on the initiative and under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Gerd Wachsmuth, Chair of Optimal Control.

Prof. Gerd Wachsmuth describes his enthusiasm as follows: "Mathematics can be used to explain the most diverse things in nature, technology, but also in our everyday lives. However, Mathematics often stays in the background: For example, a simple soap bubble solves a complicated mathematical problem! Discovering this is fascinating and arouses the curiosity to deal with such logical connections. That's exactly what the exhibition is about and what motivates us and is close to our hearts to show the Mathematikum at the BTU."

About 3000 students from grades 4 to 12 have already registered. The exhibition is supervised by Staff Members and students who are happy to give brief introductions and answer questions or provide assistance as needed. All experiments are self-explanatory. In addition, they are equipped with comprehensible instructions.

If you are not already a math enthusiast, you will be after visiting the Mathematikum. In any case, it is worthwhile to stop by: Pupils, but in particular also teachers, parents with their children, grandparents with their grandchildren, students, Staff Members, university lecturers and all other people of any age who enjoy mathematical phenomena and puzzles!

Exhibition "Mathematikum - Hands-on Mathematics"
June 12 - July 07, 2023, BTU Cottbus main campus.
Disposition Building 1C, Konrad-Wachsmann-Allee 5, 03046 Cottbus, Germany

Important note: The time before 15:30 is reserved for registered school classes! There are still a few free dates available.

--> Open to the public:
Monday through Friday, 15:30 to 18:00 and Saturdays 13:00 to 18:00
Math enthusiasts are welcome. Registration is not required and admission is free.

--> For teachers
The exhibition starts with an opening colloquium, which is aimed at teachers and is recognized as continuing education:
Monday, June 12, 2023, starting at 5:15 pm.
Please email registration to: mathematikum(at)b-tu.de

About the exhibition
"Mathematics at your fingertips" - under this title, exhibitions have been organized since 1995 in which visitors can directly experience mathematical phenomena and thus gain a new approach to Mathematics. The Mathematikum provides visitors with interactive exhibits. Those interested conduct experiments and explore mathematics phenomena independently. In this way, they can understand Mathematics with their hands, heads and hearts.

The experiments are suitable for interested people of all ages and backgrounds: they lay puzzles, build bridges, rack their brains in puzzle games, discover the golden section on themselves, watch a ball race, stand in a giant soap skin and much more. The exhibition does not choose the path of abstract mathematical language or computer simulations, but is also a full benefit for real math geeks.

The exhibition grew out of work with students at the University of Giessen and has become a sought-after traveling exhibition. In over 500 exhibitions to date, more than 1.5 million visitors have been inspired by this approach to Mathematics.