Phaenomenta, a small and decidedly funky little science center in Bremerhaven, is inspired by the original Phaenomenta in Flensburg (which I described earlier in this blog). The center is housed in an old concrete building in the southern portion of the old fishery district on the waterfront. The fishing and associated smells are now gone, and a number of new tourist attractions have sprung up instead. (In its current size and format, however, this center is not one of them). 
The center has roughly 100 sq m of exhibits and a staff of 7 plus director. The exhibits are decidedly homebrewed and a mix of Exploratorium Cookbook favorites and funky originals. 
One room was filled with a series of sound-related exhibits made from found materials (hoses, pipes, rope, etc.) that are scheduled to be changed out this fall and replaced by new exhibits. Several families with very young children were having a good time exploring the center. It took about 15-20 minutes to try most of the exhibits. 
And a first for me: there was a candle in a floor stand with a Zippo lighter so visitors could light the candle and then blow it out with the nearby air cannon. The wick was so short that I burned my fingers trying to light it.It was clear that this center has a very enthusiastic staff, with equally enthusiastic volunteers helping to build exhibits. One can only hope that this enthusiasm will translate into a larger, permanent home in the future and the resources to create a set of exhibits and programs for local families and their visitors. Given the strong tourism and climate orientation of the upcoming Klimahaus project, it would seem that there is plenty of opportunity for both venues in Bremerhaven. However, as currently set up, this center is too small to attract a regional audience and faces many challenges on the road to sustainability.
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