Hidrodoe, Herentals, Belgium

Hidrodoe is an interactive science center about water in Herentals, Belgium. It’s an initiative of Pidpa (a Flemish water company) and was founded in 2003.

Young and old learn about ‘water’ in a playful and interactive way by using all senses.

Our 4 pillars are: informative, unique, hospitable and sustainable.

We promote lifelong learning for everyone through a fascinating exhibition and instructive programs. Our visitors can discover more than 150 interactive experiments and learn about the value of water while playing and enjoying. We empower tehm to learn and feel confident. We create smiles and happy memories on a daily basis.

Our main goal is to inform about the value of water in our world (economical, cultural, chemical, physical, historical, …), promote the drinking of tap water and give all our visitors a warm welcome in a sustainable manner.

We position ourselves as an inclusive science center. One that appeals to everyone, regardless of age, gender, (dis)ability, culture, religion, etc. Our aim is to bring laughter and enjoyment to the people visiting Hidrodoe. We create smiles and happy memories on a daily basis. Delivering a memorable experience through people.

At Hidrodoe learning by doing is key. ‘Hidro’ means water and ‘doe’ is to do in Dutch.

Our programs consist of: workshops, science shows, treasure hunts, birthday parties, hiking walks, water research in our pond, special events, … You can enjoy our 4D movies, play in the Blue Water Garden or simply enjoy our 150 experiments.

You can shoot a hydrogen rocket sky high, experiment with a hydro plant and discover Hydro-electric power, cycle until the water boils and feel how much energy this takes, play water soccer by using the power of water, step inside a giant soap bubble, sit on an ancient Roman toilet, find out about water on earth and see how it can be good and bad, make a huge whirlpool, lift a car with hydraulic power and so on. An irresistible banquet of exciting play and discovery.

Videos

Together with our partners we realized the new and revitalized ‘The River’ exhibition. By using the metaphore of the river: ‘connecting the mountains to the sea’, we found a way to connnect al kinds of different topics related to water, to show children how everything is related. Lots of experience and science centers are topic focused. Breaking down complex maters to simple experiments. This way children never see the relations and the consequenses of their actions. This focus on ’connections’ is the basis for the entire exhibition and all enclosed subjects.

SERs

Workshop ‘Water Research’

Students will look for life in our natural pond like a true Sherlock Holmes. Their catch is examined in small groups and under the supervision of an edutainer. Which animals did I catch? What do I know about them? How is the water quality? The students will learn all the answers to these questions during the workshop.

Science Show ‘Plastic Soup’

Together with a few assistant cooks, the cook prepares ‘plastic soup’ with ingredients he found on the beach: straws, cigarette filters, plastic bags and bottles and some microplastics to season the soup. The audience learns what plastic soup is and how they can reduce their use of plastics so that the seas and oceans become cleaner again.

SDG Voice 2019 Belgium

In Hidrodoe it’s all about sustainable education. Our educational programs combine knowledge transfer with interactive, action-oriented learning and personal development. In this way people can transform their thinking about water, the environment and our planet in general.

The Belgian Federal Institute for Sustainable Development appoints each year a number of ambassadors or SDG Voices who encourage the general public for the SDGs. In 2019 this honor goes to Hidrodoe..

We put the 17 SDGs in the spotlight during the whole year with a lot of interaction and fun. A trip around the world of SDGs, an obstacle course to get clean water and many other SDG initiatives. We want to teach all our visitors about the 17 SDGs and give them inspiration to take action themselves.