Throughout 2026, the Côa Museum – Ciência Viva Centre has been developing a range of initiatives dedicated to science communication and the discovery of the local area. From the Geração Ciência Festival to Ciência Viva no Verão activities and European Researchers’ Night, the programme has offered different ways to explore the connections between science, heritage and landscape.

On 14 and 15 May, the Geração Ciência Festival brought together around two thousand visitors in Vila Nova de Foz Côa. Organised by the Côa Museum – Ciência Viva Centre, the Tenente-Coronel Adão Carrapatoso School Cluster, the Municipality of Vila Nova de Foz Côa and Ciência Viva – the National Agency for Scientific and Technological Culture, the event was one of the highlights of the programme.

During the summer, the Museum took part in the Ciência Viva no Verão programme, offering activities that brought together astronomy, archaeology, geology, biodiversity and heritage conservation. These included stargazing sessions, activities exploring the rock art and birdlife of Fariseu, and opportunities to discover the region’s history and archaeological heritage.

Among these initiatives was a special guided tour of the Fariseu archaeological site, held as part of the Museum’s 16th-anniversary celebrations, which invited visitors to learn about the findings of the latest excavation campaigns. A journey aboard a solar-powered electric boat combined the discovery of the landscape with an introduction to the archaeological research carried out in the Côa Valley.

On 25 September, European Researchers’ Night once again brought researchers, the school community and the wider public together. The programme featured interactive activities, exhibitions and science communication initiatives covering subjects such as water, geology, health, technology and heritage. Contributions from the Fluviário and Homo curiositatis helped engage audiences with science through different forms of expression and hands-on experiences.

Through a variety of formats and themes, these initiatives have put the Côa Museum’s mission as a Ciência Viva Centre into practice: bringing research closer to the public and encouraging people to discover the local area as a place for learning, curiosity and shared knowledge.