Science is international. Following the principle of open access to science, even the ideas of science centres are disseminated globally. The founders of Heureka were following both European and North American examples, but when they decided a Finnish science centre must also produce exhibitions of its own they ensured that Heureka would also make its own significant international contribution. When Heureka was opened in 1989, there were about 400 science centres around the world, today they are approximately 3000.

The export of Heureka’s exhibitions began as a happy coincidence. In 1993 the Experimentarium science centre wanted to rent our exhibition Sport, or The Sweatiest Exhibition in Finland. We said yes, which resulted in an extensive learning experience: all the things that should have already been considered in the technical design stage of an exhibition if it was to be dismantled and reassembled in a different place with even a change of languages. Crossing cultural borders is a whole other issue: “How come everything seems to take place on a lake shore?” asked one incredulous translator of a multimedia show produced by Heureka. Still, this is one of our success stories. At Heureka, our exhibitions have been seen by 7.5 million visitors in 26 years (1989–2015), but at the same time, outside Heureka they have been viewed by an additional 17.5 million people, making a total of 25 million visitors. Sydney, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Kuwait City, Tel Aviv, México, Charlotte, NC, and Sudbury, Ontario are among the furthest our exhibitions have travelled.

There would be no export of exhibitions if Heureka didn’t actively share its knowledge with science centre networks. I’ve had the pleasure of working in both the European Network of Science Centres and Museums ECSITE and the North American based ASTC, on editorial boards and programme committees for the annual conferences, even as the chairman. These are excellent vantage points for viewing the latest trends in the fields of museums and science centres and interactive science communication. The conferences bring 1000–2000 professionals together every year to converse, debate, share best practices and consider what might be needed next.

International cooperation has also led to the co-production of exhibitions. Heureka Goes Crazy, To Risk Or Not To Risk? and Viral comprise a three-part series of exhibitions Heureka has produced together with Universcience (Paris) and Ciëncia Viva (Lisbon). Our consortium shares not only the costs of production but also ideas, and we act as sounding boards for each other.

Much of this cooperation – most of the contracts – occurs in English, but other languages and a desire to become better acquainted with other cultures are crucial in creating and maintaining a spirit of cooperation and in understanding nuances. Nordic Explorers (1996–1998) was the first exhibition project I led, and it was up to me to achieve productive cooperation with several Nordic museums and archives. If I hadn’t been ready, willing, and able to speak Swedish and understand other Scandinavian languages, we would have been much worse off in that regard.