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consisting of scoria, lapilli and basalt,
includes permanent exhibition rooms
located mainly between 13 m and 20 m
below the surface. They are connected
locally to the surface through a luminous
well, a glass oculus or semi-buried greenhouse.
The Cone and the restaurant are
the only buildings visible in the natural
landscape.
A sensational gallery dug through the
trachy-andesitic lava flow evokes a travel to
the Earth’s centre discovering legends and
myths concerning the relationships between
man and volcanoes; the visitor thus arrives
in a volcanic garden bathed in sunlight, protected
by a glass casing and can walk among
exotic plants, six metre high tree-ferns, and
other species growing on extrusive rocks.
Different areas are devoted to the Solar
system and to the particular volcanoes
discovered by space probes, from Martian
structures to the powerful eruptions
affecting Jupiter’s Galilean moon, Io, and
the craters of Venus.
On the ground, a luminous cross-section
of the globe, nine metres in diameter,
reveals the Earth’s structure, with its plate
movements, and shows the continuous slow
convective stirring affecting the Earth’s
mantle. This interactive floor houses “popups”,
short movies explaining the main phenomena
of the mantle and the deep regions
of our planet.
The tourist in a hurry can simply refer
to a display synthesizing the site’s contents
Figure 3: Sight by night.
Figure 4: Volcanic garden.
and requiring only a few minutes attention,
but the mean visit duration is actually six
and a half hours.
The history of the Earth, from its birth
4.6 billion years ago to the present Global
Change events, with its magnetic field, plate
tectonics, earthquakes and volcanoes, are
clearly explained and illustrated.
Among the key elements of interest available
to the visitor are:
• the Cone, 28 m high, located in front
of the Puy de Dôme, the main volcanic
dome of the Chaîne des Puys,
and covered with volcanic rocks;
• the Crater that is reached via a spiral
ramp, 38 m deep dug through lava.
Impressive special effects include
muffled roaring, spouting fumaroles
and reddish glares at the crater
bottom;
• pedagogic spaces for pupils and students
allowing geological debates
about topics fitted to teacher and
pupil needs.
Beyond the volcanoes, a panel showing
the phenomena linked to their decline and
inactivity is displayed. Geysers, solfatara,
thermal or thermo-mineral springs and
geothermal energy, mofettes, slow concentration
of ores or slow crystallization
of gems in the heart of ancient volcanoes
or lodes, use of volcanic materials for the
construction are also explained.
Today the public is eager to get information
about the main challenges linked
to natural risks, natural resources scarcity
and environmental or climatic hazards.
Since explanations provided by the media
are often variably succinct or abstruse, the
Vulcania scientific team is involved in discussing
recent dramatic events: the volcanic
eruption in Iceland (Eyjafjallajökull, 2010)
or Indonesia (Merapi, 2011); the earthquakes
in Banda Aceh (Sumatra, 2004),
in Haïti, (2010) or in Japan (Sendaï, 2011)
with the associated devastating tsunamis.
Understanding the origin of tornadoes
and droughts are also themes which interest
tourists who appreciate the presence of
passionate scientists able to answer their
questions in easily understood language.
Conference sessions enlivened by wellknown
scientists reinforce this communication
mission.
Every year, Vulcania opens new and
spectacular attractions: in 2010, Machine
Earth and Unveiled Planet, explored the
raised relief earth allowing the visitor to
select his own Earth’s segment. In 2011, Mission
TOBA enabled the visitor to fly above
a super volcano in Indonesia (2,800 cubic
km of tephra erupted 74,000 years ago),
and to visit the Tunnel of the incandescent
ash-clouds, and a new temporary exhibition
room: the Volcano Devils, commemorating
the 20 th anniversary of the death of the
Krafft volcanologists. The Krafft family
have indeed donated to Vulcania the core
of their collections built during their scientific
volcanic explorations all over the
world. This year (2012), there were entertaining
attractions for children, the result
of a partnership with Universcience (Paris):
the Children’s City.
Each exhibition or leisure area is
equipped with up-to-date technologies:
raised relief holograms, rotating seats,
earthquake simulators, tactile tablets, rotating
platforms, special effects, etc. The various
presentation units are independent and
self expressive. An emphasis is put on the
immediate visualization of the important
messages portrayed. Each thematic unit is
shown with variable objectives encouraging
participation by the explorer, who is
not only a spectator but a dynamic actor
in this discovery.
Vulcania also plays a role as an interface
relaying laboratory research to the public
through several partnerships such as the
laboratory “Magma and volcanoes” (CLER-
VOLC) from the Blaise Pascal University in
Clermont-Ferrand.
Vulcania is an active mover in the cultural
development of the Auvergne region,
successfully harmonizing culture, various
partnerships, territorial environmental protection
and tourism.
For the students temporarily attached to
the Park, their training is seen as a first step
in developing competences, particularly in
terms of oral communication and mediation
of scientific themes.
Vulcania, without any equivalent in
Europe, is dedicated to the knowledge of
our planet. Promoting Earth Sciences, this
site will continue its mission as a scientific
culture centre, opened to all the visitors to
this attractive area in central France.
Photos from Jerôme Chabanne,
www.vulcania.com
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