The mission of The Discovery Factory Foundation

The mission of The Discovery Factory Foundation is laid down in its articles of association as follows: to encourage a positive attitude in children towards innovation, technology, science and creativity, with a sustainable society as an important source of inspiration. This is achieved by running a play workshop and hands-on museum and by offering cultural education programmes.

Our vision

Every child needs the chance to discover their creative potential. This discovery shapes how young people go on to learn and develop. As children grow up, they develop their creativity through play. However, there are fewer and fewer places, materials, tools and guidance available for children and young people.

Creativity is a key quality that is increasingly valued and whose importance to society is widely recognised. The Netherlands has a thriving creative industry with a lot of overlap with the manufacturing industry. On top of that, there is a growing demand for technically trained professionals. It is very important that there are places where children can discover their creative and technical talent, actively build with their hands and experience culture as a carrier of new ideas and developments for the future.

The Discovery Factory offers exactly that kind of place: a workshop for all children and young people. Here they can discover and develop their talents, so that with creativity and technology they can help find answers to the challenges society faces, now and in the future.

The Discovery Factory’s approach is to inspire and activate children and young people in an appealing context (storytelling approach) to research, design, build and present on their own, in their own way. With their presentations they in turn inspire and involve others around them.

Profile

The Discovery Factory is a cultural institution with professionals from the arts, design and education. In an inspiring space they bring to life a creative workshop for children and young people aged 4 to 18, which also offers room for presentations and exhibitions.

At The Discovery Factory we come up with adventures and develop storytelling materials such as films, props, lesson plans and construction kits. The aim of The Discovery Factory’s adventures is to let children and young people experience stories: on the one hand by living the stories we have developed, and on the other by giving their own artistic shape to their own adventure. In this way The Discovery Factory encourages children and young people to develop their talents through a combination of design and making.

Founded in 2009, The Discovery Factory reaches around 35,000 children and young people every year, through school (50 per cent of visitors) and in their free time with their parents (the other 50 per cent). The Discovery Factory grows every year and is now an established regional institution with national and international appeal.

The organisation has broad support in the business community and works in lasting regional partnerships in the Brainport Eindhoven Region and beyond. Nationally, The Discovery Factory is a member of the Association of Science Centres (Vereniging voor Science Centra), with the aim of reaching children and young people through local learning ecosystems.

 

Museum and cultural ANBI

The Discovery Factory Foundation is a museum and has Cultural ANBI status (Public Benefit Organisation: RSIN 820789999); our work serves the public interest and is not for profit.