New exhibit of Galileo’s work showcasing in Waterloo straight from Italy

A new exhibit has opened in Waterloo featuring the work of Renaissance astronomer Galileo. CTV’s Tyler Kelaher checks it out.

A new interactive exhibit in Waterloo will showcase the work of Galileo, with historical items sent from Italy.

The display is set up at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics (Perimeter).

According to Perimeter in a media release, the exhibit gives the chance for attendees to explore the replica artifacts from Galileo’s time and learn about his contributions to modern day society in physics, mathematics, astronomy and navigation.

This exhibit is the first of its kind in Waterloo Region. Attendees can see 50 of Galileo’s writings as well as five replicas of telescopes, geometrical compasses and other tools.

According to Perimeter, the items came from the Galileo Museum in Florence, Italy, in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy. It’s the first time these items have been off of European soil.

“What [Galileo] discovered hundreds of years ago has literally led to the betterment of humanity on one side and billions of dollars worth of technology in industry all these years later,” Director of Communications Mark Healy told CTV News. “It’s kind of a walk through of his history, his interface with science, how he came to his discoveries and breakthroughs and then how science and [technology] has evolved into the instruments that we use in this day and age.”

The exhibit comes just as Perimeter celebrates its 25th anniversary.

“For 25 years, Perimeter’s innovative, unconstrained approach has empowered scientists from around the world to come to Canada and explore emerging scientific fields, giving researchers the freedom they need to question assumptions and blaze new trails,” said Perimeter’s Managing Director Dr. Paul Smith in the release. “Galileo’s legacy exemplifies Perimeter’s core mission to expand the boundaries of human understanding and scientific excellence.”

The Galileo and His Ingenious Discoveries exhibit is free and runs until Family Day on Feb. 17.