Flying to the Edge of the Universe: When the Belgrade Expo Playground Became a Gateway to the Stars

A night in deep space

As participants entered the semi-darkness of the dome, the outside world was forgotten. The dome’s ceiling became a giant screen that projected stunning, high-definition images of the cosmos. From the very first moments, attendees were immersed in the spectacle, not as spectators, but as passengers on an imaginary spaceship. Eye-catching visual projects took them through clouds of colorful nebulae, the glowing rings of giant planets, and the dance of spiral galaxies.

Education through wonder

The trip was not just a visual display, but an interactive and dynamic classroom. Participants learned how to identify familiar constellations like Ursa Major and Orion in the night sky. But beyond map reading, they learned about the legends and myths that ancient civilizations attributed to these star patterns. Stories of legendary heroes and beasts made astronomy a living, tangible history.

The cosmic journey didn’t end there. Participants witnessed the life cycle of stars, from their turbulent birth in stellar nurseries to their spectacular deaths as supernovae or mesmerizing nebulae. These complex astronomical concepts were presented in simple language and through the power of visual storytelling.

Booth construction at Expo Belgrade

Play, imagination and discovery for generations

For the children, the experience was more like a magical adventure than anything else. With wide eyes and curious minds, they learned concepts like the solar system, Earth’s place in it, the vastness of the Milky Way, and the basic laws that govern the universe, not from books, but through play and imagination. This space allowed them to “experience” concepts rather than memorize them.

On the other hand, adults were also the audience for this wonder. For many of them, the mobile dome was a window into their childhood days, when they first looked up at the starry sky and were faced with questions about the vastness of the universe. The event rekindled that primal sense of wonder and curiosity in them.

A Greater Mission: Playing for Humanity

This engaging workshop was not just a standalone event, but part of the larger mission of the Expo 2027 Belgrade Playground, which operates under the slogan “Play for Humanity: Sports and Music for All.” This initiative shows that the Expo is not limited to the main days of the event, but is already welcoming the audience, offering them deep concepts of science, education and social interaction in the form of entertainment and games.

A message for the future

The “Star Trek” experience in Belgrade proved that when science, imagination and technology go hand in hand, there is no longer a boundary between play and knowledge. The event demonstrated a successful model of how, by creating immersive learning environments, not only information can be conveyed, but also a passion for learning can be ignited across generations.

With this move, the Expo 2027 Playground shows that it intends to be more than just a host for sporting and musical events, but also a catalyst for inspiration, creativity and unity through the joy of discovery. This star journey is just the beginning of a journey in which play becomes a powerful tool for understanding the world and our place in it.