KHOJ is one of the first dynamic group of museums in India focussing on infusing science, art, and innovation together by means of participatory displays, inquiry-based activities, and inquisitiveness-based explorations. It promotes people to have in-depth understanding of various concepts and build their own small movement towards innovation. Unlike a regular museum having signs reading “Do Not Touch”, at KHOJ, visitors are encouraged to interact, participate, play, and explore different exhibits and concepts.
Manthan Education Programme Society (MEPS) India is the brainchild organisation behind setting up KHOJ – Science + Arts + Innovation Museum and the activities functioning at the museum. It is a non-profit organisation which aims to eradicate the qualms of science by developing a scientific temper in the young minds and the members of communities. Its aim is to simplify and give quality outreach in the field of science and communication mostly for the youth and the community.
As part of the European Union Project, In 2016, KHOJ Manthan Education Programme Society (MEPS) met up with multiple museums from around the world, one of which was the ZOOM Kinder Museum in Vienna, Austria. ZOOM Children’s Museum was established in 1994 as Austria’s first museum for children. ZOOM is not only a focal point of children’s culture in Vienna but also part of one of the world’s largest cultural complexes. Manthan Educational Programme Society was inspired by the dynamic, ever evolving nature of the Austrian Museum, and believed that Gujarat would benefit from such a museum. As a result, In February 2018, KHOJ – Science + Arts + Innovation Museum was created by Manthan Education Programme Society (MEPS) in association with Zoom Kinder Museum. KHOJ Museum is based on four characteristics: niche, dynamic, innovative and design
Niche: KHOJ aims at creating a scientific temper among people. The museums feature exhibitions on simple everyday phenomena happening around us like the science behind a soap bubble, or a virus and its composition or reasons behind changing seasons. KHOJ believes that we take a lot of what we see and hear for granted and there are wonders hidden behind simple things in our daily surroundings.
Dynamic: Unlike most museums that are static, KHOJ is a dynamic museum. Every year, the exhibitions of the museums are transformed into something entirely new. If you come now, you might see cameras and virtual reality. But if you come back next year, you would probably see magical world of bubbles. Prepare yourself to be surprised!
Innovative: KHOJ spurs innovation with their many hands-on activities inside the three museums. They have several experiments that you can do within the premises to understand and learn more about how you connect the dots and how innovative you can be.
Design: A truly relevant aspect of KHOJ is in its design itself. With an army of maverick architects, designers, artists, and builders, KHOJ has set out to create a space that speaks to every individual.
KHOJ supports the youth of this country from all the strata of the society to be able to question everything which they see, defusing the boundaries between the subjects and focussing on the theme and further connecting it with daily lives. KHOJ Social ,started on 13 April 2022, is an initiative taken by KHOJ to further support this ambition of encouraging curiosity among the youth and contribute to the society and community by conducting various workshops in different schools and localities.