Foules, the compelling exhibition at the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie - Our pictures

Did you miss the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie? Good news, then, a new exclusive exhibition begins on October 18, 2022. Running until August 6, 2023, come and discover “Foules” – Crowds – the exhibition going over our societies with a fine-tooth comb.

A swarm, a flock, masses, a gathering, a horde, a pack… There are lots of words to speak about this gathering of people, a living ensemble, moving all together. These crowds tell us about lots of stories about individuals and societies.

From October 18, 2022, to August 6, 2023, the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie offers us to look at this unique formation full of surprises closer with an exhibition called “Foules” – “Crowds”.

These crowds can be happy or nasty, liberating or deadly, controlled or chaotic, anonymous or distinct. These crowds reflect the very behaviors of humans, the standards of every single culture. Which difference, which similarity between the Indian Color Festival and Bastille Day in France? What are the differences between thousands of people crossing the streets in Tokyo to go to work and these masses of people enjoying the carnival parade in Brazil, or this striker gathering in Paris?

Crowds carry us away and sweep us along, forcing us to interact with the environment around us. But these crowds are also physical movements, masses in space that can be studied like some liquid.

The Cité des Sciences mixes then social sciences and sciences to decipher these curious ensembles both surprising and clever that seem to have their own life.

Varied installations enable us to understand crowds, whether in the street or online, they follow a precise movement or random and free. The Cité des Sciences set up very playful interactive installations to understand these phenomenon by being part of it! Videos, games, karaoke (yes!), photo area... Lots of tools are provided to dive into this rather abstract concept.

The Foules exhibition is an experience in itself: the route pfovies lots of game and interaction areas you have to decide about. These choices also illustrate the scientific statments explained by the exhibition: will you dare standing out, or follow the instructions and the crowd?

Come and discover the “Foules” exhibition and enjoy this unexpected quest for knowledge.