Estonian Research Excellence Showcase – ERC Grants Across the Years

This travelling exhibition highlights Estonia’s leading researchers and their European Research Council (ERC)–funded projects, showcasing groundbreaking ideas and their impact across disciplines.

Client:

Estonian Research Council 

Location:

Travelling exhibition

Exhibition area:

70 m²

Year:

2024

Scope of work:

Exhibition conseption, technical design, engineering, production, installation, project management, graphic design and developement.

Award:

The Act of the Year 2025

Photography:

Raivo Erik Veevel

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About

This exhibition showcases the diverse range of European Research Council (ERC)–funded projects led by researchers in Estonia, giving visitors an engaging overview of cutting-edge scientific inquiry and innovation. Through compelling stories and accessible presentations, it highlights how these research endeavours address complex global challenges and enrich our understanding of the world. Visitors will discover the passion, creativity, and impact behind Estonia’s most ambitious research achievements.

History

Estonian and Estonia-affiliated researchers play an important role in international science. This exhibition was created to recognise their contributions and to encourage researchers to continue their academic careers. It highlights the importance of fundamental research as the basis for innovation and underlines the key role of science communication in making scientific achievements visible and accessible to society.

Challenges and Goals

A key challenge in designing and building the exhibition was ensuring long-term adaptability, as the content continues to grow each year and new scientists have already been added to the project on two occasions. As a travelling exhibition, the concept also needed to be flexible enough to fit into very different spaces and to be easy to install, dismantle, transport, and reconfigure.

Highlight

The overall visual design of the exhibition has been particularly attractive and has received lots of positive feedback, contributing significantly to the exhibition’s impact and recognisability. One of the key strengths of the exhibition is the multimedia component, which allows scientists to speak about their research in their own environments, in an open and accessible way, using clear and human language. This approach has helped to make complex scientific topics more relatable and engaging for diverse audiences. 

Insights

The exhibition is unique both in its structure and concept and has attracted considerable positive international attention. ERC President Dr Maria Leptin has highlighted the exhibition as an exemplary example of how it is possible, at national level, to effectively support and showcase researchers.

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