Kapsula Kuantikoa officially began its tour of the Basque Country today in Donostia, with the aim of bringing quantum physics and quantum technologies closer to the public. The new traveling programme launched by the Department of Science, Universities and Innovation will visit 147 towns and cities across the Basque Country over the next nine months, offering an immersive, interactive and accessible experience for people of all ages and backgrounds.
The opening event, held at the Ibaeta campus in the heart of the “Quantum Mile”, was attended by the Minister for Science, Universities and Innovation, Juan Ignacio Pérez Iglesias, the Mayor of Donostia, Jon Insausti, the General Deputy of Gipuzkoa, Eider Mendoza, and the Director of Innovation, Maialen Agirre.
During the event, Pérez Iglesias highlighted the importance of bringing scientific knowledge closer to the public, particularly in fields such as quantum science and technology, which can seem distant from everyday experience. “Quantum science is, and will be even more so in the future, omnipresent in our lives, which is why it is very important for people to have a basic familiarity with its fundamental concepts,” the Minister said.
He also stressed that “a society’s scientific development must be accompanied by a certain level of understanding of its most basic principles, as well as of its advances and technological possibilities.” He further highlighted the traveling nature of the “Quantum Capsule”, which makes it possible to bring scientific culture to places and social groups that are not normally reached by conventional science outreach activities.
Quantum science: a scientific and technological reality in the Basque Country
The project is based on an increasingly evident reality: quantum physics is part of our everyday lives to a much greater extent than we might imagine. It underpins technologies we use on a regular basis, such as lasers and positioning systems, and will also play a key role in some of the technological advances that could transform our lives in the coming years.
The Basque Country has made significant progress in this field through the Basque Quantum strategy, which aims to develop and strengthen scientific, technological and talent capabilities in quantum science and technologies. This commitment is further supported by a flagship facility in Donostia: the IBM Quantum System Two, installed very close to the location where Kapsula Kuantikoa was launched today and representing the first operational system of its kind in Europe.
The proximity between this infrastructure and the starting point of Kapsula Kuantikoa symbolises one of the programme’s key objectives: bringing the public closer to a scientific and technological reality that is already part of the Basque Country’s present.
A mobile unit bringing quantum science to the whole territory
Over the next nine months, the mobile unit will travel to municipalities across Gipuzkoa, Bizkaia and Araba, bringing quantum science to people of all ages and from a wide range of backgrounds. Its programme combines audiovisual resources, interactive installations and content tailored to different audiences, offering a simple and engaging way to discover what quantum science is, how it has evolved and what possibilities it could open up for the future.
Inside, visitors will be able to explore some of the fundamental principles of quantum physics, learn about the milestones that have shaped its development, and discover applications that are already part of everyday life.
The experience will also provide an opportunity to learn more about what it means for the Basque Country to have an infrastructure such as the IBM Quantum System Two, and to explore the possibilities offered by quantum computing in fields such as scientific research, healthcare, materials, energy and communications.
An experience for everyone
Kapsula Kuantikoa aims to make science outreach accessible regardless of age, educational background or place of residence, paying particular attention to people and groups who face greater barriers to participating in this type of activity.
The experience will be available in two formats. On the one hand, pre-booked group visits will be organised, aimed particularly at schools, leisure associations and organisations working with groups with specific needs. On the other, the mobile unit will offer open-access sessions, allowing anyone to drop in and discover quantum physics in an approachable, easy-to-understand and participatory way.
Kapsula Kuantikoa begins its journey in Donostia, where the mobile unit will move to Sagües and remain open to the public on Saturday, 3 October, and on 6 and 7 October. Its next stop will be Errenteria, after which it will continue to more than 50 locations across Gipuzkoa, from towns such as Irun to smaller municipalities such as Berastegi.
The mobile unit will arrive in Bilbao during the Christmas period and, from January onwards, will continue its journey through Bizkaia. The final months of the tour will take place in Araba: it will reach Vitoria-Gasteiz in mid-June, before completing its journey in Iruña Oka during the first week of July 2027.
The schedule, the locations that the mobile unit will visit and all the information about the programme will be available through the Zientzia Klik science and culture agenda (zientziaklik.euskadi.eus) and its Instagram account, where the tour can also be followed using the hashtag #KapsulaKuantikoa.
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