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Atomium Facts & Worksheets

The Atomium, built in 1958, is the most popular destination for tourists in Europe’s capital.

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The Atomium, built in 1958, is the most popular destination for tourists in Europe’s capital. Over 600,000 people per year come to visit and see this magnificent structure.

See the fact file below for more information on the Atomium or alternatively, you can download our 21-page Atomium worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORY

  • Engineer André Waterkeyn and architects André and Jean Polak designed the Atomium for the 1958 World Expo of Brussels.
  • It is 102 meters high and consists of 9 spheres connected by tubes. The spheres are 18 meters in diameter and have a stainless steel outer layer.
  • The twelve tubes are 3 meters in diameter and enclose escalators, stairs, and the vertical tube in the center has an elevator.
  • The Atomium is a 165 billion-magnification of the body-centered cubic cell of an iron crystal.
  • The Atomium served as the icon and main pavilion of Expo 58. The 1950s was a time of significant development in science, and to embody the faith in scientific progress, a structure representing atoms was chosen.
  • Six of the nine spheres are open to the public. Each sphere has two main floors and a reserved lower floor for service.
  • The elevator in the central tube can take 22 persons to the top of the structure in 23 seconds. It was the fastest elevator available at that time.
  • The escalators in the slanting tubes are one of the longest on the continent.
  • Due to the lack of vertical support, three out of the four top spheres are not accessible to the public for safety reasons.
  • In Waterkeyn’s original design, the structure was intended to rest on the spheres. However, support columns were added to prevent the structure from toppling over due to strong winds.
  • Because the Atomium became famous and successful, it became a prominent part of the Brussels landscape. Though it was designed to only last up to six months, its demolition has been postponed year after year due to its role in tourism and economy. The city’s government finally dismissed all plans of destroying it.
  • By the year 2000, the building was quite crumbled due to little maintenance work for thirty years.
  • Beginning in March 2004, the restoration of the structure included using stainless steel for the exterior of the sphere instead of the original aluminum sheets.
  • LED lights were also incorporated during the renovation. The lights were placed on the meridians of each sphere, which illuminates it at night. The lights symbolize an electron’s range, or orbit around its core.
  • Prince Philippe officially reopened the Atomium on February 14, 2006, but it was not open to the public until February 18 of the same year.

THE INTERIOR OF THE ATOMIUM

  • Permanent exhibitions about the 1950s, the World Expo of 1958, and construction of the Atomium can be found in the bottom sphere.
  • The second sphere, on the other hand, is for temporary exhibits that are changed once a year.
  • Various concerts, events, films, parties, or conferences happen in the third and the central sphere.
  • The top sphere has a restaurant. There are also telescopes that can be used to view the perimeter all the way to Antwerps. The elevator from the structure’s bottom can be used to reach the restaurant.
  • The children’s ball is in the sixth sphere. This is where workshops about urban pedagogy are held by the Atomium’s organization.
  • Children aged 6-12 years old are allowed to stay there overnight.
  • The Atomium operates from 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. every day, with exceptions on some holidays.
  • Tickets to enter the Atomium can be bought online, which is faster then waiting in line to buy your ticket at the venue. Persons with disabilities and children under the age of 6 can enter the site for free.

Atomium Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Atomium across 21 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Atomium worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Atomium, built in 1958, is the most popular destination for tourists in Europe’s capital. Over 600,000 people per year come to visit and see this magnificent structure.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Atomium Facts
  • Into the Atom
  • About Brussels
  • Know my Word?
  • Truth Fair
  • Fair Collage
  • Iron Character
  • Years of Discoveries
  • Crystal Luster
  • Crystal Mine
  • Metal in Me

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Link will appear as Atomium Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, November 12, 2019

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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