For those who don’t know her, Orna Cohen is the “mother” behind the ground-breaking “Cité des Enfants” exhibition for children at the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie in Paris. This exhibition has been replicated globally. She is also a renowned creator of interactive exhibitions, including the recently opened “A World of Potential” in Venice, “The Desire of Learning”, and “MeGame” in previous years. Her work is driven by a deep-seated belief that exhibitions can be a catalyst for change, addressing social issues such as ageing (DIalogie with Time) and disability (Dialogue in the Dark & Dialogue in Silence). Her aim is to translate the theory of transformative learning into the galleries of museums and science centres, a vision that continues to inspire her work.
For those who know Orna, she was born in Israel and lived most of her adulthood in France with an international mindset and global outreach. After her studies in psychology, educational sciences, and dramatic arts, she gained her first professional experience with educational games for toddlers and overcame illiteracy in Nigeria. She was a curator at “Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie” and created various exhibitions for years. Longing for more space to pursue her ideas, she founded in 2005 her own company, Orna & Co, and co-founded Dialogue Social Enterprise with her husband, Andreas Heinecke, in 2009. Her focus moved to topics with high social relevance, and she always addressed the need for social responsibility in cultural institutions.
In addition to her conceptual and creative work, she loves to teach and share her rich experiences and deep insights with the younger generation at the university..
Orna Cohen’s contributions to science education and social creativity have not gone unnoticed. In 2004, the French Government honored her with the title of "Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres". Her work was further recognised in 2017 when she received the prestigious Mariano Gago ECSITE Sustainable Success Award, a testament to her significant impact in the field.
