Former Technorama Director Remo Besio passed away on 14 March at the age of 75. This obituary was written by Michel Junge, Director of phaeno (Wolfsburg, Germany), who worked with Remo Besio at Technorama for more than 10 years.

Remo Besio worked at Technorama from 1988 to 2008.His first role was as business manager for the technical museum which was troubled with declining visitor numbers. Inspired by a visit to the Exploratorium in San Francisco, he developed a new vision for Technorama. With his appointment as director in 1990, he began the conversion from a museum with a collection of machines and technical objects to a place for playful experimental engagement with scientific and technological phenomena – a place for exciting learning that fascinated visitors of all ages and levels of expertise. A place where grasping phenomena, would be literally possible, but which would achieve much more: “hands on” would be the method, “minds on” the goal”!

Remo Besio searched worldwide for the best ideas and persons to realise this goal. With his eye for excellence, this special exhibition environment emerged, inviting everyone to the wonders of the world: a Science Center, the new Technorama.

From a problem case to a world renowned model: economically stable, high attendance figures, a broad public appeal, exhibitions abroad, a personal award of the Winterthur town’s cultural prize, the Lilienberg and Expo prizes – Remo Besio and Technorama became recognised as the model for numerous science centers and museums throughout the world. He really lived up to his motto, (after Billy Wilder), “Thou shalt not bore”!

Remo Besio was in the best sense of the word, a worker and his dedication to this work inspired others and made them co-creators. I had the honour and pleasure of working with Remo Besio for ten years in Technorama and thereafter.

His passion, his love and his energy, which he constantly and persistently applied to the development of Technorama in all its details, deeply impressed and influenced me and all who worked with him. By example he inspired us to devote ourselves with similar passion to our common goal.

Anyone who worked with him, skied with him, heard him at the piano or saw him with his grandchildren, experienced an extraordinary person – a man who combined passion with intelligence and insight, with a strong discipline and will, and a genuine joie de vivre, humour and deep human warmth. We are grateful to have known him.