Winchester Science Centre re-opening ‘phenomenal success’

Visitors have been welcomed back to Winchester Science Centre just in time for half term, as they announced ‘following a two and a half year programme from design to construction, the £1.1million development is ready to welcome its first visitors’.

Director of Marketing and Communications, Charlotte Barnaville, told Winol they have had to ‘cap the numbers to maintain social distancing’ and are ‘asking visitors to stay closer to their families than usual’. Despite this, she said half term was a ‘a phenomenal success’ and they ‘are really delighted with the public response to the new attractions’.

A live demo area has been added, called ‘Science LIVE’ where visitors can watch experiments taking place. Guests can also attempt challenges themed around nature in the inside/outside experimentation zone ‘BIO:SPACE’.

The development was designed to coincide with the International Year of Sound 2020, a 10m long playable guitar, acoustic sonic rocket and giant ear are among the attractions inspired by this.

This is the biggest project that the Science Centre has undertaken since opening in 2002, the top floor is part of a bigger project, started in 2019, to make Winchester Science Centre and STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) accessible to everyone.

They introduced ‘subtitled shows, personalised audio tracks and 3D printed tactile resources for those with hearing and visual impairments’. There is also a ‘Recombobulation Room’, a quiet area for any visitors that need it.

The project was fully funded by the Biffa Award, a multi-million pound fund that awards grants to community and environmental projects.