People have been given a first look inside a new multi-million pound science centre and museum in Wirral.
The Eureka! Science and Discovery Centre will be opening on November 11 with the attraction intended to encourage kids to get interested in science, arts, technology and maths subjects.
Children will be able to learn about how the body works, germs, animal behaviour and sustainability, as well as how energy can be harnessed from wind and tidal power.
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Eureka features information boards, interactive displays and games well as a giant kettle and a 12-foot tall cat you can step inside.
The project has been funded by £11.4m from the Liverpool City Region as well as Wirral Council. Most of the centre will open next month, with a cafe and exhibition area expected to open next year.
The new centre sits where the old Space Port used to be, which closed down in 2019 right next to the newly refurbished Seacombe ferry terminal.
Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram said: “It will show the people here they are not forgotten. This shows we have faith in an area. The old Space Port wasn’t what this area needed. It needed something with a bit of oomph and get a bit of mojo back in the area.
“We’re trying to tie everyone all together. Schools, the community, and the whole city region to buy into this because it’s not just a building or event space.
“It’s about opening people’s eyes to new possibilities. It’s about getting more girls into STEM and STEAM subjects and hopefully they’ll be engineers of the future.”
STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts, and maths.
Wirral Council leader Janette Williamson spoke at the event thanking council workers for their hard work in opening the new attraction. She said: “It can only be good for Seacombe. It’s an absolute class act, I love it and I think this will really lift the entire area.”
This is Eureka!’s first attraction outside Halifax. Leigh-Anne Stradeski, the CEO of Eureka! Said: “This was the first opportunity that came along where all the stars seemed to align. It’s amazing that we’re part of the regeneration, the transformation in Wirral.
“It will grow the visitor economy, we expect to have around 200,000 visitors a year so it will be a huge boost to the local economy. On an annual basis our target is 187,000 and will build up to that by the end of 2023 and 2024.
Tickets for adults and children over 3 are just under £16. Children who are 1 or 2 can get in for £6.95 and children under 1 can get in for free.
Ms Stradeski said Eureka! will still be accessible for those on low incomes as these prices are for an annual pass. She said: “Paying once you get in for free for an entire year after that. That is a model we have in Halifax and it works very well and is very effective and allows families access from all different backgrounds.”
Wirral Mayor Jeff Green was also there. When asked whether the centre would have got him interested in science while at school, he said: “Possibly but I never got an opportunity to experience it so how would I know? I think it’s fantastic and I think it’s going to be really inspiring to youngsters and I’m sure it’s going to spark ideas about sciences.
“Listening to the three school children who co-created the centre made you realise it will really open eyes and minds. That’s what we need here in Wirral. We need people to be inspired and believe they can actually achieve great things.”
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