The world-famous Jodrell Bank Observatory will open its live science Discovery Centre next week.
The £3m project includes a new entrance building, the Planet Pavilion, and a new Space Pavilion for exhibitions and events. It also includes a glass-walled café with spectacular views of the iconic Lovell telescope, an education space and landscaping of the Gardens.
Its main aim is to inspire young scientists and connect them to cutting-edge research as it happens. The project has been made possible by an investment of £1.9m by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and £1m from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in the Northwest. An additional £600,000 of funding will come from The University of Manchester.
The opening caps a spectacular few months for Jodrell Bank and the University. The site has recently been shortlisted for World Heritage Site status and this week it was announced that the headquarters of the Square Kilometer Array, the world's largest telescope, will be based at Jodrell Bank.
Dr Teresa Anderson, the Centre's Director, said: "We're delighted that our new Centre is opening bang on schedule and that it will be such a great experience for visitors. We're really looking forward to welcoming lots of new people to Jodrell Bank in the next few months and years.
Dr Tim O'Brien, Reader in Astrophysics at the University of Manchester, added: "This is a great day for Jodrell Bank. The new Centre showcases the live science that happens here with new exhibitions focused on some of the big questions we're trying to answer about the Universe."
The Centre will open to the public on Monday, 11th April. For further information visit its new website at www.jodrellbank.net.
Photo: Planet Pavilion by Anthony Holloway.
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