The Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire, known as the birthplace of radio astronomy and home to the Lovell Telescope, is opening a new £21.5m visitor attraction called the First Light Pavilion on 4 June 2022.
“After years of planning, we are thrilled to finally be able to announce the opening of First Light,” said Jodrell Bank professor Teresa Anderson.
“This moment will mark a whole new chapter for Jodrell Bank and we’re looking forward to welcoming our first visitors through the doors and in to this beautiful new space.”
The new building was designed by architecture studio Hassell. Within the pavilion, visitors will learn about the site’s heritage and the history of astronomy through a permanent exhibition.
“That transformational development in this quiet corner of Cheshire completely opened up humanity’s understanding of the universe and allowed us to discover previously undreamt of things such as pulsars, quasars, and even the fading glow of the Big Bang,” added Jodrell Bank professor Tim O’Brien.
First Light Pavilion opens in June 2022
Created by interior designer Casson Mann, the exhibition will include audio, film, diaries, letters, plans, notebooks and photographs. Personal items belonging to Jodrell Bank founder Sir Bernard Lovell will feature.
The custom-built auditorium with a curved projection screen will offer planetarium-style shows. The visitor attraction will also feature a café, and a guided tour of the site’s previously inaccessible areas will launch later this year.
The First Light Pavilion is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which awarded £12.5m to the project “so that the site’s powerful human stories of curiosity, exploration and discovery could be shared with the public”, said Eilish McGuinness, CEO of The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
“The stunning new building, its exciting exhibition, and an incredibly diverse and inclusive engagement programme, will all have a fantastic impact, delighting and inspiring every visitor.”
Images: Jodrell Bank
