Eureka! Mersey construction work is expected to take place in early 2021 as it achieves 95% of its funding. New concept art has been released.
Eureka! Mersey will be the sister site of Eureka! the National Children’s Museum in Halifax. The museum is set to open in 2022 in part of the Seacombe ferry terminal and the old Spaceport on the Wirral waterfront.
Making science exciting
Set over 2,700 square-metres, Eureka! Mersey will focus on making science, engineering and technology subjects exciting and accessible to all.
New concept images show exhibitions that are immersive and encourage children to touch and participate.
Planning continues despite COVID-19
The museum team has been working remotely during lockdown with its partners to allow the design and building plans to progress and stay on track. These seven new partners will help build, design and landscape the museum.
The museum is even more crucial as the UK plans its post-COVID-19 recovery. Chief Executive of Eureka! Leigh-Anne Stradeski said that it is crucial to give “young people the opportunity to explore, discover and think again about their futures” as the UK rebuilds after the pandemic.
She continued, saying that “At a time when science is so important and with major global challenges ahead from both COVID-19 and climate change, Science Centres across the UK provide our regional cities and towns with crucial opportunities to access science in an approachable and engaging way, helping to inspire our next generation of scientists and engineers.”
Creating a visitor-led attraction
Eureka! Museum also aims to co-create its exhibits and programmes with local young people. Stradeski explains that young people visiting the museum “will think again about the options ahead of them, some of which they’d never have believed possible or achievable.
We hope this will prove especially true for those living locally in Wirral, which is why we are designing this science and discovery attraction with their input and voices at its heart. When it opens, Eureka! Mersey will be the most visitor-led attraction in the UK.”
Rebuilding the local economy
The museum is dedicated to helping rebuild the region’s visitor economy after COVID-19. Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayer of the Liverpool City Region said that the new museum will “play an important role in inspiring our future scientists and engineers”. The city has invested £6.44m into the project.
Eureka! Museum has chosen Seddon Construction, K2 Architects, Urban Green, Real Studios, TACE, Sutcliffe and Playmaker Studio as its seven key partners to bring the museum to life.
The museum still has a further £575,000 to be raised of its £11.75m budget before it opens in 2022.
The Inspiring Science Fund also gave the museum £3 million.
Images: Eureka! Mersey
