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Prof. Chris Rapley CBE, Director of the Science Museum, announced that the Science Museum has welcomed a 2, 805, 091 visitors through its doors in its Centenary year making 2008/9 the busiest year in its one hundred year history. The announcement was made at the launch of the Museum’s latest biomedical gallery ‘Who am I?’ and alongside the news that the Wellcome Trust is to launch a project to map 10, 000 genomes in 3 years.
‘Who am I?’, which presents the latest brain science and genetics research through a mix of fascinating objects, hands on multimedia exhibits and contemporary art works, opens to the public on 26 June to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the announcement of the first draft of the human genome.
Marking the occasion Prof. Chris Rapley CBE, Director of the Science Museum and UCL Professor of Climate Science, said:
“The launch of the renewed Who am I? gallery is a major step in achieving our vision for the Science Museum – to be the best place in the world for people to enjoy science – and is a key plank in our Museum of the Future Masterplan, which we launched over a year ago. I am delighted to tell you that our Centenary year has been our most successful year ever attracting a record of over 2.8 million visitors and has also been our busiest year ever for booked educational visits, maintaining our position as the most visited schools destination in the country. What better demonstration could we ask for that the Science Museum remains as relevant to people today as it did to our forebears a Century ago.”
He added:
“The Who am I? gallery addresses some very big questions, which we know fascinate our visitors – such as “what makes each of us unique” – through a fascinating mix of up-to-date research, historical objects, exclusive art works and hands-on, multimedia exhibits. The interactive multimedia exhibits have been inspired by the research projects under way now in research laboratories across the globe.”
‘Who am I?’ is supported by Principal Funders: Wellcome Trust, Major Sponsors: GlaxoSmithKline and Life Technologies Foundation.
