IT is Scotland’s flagship science centre and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, keen to enjoy the interactive exhibits on show.
Now the Glasgow Science Centre is to undergo the biggest transformation in its 19-year-history with a £4million revamp aimed at attracting a more diverse group of visitors and get more people interested in the subject.
Part of the plans will see a huge playground of exhibits built outside for the first time allowing visitors to enjoy the science experience on the banks of the Clyde for free.
While the numbers visiting the science centre are at record levels, having risen by 12 per cent over four years amassing 332,073 visitors in 2017/18, executives are concerned that the audience is not diverse enough, and are not reaching enough of those who would not normally show an interest in science.
READ MORE: Scotland's primary schoolchildren love science but don't want to be scientists
"For example, 38% of our visitors work in or study science. That tells us that we need to appeal to more people who hold a belief that science isn’t for them/isn’t interesting," said a centre spokesman.
Only one in five adult paying customers are over 55 and a similar proportion are under 34.
A view of how the science centre front might look
"When you look at the age range of our visitors, too few of them are age 64+," he said. "That’s why we’ll be doing more outreach programmes and opening a community hub."
Some 89% of visitors are either white British or white European, and just three per cent are Asian.
Three in four are from Scotland, with 13% from other parts of the UK and 12% from abroad.
"There are still large sections of society who still think ‘science is not for people like us’, " said Stephen Breslin, chief executive of the centre.
"Science is for everyone. It can empower and enrich each and every one of us and any section of society that feels excluded from science, for whatever reason, is at risk of being marginalized and unable to access the many opportunities that science and technology creates.
A revamped floor 1
"That’s one reason why Glasgow Science Centre is about to embark on a £4.2m programme of change, that aims to break down the barriers, real and perceived, to engaging with science."
The project which is likely to be complete by December, 2021 will include taking the science centre outdoors, transforming Pacific Quay into a space for play, discovery and social interaction and creating a free interactive area at its entrance.
A new indoor hub, which will also be free to access will be created with smart screens to attract those who may not normally have an interest and there will be further exhibits and community learning in the outdoor entrance.
READ MORE: Scotland's primary schoolchildren love science but don't want to be scientists
"We will be transforming the outdoor spaces to create learning spaces, filled with exciting hands-on exhibits, seating and sculptures along the Clyde side," he said.
"This is an ambitious project and we will measure its success not through the physical developments to our site, but by our ability to sustain, expand, extend and diversify our audiences and reach.
An artist's impression of a new free activity hub
"We want Glasgow Science Centre to be for all of Scotland and for our audience to reflect the richness and diversity of the great communities that we aim to serve."
Twelve years ago, a government sponsored study suggested that science centres across Scotland should give free entry to youngsters. The report into four science and technology visitor centres in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee looks at a range of options and concluded that the one giving the best return is free entry for young people, backed by subsidised transport for school groups.
If the government wanted to push the long-term aspiration of getting everyone interested in science and technology, the report said, giving universal free access would certainly boost visitor numbers.
A standard entry without donation to the Glasgow Science Centre is £10.45 and £8.60 for children.
But centre executives believe free extensions to the centre could provide a portal for people to pay for further activities.
"The signs are looking positive for science engagement in Scotland," said Mr Breslin.
"The most recent polls on public engagement with science tell us that 84% agree that we should all take an interest in science and 72% agree it’s important to know about it in their daily lives.
"Our mission is to inspire people of all ages to explore and understand the world around them, to discover, enjoy science and understand its relevance to their own lives.
Revamp of the entrance to create free interactive area
"However, those same polls also reveal that ‘people still do not know much about how scientists work’. It therefore highlights the important role that organisations such as ours must play as science and technology increasingly permeates every aspect of our lives.
The Scottish Government’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) strategy makes it clear that the country must increase the proportion of young people who say they feel studying science, technology and engineering is important for them and for their future careers.
"We still have some way to go, but our ambitious plans will be a major step forward."
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