Science centres to receive £2m in emergency funding

Scotland’s four main science centres will receive £2m in emergency funds as they get set to reopen this autumn.

Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh and Glasgow Science Centre, along with the science centres in Aberdeen and Dundee, are being offered cash while they remain currently closed to visitors.

That’s in addition to the £2.67m the Scottish Government provides to the science centres annually.

The centres collectively receive around 700,000 visitors every year.

They employ around 400 staff and will have new safeguards in place to protect the public when they reopen.

Science minister Richard Lochhead said: “Our science centres are a valuable national asset and even though they are currently closed to visitors, they have continued to deliver STEM learning opportunities through the creative and innovative use of online learning.

“From daily online videos and weekly themed home-learning programmes to stay-at-home science and STEM care packages, they have been providing valuable resources to support parents, teachers and young people during the school closures.

“Science, technology, engineering and maths impact our everyday lives and this has never been more relevant than in the current global pandemic.”

He continued: “The huge contributions of Scotland’s STEM-related research and industry have being highlighted nationally and internationally throughout the Covid-19 crisis.

“This extra money puts our science centres in a stronger position to continue to showcase Scottish research and industry excellence in STEM, inspiring our young people and supporting their learning, while helping Scotland realise its ambitions as a science and innovation nation.”