VISITORS will now be able to enjoy a brand-new experience following a £1.1 million development at a Winchester attraction.

Today (Saturday), Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium will welcome families to a new immersive exhibition following a two-and-a-half-year programme which has seen the entire top floor of the two-storey venue completely transformed.

Visitors will be able to enjoy an experimentation zone, a dedicated live demo area, refreshed welcome area, shop and café and an innovative Recombobulation Room – a quiet place designed for people who need time away from the hustle and bustle of the Science Centre.

Guests will feel their senses come alive as they explore the sights and sounds of the exciting new interactive exhibition themed around sound, hearing and vibration.

Designed to coincide with the International Year of Sound 2020, visitors will go on a journey of discovery into what sound is through giant installations, such as a huge 10m long playable guitar, acoustic sonic rocket and giant ear, and smaller table top exhibits including tuning forks and pendulums.

Chief executive Ben Ward said: “Sound is so important to our everyday lives and our aim is to showcase this in a fun, educational and accessible way.

“Our charity’s ambition is to make STEM (science technology, engineering and maths) accessible to everyone and we hope that we are one step closer to achieving this through our new visitor experience. It’s incredible to finally see our dream turned into a reality and we can’t wait to hear what our visitors think!”

Alongside the new exhibition, visitors will also be able to experience explosive science experiments taking place right on the exhibition floor in Science LIVE – a new demo area.

Full funding for the transformation was secured at the end of 2019 thanks to a grant from the Biffa Award, a multi-million-pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through awarding grants to projects across the UK. Support for the project has also come from Enterprise M3 LEP, Garfield Weston Foundation, Winchester City Council and Hampshire County Council.

As part of the redevelopment the science centre’s concepts were tested for accessibility and fun via two consultation panels: an Accessibility Advisory Panel, individuals who represent a wide range of disability and impairment, and a Young Persons’ Steering Group, children aged 8 – 12 representing the Science Centre’s primary user.