Winchester Science Centre
.png){kind=logo} | |
 | |
 | |
| Former names | INTECH (1986–2002) INTECH Science Centre (2002-2013) |
|---|---|
| Location | Morn Hill, Chilcomb, England |
| Coordinates | 51°03′35″N 1°15′56″W / 51.05983°N 1.26544°W |
| Operator | Wonderseekers |
| Opened | 28 October 2002 |
| Website | |
| www | |
Winchester Science Centre[1] (known as INTECH Science Centre until 2013) is a hands-on educational science and technology centre located at Morn Hill near Chilcomb, three miles from the city of Winchester in Hampshire, England.[2] The centre houses a range of interactive exhibits, aimed at a core audience of children aged 5–12 years old and has over 185,000 annual visitors. The dome's planetarium seats 176 and is the UK's largest standalone planetarium.[3]
The centre is operated by Wonderseekers, a registered charity in England and Wales.[4]
History
[edit]INTECH (a portmanteau of "Interactive Technology") was founded in 1986 as a response to a local shortage of scientists, engineers and technicians, in a disused canteen at King's School on Romsey Road, Winchester. By the late 1990s, the centre had grown in popularity and began to look for a larger premises to meet increasing demand.[5][6]
In 2002, INTECH relocated to the present-day site at Morn Hill at a cost of £10 million.[7] The new 3,500 square metre, purpose-built centre was funded partly through the Millennium Commission, NTL, IBM, the DfES and DTI, SEEDA and Hampshire County Council.[8] The centre was opened by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh on 28 October 2002.[9]
INTECH re-opened as Winchester Science Centre in October 2013.[10]
Exhibits
[edit]The centre has two floors of hands-on science exhibits and a planetarium with a programme of full-dome films and presenter-led shows.[11]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "What we do". Wonderseekers. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
- ^ "Getting Here - how to find us". Winchester Science Centre. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
- ^ "Winchester Science Centre & Planetarium Dark Sky Discovery Site". South Downs National Par Authority. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
- ^ "Winchester Science Centre, registered charity no. 294582". Charity Commission for England and Wales.
- ^ "Winchester Science Centre". Ecsite. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
- ^ "Roads and Development Sub-Committee, Planning Application W1706/07". Hampshire County Council. Archived from the original on 17 May 2003.
- ^ "County Grant To INTECH". Hampshire County Council. Archived from the original on 18 February 2005.
- ^ "About Us". INTECH. Archived from the original on 30 July 2012.
- ^ "The Scotsman". The British Newspaper Archive. UK. 29 October 2002. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
- ^ "Winchester children learn about kaleidoscopes at new science centre". Hampshire Chronicle. 2 November 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
- ^ "What's on | Winchester Science Centre". www.winchestersciencecentre.org. Retrieved 9 November 2022.