Member Article

Wrexham science discovery centre sets date for re-opening at new venue

A popular science discovery centre, which is moving to the heart of Wrexham town centre, will unveil more than 100 new exhibits at its re-opening on Saturday 3 October.

Xplore!, formerly Techniquest Glyndŵr, specialises in science, technology, engineering, arts and maths (STEAM) activities and for 17 years was based at Wrexham Glyndŵr University.

The new larger venue on the high street provides visitors with more interactive exhibits to experience and also features a bigger gift shop as well as a café, which will stock local Welsh produce.

The relocation was due to happen in April but was delayed due to COVID-19.

Health and safety measures to tackle the virus have been put in place, with a deep clean taking place every morning and further sanitisation in the middle of the day.

A booking system is also being implemented to easily manage numbers and avoid queues, with hygiene facilities and hand sanitising stations widely available to use before and after using the interactive displays.

Scot Owen, centre manager, said: “After our rebrand at the start of the year and the decision to move premises, we are eagerly anticipating opening our doors to people of all ages.

“Last year we delivered more than 67,000 STEAM engagements, including welcoming people into our facility and community outreach such as delivering activity in schools and community settings.

“Based on an average of three hours per visit, that accounts for nearly 203,000 hours of STEAM learning in 2019.

“We’re really excited to start the ball rolling on reconnecting families and school pupils with their love of science.

“Our new location is broken up into four zones: construction, reflection, action and the dark. We co-created this with our visitors in mind, based on feedback from the previous site.

“In these areas, you will be encouraged to construct masterpieces or play a tune on light-controlled paddle tubes and be wowed at our four-metre scarf maze.

“There will be 111 exhibits in total including more than 100 new additions and some old favourites.

“The Batak Button Challenge, which tests the speed of people’s reactions, will be particularly popular, with the chance to take a selfie and share your high score on social media to beat your friends.

“The whole Xplore! team has worked hard to ensure the health and safety of staff and visitors during their trip is a top priority.

“Our new booking system will also help us manage the capacity for morning and afternoon slots and we have removed any exhibits which were deemed high risk due to COVID-19.”

The multi-million pound project has been made possible through the support of the Inspiring Science Fund – a partnership between UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Wellcome, the Targeted Regeneration Investment programme - a partnership between Welsh Government and Wrexham County Borough Council, and Wrexham Glyndŵr University.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sam Harris .