MEMBER NEWS: Fossbily the best summer ever for Aberdeen Science Centre

September 13, 2023
MEMBER NEWS: Fossbily the best summer ever for Aberdeen Science Centre

A bumper number of visitors have flocked to Aberdeen Science Centre this summer, with the five-star visitor attraction engaging with almost 14,000 people over the past few weeks.

Nearly 11,000 visitors chose to head to Aberdeen Science Centre to uncover the Earth’s secrets, a rise of 33% compared to last summer.

The venue ran a series of geology themed workshops and demonstrations throughout July and August. The visitors also had access to more than 60 interactive exhibits, including the OPITO Theatre of Energy.

Elaine Holland, head of operations at Aberdeen Science Centre said the focus on geology had proved popular.

“People visiting the centre have really enjoyed the geology themed exhibits and workshops that have been running. Our focus has been on showing visitors that anything is ‘fossible’. We have been demonstrating how different rock types are formed as well as explaining how to identify different rock specimens.”

Over the course of the summer Aberdeen Science Centre also hosted clubs, including one focused on marine biology, birthday parties and group visits. These drew a further 929 people to the local attraction.

Elaine said: “Aberdeen Science Centre is a versatile and popular venue. It has been fantastic to see so many people visiting the Centre for such a multitude of reasons during the school summer holidays.”

More than 2,200 people engaged with Aberdeen Science Centre activities at outreach sessions and community engagement events which took place throughout the North-east. These included sessions at local playing fields and parks with the aim of making STEM activities as accessible as possible.

“As well as the activity which has been taking place at our home in Constitution Street we have also been out and about in our new electric van.

“Our staff and volunteers have been at various events including the Hazlehead Highland Games, Stonehaven Pool and the Duthie Park Environment Day. These events provided additional opportunities to bring science fun to people throughout the summer months.”

Elaine added: “The emphasis throughout our activities is on making science engaging and inspiring. The people who came along to our outreach sessions took part in a variety of workshops. One of them, ‘Survival of the Scientist’, highlights ways science can be used to help us understand our natural environment and includes an outdoor treasure hunt.”

Aberdeen Science Centre is rounding out its geology theme with the addition of a touring exhibit which will be on display until the end of September.

Elaine said: “The ‘Clean Energy Beneath Our Feet’ touring exhibition is an exciting addition to our exhibits. It is packed with information, visuals and interactive elements which will encourage visitors to understand more about climate change while also inspiring them to discover more about the new clean energy solutions which are being developed.”

The travelling exhibition highlights the range of energy sources and technologies which interact with the ground below the Earth’s surface. These are known as geoenergy and include geothermal energy, hydrogen storage, carbon capture and storage, and storage solutions for wind, solar and tidal energy.

“We hope people will come away from the exhibition with a greater understanding of geoenergy and how it can contribute to delivering clean energy,” added Brian.

“It is exciting to see the part that Scotland is playing in the development of clean energy solutions through the creation of an underground observatory in Glasgow. The exhibition includes borehole samples which were drilled during the construction of the Glasgow Geoenergy Observatory. Visitors can see and touch the samples to investigate their properties.

“The combination of running different themes and bringing travelling exhibits to our venue means there is always something new and exciting to discover at Aberdeen Science Centre.”

Aberdeen Science Centre was recently awarded the Tripadvisor 2023 Travelers’ Choice Award for the third year running. The coveted award is given to those who consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% on Tripadvisor.

It has also been named as a finalist in the Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Awards, shortlisted in the Best Visitor Attraction category.

Based on Constitution Street near Aberdeen beach, ASC is home to almost 65 interactive exhibits, allowing people of all ages to discover topics including Space, Energy, Life Sciences, Engineering, and much more.

Open seven days a week, Aberdeen Science Centre offers exclusive venue hire as well as room hire for corporate, social and private events.

To book a visit to the centre, visit https://aberdeensciencecentre.org/

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