Member News: Aberdeen Science Centre expands virtual reality experience with new funding

February 24, 2026
Member News: Aberdeen Science Centre expands virtual reality experience with new funding

Aberdeen Science Center is expanding its virtual reality (VR) offering with a new workshop and birthday party experience.

The launch of VR experiences at the centre in 2025 allowed visitors to explore new digital worlds, encounter dinosaurs, travel through time and even shrink to journey inside the human body.

Following the success of the VR headsets, the centre is now broadening its use of the technology, supported by funding from Mermaid Subsea Services UK and ETZ Ltd.

Last year, Aberdeen Science Centre made nearly 40 ClassVR headsets available at the centre and community events, engaging more than 6,500 children and families from across the North-east of Scotland and beyond.

Funding helped introduce the technology to the centre’s diverse programmes and ensured staff were fully trained to use it effectively.

Renewed support from Mermaid Subsea and ETZ Ltd will allow Aberdeen Science Centre to enhance its VR offering and introduce four new VR experiences throughout the year focusing on exploring ocean life, journeying through different animals’ habitats, discovering more about famous historic moments and learning about geography and geology.

Alongside this, a new VR birthday party experience will launch in April, giving groups of children the chance to explore the wonders of space as part of their celebrations.

Two new school workshops will also be created, launching in August for the start of the new school year, that will allow pupils visiting the centre to navigate the solar system and investigate the different kinds of energy in our communities.

Steph McCann, head of fundraising at Aberdeen Science Centre, said:

“We are proud to launch the second year of our VR experience at Aberdeen Science Centre, as we grow the digital offering for our visitors. Last year, the VR headsets greatly enhanced learning and discovery both at the centre and in community settings, letting visitors explore the ocean, travel to the moon and encounter creatures from the distant past.

“In 2026, we will enhance our VR experience, along with new activities and workshops, and offer VR as an option for birthday parties. We are incredibly grateful to Mermaid Subsea Services UK and ETZ Ltd for their support, which allows us to expand our VR programme and continue creating fun, memorable experiences for children and families.”

Scott Cormack, regional director UK and Europe at Mermaid Subsea, said:

“We have seen first-hand the engagement and enthusiasm for the VR programme, so when the chance came to support the initiative for a second year, we were more than happy to do so. These headsets are a major asset for Aberdeen Science Centre, ensuring that young people and families across the region can enjoy educational benefit of powerful immersive technology.

“At Mermaid, we believe in long-term investment in education, innovation and skills, and we’re proud to play an ongoing role in helping inspire curiosity, creativity and future careers in STEM in the North-east.”

Lauren Braidwood, senior skills manager at ETZ Ltd, said:

“We are delighted to continue supporting Aberdeen Science Centre to deliver accessible and engaging STEM activities to the North-east. The wonderful team and resources at the Aberdeen Science Centre are vitally important in inspiring our next generation of scientists and engineers, and it’s exciting to see their reach and offerings expanding, especially at this critical point in the region’s energy transition.”

Funding will also be used to update and refresh both the hardware and software used by the VR headsets.

To book a visit to the centre or find out more about corporate opportunities, visit https://aberdeensciencecentre.org/

Get in touch

AREG is the original energy transition organisation, working on behalf of members to empower the energy supply chain and champion its expertise. Please get in touch if you have any questions or would like to find out more about membership.

Contact Us
“

AREG has played an important role in the growth of Scotland’s renewable energy sector, engaging the supply chain and developing the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre. However, we are only at the very beginning of the transition that AREG was established to both lead and support so there are still opportunities for companies to get into the constantly evolving renewables supply chain. We look forward to continuing our work together as renewables builds on its place as Scotland’s main source of power, and as we seek to deliver real change in the crucial areas of heat and transport.

Scottish Renewables
“

Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce has worked closely with AREG since its formation. The recent progress in the developments of offshore wind projects by Equinor and Vattenfall are as a result of the work of the group over many years. The north-east is known as the oil and gas capital of Europe. At the Chamber, we believe the region must evolve its position to being recognised as the energy capital. Whilst hydrocarbons will continue to be essential in driving our economy for years to come, the generation of renewable resources will play an increasingly important role in providing cost-effective power, innovative development and economic growth.

Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce
“

The enthusiasm and dedication of the early group that would become AREG was fundamental in us choosing to launch All-Energy in Aberdeen. The first tiny show was held in 2001, and AREG’s Chairman at the time, Jeremy Cresswell, played such an active role that I often describe him in terms such as All-Energy’s ‘midwife’. All-Energy is now the UK’s largest renewable and low carbon energy exhibition and conference in terms of number of attendees, space booked, and number of exhibiting companies. As AREG became firmly established, their presence and support for the event grew spectacularly over the years. We thank them most sincerely for their invaluable input.

All-Energy
“

Vattenfall has forged a strong working relationship with AREG through the development of the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre. AREG has worked tirelessly on behalf of the North East and it can take enormous credit for the growth of sustainable energy in the region and the path it has cleared for the region to capture further investment.

Vattenfall
“

Aberdeen City and Shire is emerging as a key location for renewables by successfully transferring its world-class oil and gas expertise into the sector and AREG has done much to advance this through a broad range of initiatives. It has acted as a catalyst in driving further investment in the local economy by engaging with companies, Government, public bodies and existing projects and we have been pleased to support their efforts. Scottish Enterprise will continue to engage with AREG as we increase Scotland’s use of renewable energy.

Scottish Enterprise