Fun, games and science

Glasgow's new science park promises more than just a great day out - it also offers the opportunity for everyone from children to businessmen to improve themselves

EVER since the industrial revolution, Glasgow has been at the leading edge of scientific and technological excellence. From the steam engine to silicon, it has helped to shape the course of man's knowledge and development.

It is a remarkable heritage, and one which is being celebrated with the opening of an exciting and significant new visitor facility - the Glasgow Science Centre.

The centre, which has been built at Pacific Quay on the south side of the Clyde, is a tourist attraction, educational facility and business opportunity all rolled into one.

The new complex is a hugely important component of Glasgow's policy of industrial regeneration, and will also play a major role in ensuring that Scotland remains economically and socially at the front of the knowledge revolution.

The first building in the #75 million centre opens its doors on October 14 when the Imax theatre opens for business. The other two structures which dominate the complex, the Glasgow Tower and Science Mall, will open in the spring of next year.

Taken as a whole, the Glasgow Science Centre is designed to fulfil a number of functions. Firstly, it is there to be enjoyed - some 600,000 visitors a year are expected to make it a flagship tourist destination and one of the most popular attractions in Scotland.

It has also been designed to stimulate interest in science and technology for everyone from schoolchildren to businessmen, encouraging people to think about how science and technology could be useful to them.

Arguably the most architecturally commanding of the three titanium- clad structures at the site is the 100 metre tall Glasgow Tower. This is Scotland's tallest structure and the only tower in the world to be able to rotate a full 360 on its base.

At the top of the tower is a viewing platform, which will allow breathtaking views as far as the Highlands and along the Forth and Clyde valley. The experience of travelling up and down from the platform via glass elevators will be almost as compelling as the view.

At the base of the structure is a special exhibition area telling the story of Glasgow's contribution to scientific and technological innovation. The tower - including the viewing platform - can be booked for special events.

The third building at the centre is the Science Mall. This is the nerve centre of the complex, dedicated to bringing subjects to life in an accessible and educational way.

The mall is spread over four levels and features a huge range of interactive exhibits guaranteed to capture the interest and imagination of all age groups. Visitors will follow their own paths of exploration and discovery through a fascinating landscape of different experiences which will allow them to enjoy and learn at the same time.

The Science Mall contains a number of theatres designed to stimulate the senses and imagination. They include the planetarium- style ScottishPower Space Theatre, which, with a 15 metre dome and starfield projector will display astronomy films and light shows.

Other facilities include the Science Show Theatre, a Multimedia Theatre and a Virtual Reality Theatre. Yet another attraction, The Showcase, will exhibit innovations in science and technology and will explore their impact on business in the new millennium.

An area known as The Computer Lab will provide group activity space for schools and the public, allowing participants to undertake real scientific experiments in closely controlled conditions. There will also be mini-laboratories featuring equipment such as electron microscopes and an information centre with a reference library linked into sources such as web sites.

Much of the building will be used as an exhibition facility, with different themes allocated to different floors. Space will be allocated for interactive shows, and there will also be a mall, cafe, shop and exhibition gallery featuring the best from all around the world.

The whole complex already employs some 90 people, more than a quarter of them from the local area. Paul Smith, the centre's chief executive, said he saw the function of the attraction as threefold: to act as a major tourist attraction; to serve as a catalyst for the development of the whole Clyde corridor; and to help stimulate a creative, knowledge based economy in Scotland.

"This really does provide a wonderful opportunity to work with other groups in society", he said. "We are spending a lot of time and effort on going out to the community and encouraging people to engage in creative partnerships.

"Scotland needs to develop an economy based on creativity, knowledge and developments in science and technology."

Funding for the science centre has come from a number of different sources. The Millennium Commission contributed #35 million, one of the organisation's biggest single-site investments. The European Regional Development Fund has contributed #19.75 million. Other contributions have been made by Scottish Enterprise Glasgow, Glasgow City Council and the Wellcome Trust.