Science centres hit by the Covid-19 pandemic are calling on government to provide £25m to secure their future.
The Science Centres For Our Future campaign, led by the Association for Science and Discovery Centres (ASDC), argues that venues deliver hands-on science experiences to millions of schoolchildren and families across the UK every year and that they are vital in ensuring that the UK remains at the forefront of global Stem innovation.
UK science centres are still closed and have lost their income from tickets sales, schools programmes and other activities. Penny Fidler, the CEO of ASDC, said: “If we are to address our global and national challenges around climate change, health and coronavirus, and if we are to create a more equitable society, we need to inspire all our young people to enjoy science.
"This is precisely what Science Centres deliver. Without support, the UK will start to lose these popular educational and cultural resources that offer support for teachers and access into science for all.”
UK science centres are concerned that they will not be able to operate successfully even when they reopen. They expect to be able to operate at a maximum capacity of 30%-40%, and 96% of the venues surveyed by the ASDC this month do not think they will be able to cover costs operating at this level.
The survey asked how long science centres felt they could continue trading without additional funding, with 25% saying they would cease to be going concerns within six months, and 42% within 12 months.
The ASDC represents more than 60 UK science centres, discovery centres, environment centres, science museums and scientific bodies. Every year in the UK, more than 20 million people visit the UK’s science and discovery centres and science museums.
