Winchester Science Centre
{{Short description|Educational centre in Hampshire, England}}
{{Redirect|INTECH|other uses|Intech (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox venue
| name = Winchester Science Centre
| former names = INTECH (1986–2002)
INTECH Science Centre (2002-2013)
| logo_image = File:Winchester Science Centre Logo (Hampshire, United Kingdom).png
| image = File:Intech Science Centre and Planetarium, Winchester - geograph.org.uk - 760843.jpg
| location = Morn Hill, Chilcomb, England
| coordinates = {{coord|51.05983|-1.26544|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| opened = {{Start date|2002|10|28|df=y}}
| operator = Wonderseekers
| website = {{URL|https://www.winchestersciencecentre.org}}
}}
Winchester Science Centre{{cite web|url=https://www.wonderseekers.charity/what-we-do|title=What we do|publisher=Wonderseekers|accessdate=9 October 2023}} (known as INTECH Science Centre until 2013) is a hands-on educational science, technology centre and research centre located at Morn Hill near Chilcomb, three miles from the city of Winchester in Hampshire, England.{{cite web|url=https://www.winchestersciencecentre.org/visiting/getting-here|title=Getting Here - how to find us|publisher=Winchester Science Centre|accessdate=9 October 2023}} The centre houses a range of interactive exhibits, aimed at a core audience of children aged 5–12 years old and has over 185,000 annual visitors. The dome's planetarium seats 176 and is the UK's largest standalone planetarium.{{cite web|url=https://www.southdowns.gov.uk/dark-night-skies/where-to-stargaze/dark-night-skies-where-to-stargaze-winchester-science-centre-planetarium-dark-sky-discovery-site/|title=Winchester Science Centre & Planetarium Dark Sky Discovery Site|publisher=South Downs National Par Authority|accessdate=9 October 2023}}
The centre is operated by Wonderseekers, a registered charity in England and Wales.{{EW charity|294582}}
History
INTECH (a portmanteau of "Interactive Technology") was founded in 1986 as a response to a local shortage of scientists, engineers and technicians, in a disused canteen at King's School on Romsey Road, Winchester. By the late 1990s, the centre had grown in popularity and began to look for a larger premises to meet increasing demand.{{cite web|url=https://www.ecsite.eu/members/directory/winchester-science-centre|title=Winchester Science Centre|publisher=Ecsite|accessdate=9 October 2023}}{{cite web|title=Roads and Development Sub-Committee, Planning Application W1706/07|url=https://www.hants.gov.uk/scrmxn/c26307.html|website=Hampshire County Council|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030517045039/https://www.hants.gov.uk/scrmxn/c26307.html|archive-date=17 May 2003|url-status=dead}}
In 2002, INTECH relocated to the present-day site at Morn Hill at a cost of £10 million.{{cite web|title=County Grant To INTECH|url=https://www.hants.gov.uk/cxpuxn/c1461.html|website=Hampshire County Council|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050218112836/https://www.hants.gov.uk/cxpuxn/c1461.html|archive-date=18 February 2005|url-status=dead}} The new 3,500 square metre, purpose-built centre was funded partly through the Millennium Commission, NTL, IBM, the DfES and DTI, SEEDA and Hampshire County Council.{{cite web|title=About Us|url=https://www.intech-uk.com/page/?title=About+Us&pid=227|website=INTECH|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120730013717/http://www.intech-uk.com/page/?title=About+Us&pid=227|archive-date=30 July 2012|url-status=dead}} The centre was opened by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh on 28 October 2002.{{cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/20021029/191/0016|title=The Scotsman|date=29 October 2002|website=The British Newspaper Archive|location=UK|access-date=9 October 2023}}
INTECH re-opened as Winchester Science Centre in October 2013.{{cite web|url=https://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/10781278.winchester-children-learn-about-kaleidoscopes-at-new-science-centre/|title=Winchester children learn about kaleidoscopes at new science centre|date=2 November 2013 |publisher=Hampshire Chronicle|accessdate=9 October 2023}}
Exhibits
The centre has two floors of hands-on science exhibits and a planetarium with a programme of full-dome films and presenter-led shows.{{Cite web |title=What's on {{!}} Winchester Science Centre |url=https://www.winchestersciencecentre.org/whats-on |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=www.winchestersciencecentre.org |language=en}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.winchestersciencecentre.org/ Winchester Science Centre]
- [https://www.wonderseekers.charity/ Wonderseekers]
Category:Education in Winchester
Category:Educational institutions established in 2002
Category:Planetaria in the United Kingdom
Category:2002 establishments in England