A popular Wrexham tourist attraction is set for an expansion over the coming months.
Xplore! Science Discovery Centre, situated in the heart of the city on Henblas Street, is primed for a significant upgrade that is expected to spark interest and inspire opinions on its future.
They moved to their current location in 2021, and now Xplore! is looking to keep its presence within the Wrexham area, and provide lasting impacts on the surrounding communities.
The centre is on course to expand its premises with an upstairs space, adding to the 80 exhibits and workshops located on the ground floor.
Xplore! remains open for visitors, including a state-of-the-art planetarium, a dedicated play area for under-7s, and business conferencing facilities.
The centre encourages residents of North Wales and beyond to contribute ideas with what they want to see at the centre.
The tourist attraction is a popular place in the city (Image: Xplore!)
Thanks to the Shared Prosperity Fund, initial building improvements will include the installation of 248 photovoltaic (PV) panels, new roofing, and insulation, set to be completed by September 2024.
The £1.5m UK government funding has significantly helped Xplore! to research how to extend the centre in the most carbon friendly way, working with market researchers, exhibit consultants, and architects to create a detailed upstairs plan.
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Xplore!’s projects officer, Dawn Pavey, said: "Sustainable development is a huge priority for Wrexham, so significantly reducing our carbon footprint and mapping out long-terms plans is an incredibly exciting first step."
"It’s important to us that we not only offer interactive, topical, and fun climate education for our visitors, but we practice what we preach by making the site as energy efficient as possible.
"The funding has meant we have made investments to lower our carbon consumption, and we are working with a North Wales supply chain to carry out the improvements."
It is expected that generating renewable electricity, the PV solar panels and improved insulation will save up to 22 tonnes of CO2 annually, which equates to the carbon emissions of 26 London-to-New-York flights.
The centre will function entirely on renewable electricity during summer, generating 82.32 MWh each year, covering 82 per cent of its operation.
Ms Pavey added: "We’re still open as usual and we’d love to see visitors and members of the community share their thoughts of what they would like to see in the new space, helping us develop it into something exciting for everyone."
Dan Thorpe, an Architect from Cassidy + Ashton who is in charge of the project’s architectural and design consultancy, said: "It’s great having the opportunity to work with the Xplore! team on both the delivery of the roof works and the first-floor expansion of the exhibition space.
"The science discovery centre is a fantastic resource, and we are proud to be playing our part in delivering a scheme that not only addresses a sustainability agenda, but just as importantly showcases the impact of sustainability to visitors to the centre."
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