A golden and genuine opportunity is how Dr Melanie Quin, executive director of ECSITE-UK: the Science and Discovery Network, describes the launch of ReDiscover, a new £33m renewal fund for science centres and museums across the UK.

The new fund is a joint venture between the Millennium Commission, the Wellcome Trust and the Wolfson Foundation and will be awarded in four funding rounds over the next three years.

The fund will give existing museums and science centres the opportunity to renew, refresh and develop science, educational and technology exhibitions. Our members are delighted with the announcement of ReDiscover, says Quin, not only because there will be a substantial amount of money available, but because the creation of the fund recognises that we are all doing a good job - and that we merit capital investment on a major level.

The launch of the ReDiscover fund is a positive step for the science attractions community in the UK, which has grown quickly over the past few years with the completion of Millennium Commission-funded projects. Linda Conlon, chief executive of Life Interactive World, which opened in Newcastle in 2000, is among those operators who are lobbying for more support: The future of science centres that do not have income streams other than primary and secondary spend from visitors is bleak. At the Centre for Life we have other income streams, but those businesses have to work hard to meet the shortfall in running the science centre. Further replenishment requires sizeable sums which we will not be able to provide and can only come from external sources.

Quin agrees: ReDiscover is good news, but as capital funding it does not solve all the issues affecting our members. We need revenue funding, to help with staffing, maintenance and other operational costs, so that these beautiful, expensive, educational places don't simply fade away. ECSITE-UK is in discussions with the Department for Education and Skills, the Office of Science and Technology and the DCMS as it puts the case forward for revenue support.

For more details on the ReDiscover fund, visit http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/en/1/mismiscnegrared.html or contact Debbie Vincent at [email protected].