A new NIS 160m ($44.9m £28.6m) science park, initiated by the Rashi Foundation and undertaken with the involvement of Israel’s Education Ministry, has opened in Beersheba, Israel.

The Carasso Science Park extends over 17ha in Beersheba’s Old City and hosts 10 main interactive exhibitions. The park’s main attraction is a nuclear energy display developed in collaboration with the Nuclear Research Centre and the Israel Atomic Energy Commission.

The park's Code of Life exhibition gives visitors the chance to learn about molecular biology and genetics, while Chip's World explores micro-electronics. Other exhibitions at the scientific attraction explore light, sight, sound and hearing.

The state-of-the-art attractions are housed in a restored historic building, creating a distinctive look connecting past, present and the future. Outside, an interactive science garden with sculptured displays has been created to help educate visitors, while there is also a toddlers' zone for younger children to explore using their senses.

The Rashi Foundation believes the park will become a central landmark in the revitalised Beersheba area, while also serving as a tourist magnet for the region.

The park was also built to serve as an educational tool for students from the area’s schools, with educational visits planned several times a year. Students will be able to conduct experiments and visit exhibits, while being guided by staff at the science park.

The idea behind the park’s creation was born in 2005 as part of Israel’s Education Ministry’s MADAROM project, which was created in accordance with the Rashi Foundation to strengthen science and technology education in the south of the country.

According to the Rashi Foundation, the goal of the complex is to nurture interest in science and technology within an innovative educational framework, which will provide opportunities for people to acquire scientific skills and knowledge.