Eureka, the national children’s museum, has announced its plans for the future of the attraction in Halifax, Yorkshire.
According Eureka’s chair, David Jackson, the new strategy includes redeveloping the existing Halifax site and the opening of a second site in London.
As part of the plans, Eureka's galleries will be updated, extended and renewed. Key themes will be the planet and its resources, people and their health along with citizenship, science and technology.
The museum’s existing Me & My Body exhibition will be renewed, and the Living & Working Together gallery will be extended and brought up to date as part of efforts to make it more relevant to modern children.
New playful pathways will also be built to link the museum with the town centre, while the museum’s outdoor space will be transformed to create an urban park that can be accessed by children and families at all times.
Eureka's chief executive, Leigh-Anne Stradeski, said: "We are committed to putting the Eureka experience within the reach of all children throughout the UK and our Halifax base needs to continue to grow and evolve if we are to achieve this and remain at the forefront of the national agenda on play-based learning.”
Stradeski added that there were also plans to open a second Eureka museum in London. The vision for Eureka London, although in its early stages, is of a large scale children's museum based in the capital's centre, in a newly regenerated Kings Cross.
She said: "Although planning and securing the funds for future developments is very challenging in the current environment, you can't stand still when your agenda is so ambitious. We will be counting on the support of regional agencies to make this happen, and, to fulfill the broader agenda, will be engaging with a whole range of national agencies and partners with shared values."
David Jackson, chair of Eureka, said: "We have a clear strategy for ensuring our sustainability going forward which includes extending our reach nationally through the transformation of the site in Halifax and the creation of a Eureka! in London.
"We want the national hub of what we do to be here in Yorkshire, and specifically in Halifax, because experience tells us this is a good place to be.
“As our plans take shape, we look forward to working closely with our local and regional colleagues to create a thriving town centre, a strong and engaged community and a vibrant region for residents and visitors alike."
