A staple of the Granite City for more than 35 years, Aberdeen Science Centre is on a mission to “inspire a lifelong interest in science” by making science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) learning both attainable and fun - but operating as a charity brings challenges, as Chief Executive Bryan Snelling explains.
With great ambition inevitably comes great challenges - and the UK’s science and discovery centres are facing a crisis that threatens not just their survival, but the future of science, innovation and opportunity across the nation.
Charities like Aberdeen Science Centre are already grappling with the reality of rising operational costs, declining corporate giving and the increasing cost of living, all while striving to maintain and enhance our vital work in STEM education.
Science centres are not just visitor attractions. They are engines of curiosity, learning and inspiration.
We welcome 60,000 visitors each year, making science open, accessible and aspirational for everyone, from school pupils to communities across the North-east.
Our workshops, exhibitions and outreach programmes aim to spark interest in the STEM subjects that underpin every facet of modern life, from energy and healthcare to space exploration and food technology.
As a registered charity, we reinvest every surplus into new exhibits, workshops and initiatives designed to make STEM accessible to more young people and families.
Thanks to partners like OPITO, Shell UK and Equinor – plus Adura - as well as newer supporters such as Scottish Water, Mermaid Subsea and SSEN Transmission, we have introduced initiatives like a virtual reality project that immerses children and school groups in the latest technologies, preparing them for careers that will shape the decades ahead.
However, unlike museums, arts and heritage organisations, we have historically been excluded from government and dedicated lottery funding for infrastructure and capital improvements.
Until now, Scottish science centres have relied on a self-sustaining model of entry fees, corporate sponsorship and other income streams.
For ASC, the overall picture is very much a balancing act, juggling a 3-3-3 financial model. A third of our revenue comes from our partners and sponsors, a third from the Scottish Government’s Office of the Chief Scientific Officer and a third from admissions and income from corporate hires and events.
UK science and discovery centres like ours serve more than 5.2million visitors annually and engage with 35% of all schools in the past two years.
But the combined pressures of post-pandemic visitor changes, rising costs and aging buildings now mean that reserves are being depleted, threatening the quality and accessibility of STEM experiences for millions.
Yet without dedicated government support, centres risk falling behind in maintaining their facilities, refreshing exhibitions and meeting decarbonisation targets.
Every day that funding is delayed is a lost opportunity to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, doctors and innovators. This is why urgent action is needed. Science centres should be recognised as core components of the UK’s and Scotland’s scientific and cultural infrastructure, with funding aligned to their vital role.
We are awaiting the imminent outcome of a Scottish Government review into the science centres in Glasgow, Dundee, Edinburgh and Aberdeen’s contribution to STEM engagement and education, and how they are funded.
Bryan Snelling with RoboThespian, one of the most popular exhibits at Aberdeen Science Centre
At national level, we have also supported the Association of Discovery and Science Centres’ Science Centres for Our Future campaign.
An open letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called for measures including immediate capital support for urgent building maintenance and infrastructure upgrades, matched by existing business and philanthropic partners.
It also urged the UK Government to establish a Science Centre Capital Renewal Fund of £12million per year over the next five years to secure the long-term sustainability of science centres across the UK, as well as supporting programmes that remove financial barriers for schools and underprivileged communities, enabling every child to experience hands-on STEM learning.
More than awards or recognition, it is the impact on children, communities and the nation’s future that makes this investment critical.
As a science centre, we have an obligation and a deep-rooted desire to encourage and support people of all generations - but particularly our young people - to embrace STEM and develop skills to drive the UK’s economic and scientific ambitions.
We recently created a STEM Engagement Partner programme for corporate supporters, offering a unique opportunity to engage with and inspire the next generation.
While helping corporate supporters to achieve their own STEM goals, partnership working provides children, communities and the public with a unique, hands-on learning experience which encourages confidence in engaging with STEM subjects.
More funding also allows us to develop additional exhibits and workshops, creating reasons for visitors to come back time and again.
Some of our funding goes towards providing transport so that schools from across the North-east can visit us. It’s also used to host community days for various groups, including children from under-privileged backgrounds, giving them the chance to visit free of charge so that cost isn’t a barrier to access.
With increased funding, we could expand the scope of what we can offer in the way of removing these financial barriers so that our centre is accessible to a greater number of people.
We are passionate ambassadors for the North-east of Scotland, which has a heritage built on energy - but that’s just one part of who and what we are.
Aberdeen has a rich legacy of STEM-related innovation, but with financial support, we can do so much more - particularly in the fields of space, food and drink, health and life sciences - to add to the legacy we are creating for the next generation.
We’re asking for recognition of our strategic role in the UK’s innovation ecosystem. The question is simple: can the UK afford not to invest in the infrastructure that will nurture tomorrow’s scientists, engineers and innovators, or do we risk losing a generation of potential talent?