25 years: astronaut Tim Peake celebrates National Lottery funding for world of science

25 years: astronaut Tim Peake celebrates National Lottery funding for world of science

Time Peake next to the rocket that took him to space
Major Tim Peake reveals ten top scientific attractions in the UK to celebrate The National Lottery’s 25th Birthday - and the £596million it was awarded to science museums and science and education projects.

"It’s absolutely wonderful that The National Lottery has helped make these experiences possible, which will continue to open the eyes and minds of this generation and the ones to come.” 

Major Tim Peake

Ten top scientific attractions - in no particular order!

Science Museum, London

Adult and child looking at display
Opening the eyes and minds of generations to come. Credit: Science Museum Group

 

The home of a world-class collection of scientific, technological and medical advancements has benefited from nearly £34m of National Lottery funding over the past 25 years.

Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, Cheshire

Jodrell Bank at sunset
The striking Jodrell Bank. Credit: Ant Holloway

 

With one of the most powerful radio telescopes in the world, Jodrell Bank offers visitors the opportunity to explore the wonders of the universe. The National Lottery-funded First Light Project will reveal some incredible stories and feats of engineering in a new gallery and interpretation space opening in 2021.

Eden Project, Cornwall

Eden project made to look like National Lottery balls
The Eden Project celebrates 25 years of The National Lottery

 

The Eden Project’s massive biomes house the largest rainforest in captivity and year-round events, exhibitions and concerts. It would not have been possible without £56m from The National Lottery.

Glasgow Science Centre

MAn stands in front of Science Centre with a large Lottery ball showing number 25
Glasgow Science Centre receives a flamboyant visitor in 2019

 

Hundreds of interactive exhibits bring science and technology to life at one of Scotland’s most popular attractions, which opened thanks to £36m from The National Lottery.

Museum of Zoology, Cambridge

A collection of hundreds of beetles
"Forms most beautiful and most wonderful" - Charles Darwin

 

Giant ground sloths and a box of beetles collected by Charles Darwin himself are just some of the fascinating specimens at the museum. It reopened in 2018 following a major redevelopment supported by £2m from The National Lottery.

Royal Navy Submarine Museum, Portsmouth

Family inside a submarine
In the engine room of submarine HMS Alliance

 

The Royal Navy Submarine Museum, part of the National Museum of the Royal Navy, charts the development of submarines from the time of Alexander the Great to the present day. Visitors can board HMS Alliance, the only remaining Second World War-era submarine, which was restored with £6.4m of National Lottery funding.

Stargazing with Revitalising Redesdale, Northumberland

In the wild heart of Northumberland, and one of the most peaceful parts of England, Redesdale is a perfect place for stargazing and learning about the natural world. National Lottery-funded project Revitalising Redesdale is working with communities to explore and protect the landscape for future generations.

W5 Science & Discovery Centre, Belfast

Robots and live science plus more than 250 interactive exhibits can be explored at the centre which was created thanks to £45m from The National Lottery.

Oxford University Museum of Natural History

Close up of butterfly
Callimorpha (scarlet tiger moth). Credit: Oxford University Museum of Natural History

 

Home to seven million objects, including the world’s first scientifically described dinosaur and the only soft tissue remains of the extinct dodo, the museum’s latest National Lottery funding will safeguard its collection of one million insects.

National Museum Cardiff

Crowds moving around Dippy
Dippy on tour

 

Housing world-class art, natural history and geology collections, National Museum Cardiff has benefited from major National Lottery support over the past 25 years. The museum is also Dippy the Diplodocus’ current stop on his National Lottery-funded tour!

Funding for science and education  

Major Tim Peake said: “The National Lottery has played a significant part in furthering science and education over the past 25 years and this can be seen in abundance through these attractions.

"The Science Museum, for instance, which has been funded by The National Lottery, is visited by over 3.3m people a year who flock to see remarkable objects like The Apollo 10 command module – a truly inspiring exhibit."

Tim Peake stands outside Apollo 10
Major Tim Peake with the Apollo 10 command module. Credit: Science Museum Group

 

“Jodrell Bank is also particularly special to me, since the inspiration for my career path was born by simply looking up to the stars and being intensely curious about what the universe was all about. Jodrell gives us that innate connection to our origins and how we came to be here." 

"No matter what your age, every one of these experiences provide an amazing opportunity to educate and inspire – two things which are integral to being human. It’s absolutely wonderful that The National Lottery has helped make these experiences possible, which will continue to open the eyes and minds of this generation and the ones to come.” 

#ThanksToYou

From free entry to insect kits, many of the sites are thanking National Lottery players with some exciting offers until Sunday 1 December. Find your nearest offer.

25 years of funding for heritage

Over the past 25 years, The National Lottery Heritage Fund has been the largest dedicated grant funder of the UK’s heritage. We’ve awarded £8billion to more than 44,000 projects across the UK.

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