For almost forty years, we have been committed to ensuring that all children can experience the wonder of science. Here's some of the key moments that have helped to shape Wonderseekers into what it is today.

In the beginning...

In 1986, our Charity was formed with a mission to encourage children, through science, to reach their full potential and make a difference. The ambition of our founding trustees was to increase school age children's interest in science. Our solution...early intervention with hands-on, interactive exhibits to ignite excitement and build interest in science for all children.

A new millennium...

In 2002, with funding from the Millennium Commission, our Charity opened an award-winning science and discovery centre in the beautiful South Downs National Park, a site we still cherish today. Its name was INTECH. A few years later, our Science Centre expanded with the opening of the UK's largest standalone planetarium and, in 2013, INTECH was renamed Winchester Science Centre.

Inspiring science for all...

In 2017, our Charity introduced a new five-year strategy which placed a focus on access and inclusion. We were on a mission to transform our Science Centre into a welcoming space for everyone, particularly for those living with a disability or impairment. After gaining the support from partners and funders who shared our ambition, we set about improving access to our building and programmes. We upgraded our planetarium, introduced subtitled shows and the use of tactile resources to support visitors with visual or hearing impairments. We installed a Changing Places toilet and a recombobulation room, a quiet space for anyone who needs to take a moment to themselves to reset. We worked with acoustic specialists to reduce the noise level inside the building to improve people's learning experiences.

People-led experiences...

As well as the changes to our building, we also made exciting changes to our programming. Our people became our strongest asset, by introducing new live science demonstrations, shows and people-led activities, we made our Science Centre a fun, friendly and exciting experience for children and families who had were less familiar with or confident in science. We introduced more equitable pricing structures, offering an all-inclusive price with up to 60% subsidies for schools with high free school meal eligibility. We also established a community and priority schools outreach programme, dedicated to bringing science to children who may not be able to visit our Centre.

Today and beyond...

In 2022, our Charity went through an exciting rebrand and we introduced the world to Wonderseekers. Since then, we have launched a brand-new strategy For People and Planet 2030 with a mission to create a more equitable world where all children can treasure science and are equipped and empowered to improve lives and protect and heal our planet.

And there's so much more to come...

What an amazing journey we've had so far! We can't wait to see what the next forty years will have in store. Thank you for coming along on this ride with us!

This is an original newspaper article from the Andover Advertiser announcing the opening of the Planetarium . March 2008.