Today we’re celebrating an incredible milestone: 40 years of inspiring children through science.
For four decades, Wonderseekers has believed in the power of science to help children live healthier, more sustainable lives and to equip them to contribute to a better world for all. From a bold idea to grow the number of scientists in the region, to opening a science centre in a school canteen, to a nationally recognised purpose-built Science Centre in 2002, our journey has always been driven by curiosity, ambition and a deep belief in what children can achieve.
1986: A Spark Is Lit
Our story begins in 1986, when Hampshire Technology Centre Trust was founded. At the time, trustees were determined to reverse a growing shortage of scientists and engineers across Hampshire. They focused their work on schools and communities that needed the most support, believing that access to engaging science education could change futures.
That determination soon became reality. The charity evolved into INTECH and opened a small science centre in a redundant school canteen in Winchester. It wasn’t a grand space, but the ambition behind it was huge.
2002: A Proper Home on the South Downs
As demand grew, so did our vision. Thanks to Millennium funding, a brand‑new science centre was built at Morn Hill, overlooking the South Downs. On 28 October 2002, HRH Prince Philip officially opened the doors, creating a dedicated home for hands‑on science learning and enabling communities across the South to engage with science in exciting new ways.
2008: Lifting Our Eyes to the Stars
In 2008, we reached for the stars with the opening of the UK’s largest standalone planetarium. Built with 176 seats and a 16.5‑metre dome, the planetarium allows visitors to hurtle through the universe, explore distant planets and see the night sky like never before.
2013: A Name That Fits
As our role and reach became clearer, we renamed our centre Winchester Science Centre a name that better reflected who we were and what we offered to families, schools and communities.
2018–2021: Access, Inclusion and Taking Science Further
From 2018 onwards, accessibility and inclusion became central to our work. Explorer:Space launched, we introduced subsidised school trip pricing, and our outreach programmes expanded, taking science to children who couldn’t always come to us. Our Young Steering Group was formed to ensure our activities stay fun, inclusive, immersive, interactive, and accessible.
In 2019, the planetarium was upgraded with subtitled shows and tactile resources, and seating was adjusted to create space for 8 wheelchair users. A Changing Places accessible toilet was installed on site. In 2020, the immersive Sound Exhibition opened alongside the recombobulation room, a sensory reset space. When lockdown hit, Science at Home launched; a way to reach people beyond our walls.
BSL days and sensory maps followed in 2021, helping d/Deaf and neurodiverse families feel welcome, supported and prepared.
2022: Hello, Wonderseekers
In 2022, we became Wonderseekers; a name that puts children, not buildings, at the heart of everything we do. The wonder of science is what we seek to share, wherever children are.
2023–2026: Children, Planet and the Future
Our For People and Planet 2030 strategy launched in 2023, written with children, not just for them. That same year, our Young Steering Group won a national Marsh Volunteer Youth Prize, so impressive that judges created a brand‑new award on the spot.
We also began a major sustainability journey: removing single‑use plastics, introducing compostable cups and improving waste systems across our site.
In 2025, the Conservation with Children project saw ten young people work as ecologists on site, uncovering rare orchids, priority bird species, dormouse habitats and 339 fungal species; findings now shaping a new nature reserve. The Nature Hide opened later that year, bringing their discoveries to over 100,000 visitors annually.
And in 2026, Wonderseekers took a major step forward in sustainability by eliminating fossil fuel heating on site. Our decades‑old oil system was replaced with air source heat pumps, reducing direct emissions by 98%.
Our Impact Today
Over the last 40 years, we have engaged more than 3 million children and adults in the wonder of science, nature and our place on Earth.
Last year alone, Wonderseekers reached over 57,000 people through education, community and outreach programmes, and welcomed a further 140,000 public visitors and event bookers to Winchester Science Centre.
None of this would be possible without our fabulous, science‑obsessed team, whose passion and creativity power everything we do.
As we celebrate our 40th birthday on 28 April, we’re proud of how far we’ve come and excited for what’s next. With children at the centre and science as our guide, the next chapter of Wonderseekers is just beginning.
Explore our history in our timeline: here.
