First look around Merseyside's amazing new visitor attraction

The eagerly awaited multi-million-pound visitor attraction is based next to Seacombe Ferry Terminal and features a range of "exciting and interactive exhibits" split over two floors.

Co-created with more than 200 local children and young people from Wirral and the wider Liverpool City Region, regional industry experts and the team from Eureka!, the Science + Discovery centre will help kids up to the age of 14 to explore STEAM (Science, Technology, Education, Arts and Mathematics) subjects and uncover new and exciting career aspirations.

The 'Bodies' section of Eureka! Science Discovery Centre (Image: Rebecca McGrath)

I took a trip to the brand-new attraction yesterday afternoon this week to explore what Eureka! has to offer.

Upon entering the attraction, I was instantly greeted by an array of colour in the form of neon lights and LED screens posing the question “who am I?”.

Eureka! Science Discovery Centre (Image: Rebecca McGrath)

All five senses could be used on the first floor which focuses on the human body and how we are made.

Numerous educational activities involving touch, hearing, sight, smell, and taste were available to get involved with including a giant digestive system.

Interactive digestive system (Image: Rebecca McGrath)

All five senses can be used at Eureka! Science Discovery Centre (Image: Rebecca McGrath)

Perspex screens were also dotted around with information about the human body while the fanfare of “germ buster” pinball machines could be heard from every corner of the room.

Germ busters pinball machines (Image: Rebecca McGrath)

Venturing up onto the second floor I was greeted by arguably the star of the attraction - the enormous 12-foot cat which was officially named Luna following a public vote by Wirral residents.

Visitors to the attraction can enter Luna’s stomach and find out all kinds of feline facts like why cats meow and see if they can catch quicker than a cat.

Can you catch quicker than a cat? (Image: Rebecca McGrath)

This floor also features interactive information on everyday household items and activities such as how are houses built, how bathrooms work and what happens when you put bread in the toaster or boil the kettle.

Giant kettle at Eureka! Science Discovery Centre (Image: Rebecca McGrath)

On my walk around the centre, I was greeted by a giant kettle, toaster, and colourful pipe work where I could become my own bathroom DJ.

Giant toaster at Eureka! Science Discovery Centre (Image: Rebecca McGrath)

Bathroom DJ (Image: Rebecca McGrath)

After my musical experiment, I then went on to design my own toothpaste on the interactive boards available next to a huge mouth sculpture. While designing I was able to learn about what goes into making toothpaste.

Design your own toothpaste section (Image: Rebecca McGrath)

I was then greeted by the workshop section of the attraction where visitors are greeted by bikes, watering cans and a whole host of outdoor items suspended from the ceiling as you learn about the planet, and environment while being able to get hands-on with an interactive wind turbine exhibit and enjoy exploring a 30-foot-tall climbing tree.

Learn about wind turbines at Eureka! Science Discovery Centre (Image: Rebecca McGrath)

After my walk-through of the new visitor attraction, I was able to speak with Leigh-Anne Stradeski, Chief Executive Officer, Eureka!.

30ft climbing tree (Image: Rebecca McGrath)

She said: “It’s absolutely fabulous being here. It’s exceeded all my expectations. We have had such a fantastic response from the community and are ready to launch what is going to be an amazing science and discovery centre for Wirral and the Liverpool City Region.

“We’ve already had so many people sign up for tickets, so I think we are going to have enormous demand and I’m sure it’s going to be very well received.

Interactive turbine exhibit (Image: Rebecca McGrath)

“It’s so much a part of the community and the transformation that’s going to take place and because the children and young people from the local surrounding areas have co-created this with us so it’s very much that sense of local community ownership that I think everyone will be very excited about.

“Co-creation was at the heart of what we’ve created here and we knew, in order to be relevant and topical and make sure the children and young people will love it as much as they do, we needed to go to them and get their thoughts and ideas and cater for their needs.”

Eureka! Science + Discovery Centre will open on Friday, November 11. To find out more visit: https://www.eurekadiscovery.org.uk/.