Edinburgh attraction, Dynamic Earth is about invest in new software technology to create a new educational experience after receiving a cash injection of £80,000.
Visitors are one giant leap closer to observing the Earth from space without ever having to leave their seats, thanks to the donation from the Robertson Trust.
The venue currently houses an interactive, digital 360° cinema, to tell the story of planet Earth through fun and educational films. Now, with the £80k anchor funding combined with that of other donors, Dynamic Earth is officially halfway to investing in Uniview software which will transform its cinema into a fully interactive planetarium and space experience.
John Simpson, chief executive at Dynamic Earth, said: “We’re hugely grateful to The Robertson Trust for its incredibly kind donation as this brings us ever closer to achieving our goals.
“After a really successful year, this funding is the icing on the cake and allows us to continue building for the future by enhancing and growing our visitor and educational experiences for new and diverse audiences.
“The new equipment will offer visitors an amazing experience within our ShowDome and will inspire even more children and families about earth and space sciences with an in-house planetarium and a mobile planetarium to reach families all over Scotland.
“Though this is a major step forward for us towards meeting our fundraising target for the new experience, we are still seeking the second half of the funding, through sponsorship or donation, to make this exciting development a reality.”
Dynamic Earth is a charitable trust that aims to show visitors how Earth works, how life has evolved in its differing environments and the future challenges it faces.
On top of the space activities, regular Dynamic Earth features include a real iceberg, a earthquake simulation and the Deep Time Machine which takes visitors billions of years back in time