The INSPIRE Discovery Centre

The INSPIRE Discovery Centre is located in Norfolk County, England and its main function is to promote the love of science for all ages by providing everyone hands on exhibits and fun related activities.  There are over 40 hands on experiments and activities available and the staff at INSPIRE work with the schools and research institutes to cover specific themes, distribute the National Curriculum science packages to the schools, produce the Science Squad videos, and provide access to everyone including disabled members of the community.  They are part of the Science Projects Federation, an educational charity.
Part of the Science Projects program in the United Kingdom, INSPIRE’s Discovery Dome made the name a household one.  The Discovery Dome is a travelling science centre providing hands on exhibits for other science centres and schools.  It did so well that the idea of permanent science centres was developed and in 1995, INSPIRE was built in Norwich and in Herstmonceux, Sussex.  Both are run by the Science Projects and there are plans for at least three more centres to be built in the United Kingdom.
INSPIRE finds its home in Norwich in the medieval church of St. Michael’s Coslany.  Part of the Norwich Historic Churches Trust, it has previously been a martial arts centre and was formerly part of the Royal Observatory.  Most of the churches 1500s construction and 1800s restoration work has been maintained in the building to preserve the original architecture while giving the building a new lease of life.  The centre is open to the public and visitors can not only enjoy the science exhibits, but also the former churches memorials and architecture.