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MUSEUMS & ATTRACTIONS

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4D experience for Our Dynamic Earth

Scotland's first permanent 4D attraction explores the history of the planet earth

By Tom Walker

Our Dynamic Earth in Edin- burgh, Scotland, has invested £700,000 in creating a permanent 4D experience. The theatre will be an

addition to the existing Journey of Contrasts gallery and will take guests on a journey from the arctic tundra to the tropical rainforests. Supplied in partnership with

Global Immersion and NSC Creative, the new theatre will incorporate a number of effects including audio, special lighting, seat movements, snow, wind and olfactory stimuli in order to engage viewers in the 4D experience. Douglas Walker, Our

Dynamic Earth's commercial director, said: "This latest investment proves that there is always something new at Dynamic Earth." He added that

Barry Island fun park reopens

A pleasure park in Barry Island, South Wales, has reopened under new management. Barry Island Pleasure Park

– which it is hoped will benefit from being featured in the BBC

sitcom, Gavin and Stacey – has

been leased to Studt Funfairs for one season. Company director Vernon

Studt, has run the dodgems at the park for three years, but has also operated other sites, such as Groveland Adventure Park in Pembrokeshire in 2005. Studt has installed new rides,

including a junior rollercoaster, and has closed others, such as the log flume and Evolution rides, at the 4.6-acre site. Studt estimates that the park will be fully operational by July.

© Cybertrek 2010

Edinburgh's £39m Our Dynamic Earth attraction opened in 1999

the new attraction will be utilised in efforts to increase the number of corporate events held at the site each year. Work on the new facility was

completed in time for the attraction to launch during the Easter holidays. During the construction of

the theatre, the existing gallery was closed to allow the area to be completely revamped.

Catriona Cardie, marketing

director of Our Dynamic Earth, added: "I am confident that this is our most exciting investment to date. "3D film is very topical right

now but we have taken that a stage further by producing a completely immersive experi- ence, which is even more lifelike and also has some startling moments."

New museum unveiled in Wigan

By Pete Hayman

A new museum has opened in Wigan, Greater Manchester, following the completion of a £1.9m scheme to revamp the town's former History Shop. Manchester-based restoration

company William Anelay was chosen to deliver the new Museum of Wigan Life, which was designed by architects Bradshaw, Gass and Hope. The project – awarded

£500,000 by the Heritage Lottery Fund, included external improvements, the refurbish- ment of the first floor local and family study area and a new entrance ramp. A new Wigan exhibition,

reception and shop have been created on the ground floor,

The new museum replaces the town's former History Shop

while a purpose-built learning space and meeting room and an area for temporary exhibi- tions are also included. The Museum of Wigan Life

project is also funding initiatives that will enable learning and outreach for heritage services, while around 5,000 images from Wigan and Leigh's history will be digitised.

IN BRIEF

Hartlepool set for giant wheel attraction

A new 130ft (39.6m) big wheel

attraction is set to open in Hartlepool this summer as part of celebrations designed to coincide with the 2010 Tall Ships Races. The wheel – one of the largest of its kind in the UK – will be sited at the Town Moor Fair on the Headland, which is due to run between 29 July and 10 August. Fair operator John Murphy said: "The Giant Wheel is a huge attraction and there is no doubt that it will enhance the experience for the many visitors we are expecting this summer."

New butterfly exhibit opens at NHM

The Natural History Museum (NHM) has unveiled its new Butterfly Explorers exhibition this week. The exhibit, which will run between 8 April and 26 September, is located on the museum's east lawn and features a butterfly house filled with hundreds of live butterflies in four different habitat zones (South America, North America, Asia and Africa), with two hatchery windows to observe pupae and emerging butterflies, as well as an outdoor garden with tips on how to attract butterflies at home, a maze and a treehouse. It also features a series of interactive activities throughout and a gift shop.

New visitor attraction opens in Tameside

Waterworks – the latest

addition to Tameside Council's museum and galleries portfolio – has been officially opened in Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire. The attraction, which will be an add-on to Setantii – tales of Tameside at Ashton Town Hall, examines the developments that helped shape the future of water sanitisation, including the Longdendale reservoirs.

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