Jodrell Bank visitor centre secures funding

The famous Jodrell Bank Observatory has received £12M Heritage Lottery Fund support for the proposed construction of an exhibition pavilion.

To be built adjacent to the site’s existing Discovery Centre, the new facility will expand Jodrell Bank’s visitor experience with the addition of more space.

A spokesperson for Jodrell Bank said that architectural designs for the new pavilion are still in the early stages, but as with the Discovery Centre, a large open plan structure was needed and so steel-framed building was likely.

Director of the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre Dr Teresa Anderson said: “We are delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund is supporting the project. Jodrell Bank epitomises a can do approach to science and engineering and this funding will allow us to tell the story of all the amazing men and women who created the Observatory from scratch.”

Jodrell Bank is an internationally important place in the heritage of astronomy. It is the only site remaining in the world that shows the whole history of the development of radio astronomy, which culminated in the creation of the Grade-1 listed Lovell Telescope.

Manchester Physicist and Broadcaster Professor Brian Cox said: “This new project will inspire many more young people to carry on our great tradition of science and engineering.”