Dynamic Earth (Edinburgh) facts for kids
 |
|
 |
|
| Former name | Our Dynamic Earth |
|---|---|
| Established | 1999 |
| Location | Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Type | Science Centre |
| Architect | Hopkins Architects |
| Owner | The Dynamic Earth Charitable Trust |
Dynamic Earth is a cool place in Edinburgh, Scotland. It's a science center and visitor attraction that teaches you all about our planet. It's known for being Scotland's biggest interactive visitor attraction. This means you get to touch, explore, and learn in a fun way!
Dynamic Earth is located in Holyrood. It's right next to the Scottish Parliament building. You can also see it at the foot of Salisbury Crags. It's run by a special group called The Dynamic Earth Charitable Trust. This means it's a charity, and its main goal is to educate people, not to make money. Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the center in 1999.
The idea for Dynamic Earth came from the work of James Hutton. He was a Scottish geologist who lived in Edinburgh a long time ago. He helped us understand how the Earth changes over time. The center wants to be a fun place to learn and play. It tells the story of our planet, from how it was made to how it keeps changing. It also looks at what might happen in the future.
Contents
How Dynamic Earth Started
The Dynamic Earth project got money from a few important groups. These included the Millennium Commission and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The Scottish Government also helped out. This money was part of a plan to make old industrial land in Holyrood new again.
The land where Dynamic Earth now stands used to be a gas-works. It was also part of an old brewery. A brewing company called Scottish & Newcastle gave the land for public use in 1988. The brewery moved out in the mid-1990s.
Building the Attraction
It cost about £34 million to design and build Dynamic Earth. This was part of a bigger plan to improve the whole area. Dynamic Earth was the first big attraction funded by the Millennium Commission to open in the United Kingdom.
Other cool places funded by the Millennium Commission include the Glasgow Science Centre. The Falkirk Wheel and the Millennium Dome in London also got money. Dynamic Earth was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1999.
The Building's Design
The building of Dynamic Earth looks very unique. It has a steel frame covered by a special fabric roof. The architects who designed it were Michael Hopkins and Partners. They even kept an old wall from the original brewery on the site.
The design of the building shows how nature and human-made things can work together. It has three main parts:
- A fabric roof that covers a two-story exhibition area. This is where you'll find many of the exhibits.
- A large entrance area that feels like you're outside, even though you're inside.
- An amphitheatre at the front. This is an outdoor space used for events and meeting points.
What You Can Explore
Dynamic Earth is designed to be a very exciting place to visit. It has lots of hands-on activities. You can really get involved and learn by doing.
Some of the cool things you can see and do there include:
- An iceberg experience, where you can feel how cold it is.
- An earthquake experience that shakes like a real earthquake.
- The Deep Time Machine, which takes you on a journey. You travel through time to see how the Earth was created. This uses multimedia and special 4D effects.
The center also has a digital 360° Planetarium. This is a special dome where you can watch amazing shows about space. It makes you feel like you're flying through the stars! The Planetarium helps teach kids and families about Earth and space.
See also
- Glasgow Science Centre - Another science center in Glasgow, Scotland.
- Aberdeen Science Centre - A science center located in Aberdeen, Scotland.
- Dundee Science Centre - A science center found in Dundee, Scotland.
