Rotherham MP gets ‘in her element’ to unveil latest Magna milestone

Sarah Champion MP was guest of honour to officially open the Magna Science Adventure Centre’s newly refurbished Earth Pavilion, which is ready to welcome its first visitors.

The newly upgraded Earth Pavilion, one of four element-themed areas within the popular tourist attraction, will give youngsters the chance to journey deep underground where they will be able to discover dinosaur relics, navigate their way through hot lava beds and even try their hand at playing ‘rock music’.

Designed to combine state-of-the-art technology with immersive interactive play that places an emphasis on fun, new additions to the Earth Pavilion will give youngsters the chance to terraform their own worlds using sand, as well as search for hidden gems, whilst some of the most popular features of the pavilion, including JCB diggers, rock sorters and an exploding quarry face have also been given a makeover.

And with daily events will take place throughout the summer holiday, including live performances, the chance to see a real forge at work, as well as the chance to soak up the summer sun in one of the region’s largest outdoor water parks and outdoor play areas, Rotherham’s member of Parliament believes there are lots of reasons to visit Magna this summer.

The opening of the upgraded pavilion marks the completion of the latest phase in a £1.9m upgrade of the popular attraction, match-funded through the Government’s Levelling Up Fund.

Since securing financial support from the Levelling Up Fund, Magna has completed the upgrading of its Air Pavilion, giving visitors the chance to fly through the skies on pedal powered airships, pump-powered rockets as well as harnessing wind to power turbines.

Behind the scenes, Magna has also improved accessibility within the attraction with the addition of a new dedicated changing places facility, upgrades to the attraction’s iconic red hall have seen over 600 fluorescent tubes replaced with colourful low energy alternatives, whilst outside, more than 350 m2 of recycled plastic has been repurposed to upgrade the safety flooring within its popular outdoor adventure playground, SciTek.

Sarah Champion MP said: “Magna is one of Rotherham’s most popular tourist destinations and has been family favourite for many years. It is also an important reminder of our industrial heritage and the power of nature. It is a truly unique place and one which is enjoyed by thousands across Rotherham, South Yorkshire and beyond every year. The launch of the new Earth Pavilion is yet another reason to visit Magna this summer.

The works undertaken at Magna will help to inspire and nurture the hopes and dreams of the next generation, whilst also providing a much-needed boost to the town’s leisure and tourism offer, which will ultimately contribute towards driving economic growth and job creation.”

Kevin Tomlinson, Chief Executive, Magna Science Adventure Centre, said: “The launch of our new Earth Pavilion marks a significant milestone in the extensive renovation works that has been undertaken at Magna as a result of the support we’ve received through the Levelling Up Fund. We have introduced new displays that combine immersive, interactive play alongside some truly unique and innovative exhibits, which can be enjoyed by children of all ages.

Alongside our newly revamped Earth Pavilion, the upgrades we have made to our outdoor play areas and the Air Pavilion means that whether it’s a summer scorcher or rainy day, there is lots to see and explore at Magna this summer, and our annual pass means that children and parents can enjoy a different adventure every day.”

Throughout the summer, Magna will host family-friendly craft workshops and shows, with different themed activities taking place each week throughout the season. The centre will also give visitors the chance to earn special prizes by exploring and completing its special dinosaur trail, and for younger children, Magna’s soft play and STEM learning zone features lots of exciting activities to learn through play including sensory exploration and logical thinking activities.

Drawing on the rich industrial heritage associated with one of the largest steel manufacturing facilities in the world, daily demonstrations hosted by a real blacksmith will take place every day and guided tours delivered by our ‘men of steel’ heritage experts.