Save Cape Town’s science centre

Prominent leaders of the international science centre community have rallied behind the Cape Town Science Centre, urging potential donors in an open letter to ensure the centre is not compelled to close.

“It has come to our attention that the survival of the Cape Town Science Centre… is in peril,” they write.

“We wish to express our strong support for the re-establishment of this science centre, which achieved great success previously as the MTN ScienCentre.”

The letter is signed by the chief executive of the Ontario Science Centre in Canada, the director of the Heureka Science Centre in Finland, the director of the Exploratorio Science Centre in Argentina, the chief executive of the US Association of Science Technology Centres, and other leaders in Europe, the US, Asia and Central America.

The centre needs more than R30 million by the end of next month, when a decision is to be made about its future.

The Cape Argus has thrown its weight behind the centre’s campaign to stay open, and as part of its LeadSA campaign is asking the public and corporates to consider supporting the centre.

The city is to provide some grant-in-aid funding, but the centre will need at least R21m to refurbish its new premises near Groote Schuur Hospital, and a commitment of about R7m in annual operating costs for the next two years.

If funding is received in time, the centre will begin working on the first phase of development.

If funding is not secured in time, Cape Town will have the embarrassing distinction of being host to the 6th Science Centre World Congress in September while having lost its science centre.

For more information about the science centre and how you can help, call 083 276 9501.