National Space Centre (England)

The initial idea of a space centre as a research facility but with public access, attached to the University of Leicester was first conceived in the 1980s – the idea of Professor Alan Wells, the Director of the University of Leicester's Space Research Centre and Professor Ken Pounds of the university. The plan was not taken further due to lack of funds. The Space Centre as a museum was then put forward in 1995 by Professor Alan Wells; Professor Alan Ponter, the University of Leicester's pro vice-chancellor; and Nigel Siesage, the university's principal assistant registrar. Funding for the project came from the Millennium Commission, who provided 50% of the £52 million capital cost, four…

Nicholas Grimshaw, the architects of the Eden Project, won an architectural competition to design the National Space Centre in September 1996 beating four other architects. The structural and services engineer was Arup, the quantity surveyor was Capita Property Services, the project manager was Gardiner and Theobold, management services and main contractor was Sir Robert McAlpine, the landscape architect was Land Use Consultants, the cladding consultant was Montressor Partnership, and the acoustic consultant was Sandy Brown Associates. The tower is tall and claims to be the only place to house upright space rockets indoors.

On 30 June 2001, former NASA astronaut Jeffrey A. Hoffman opened the National Space Centre officially to the general public. In its first five months, the National Space Centre received 165,000 visitors, 25% ahead of its targets and was named Museum of the Year by the Good Britain Guide 2002. At opening, the centre was the base for more than 60 scientists and astronomers working on projects in a Space Science Research Unit (SSRU).