Work on the new National Interactive Science Centre – Esplora – is proceeding on schedule ahead of its planned opening in December.

Malta Council for Science and Technology chairman Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando said the centre would aim to instil the joy of science in a new generation of young people.

Speaking during an site visit by Research Parliamentary Secretary Chris Agius, Dr Pullicino Orlando said the works included the restoration of vast sections of the former Royal Navy hospital within the Villa Bighi Complex in Kalkara, parts of which had lain in ruins since World War II.

Spread over 22,000 square metres, Esplora will feature indoor and outdoor exhibition spaces and interactive expositions celebrating and showcasing science and technology.

The success of this project hinges on the engagement it creates among those who visit

The main attraction will be a purpose-built planetarium housed in a 10.7-metre dome.

The science centre will form part of a global network of 3,000 similar institutions.

Dr Pullicino Orlando said the €26 million project, financed in part by the European Regional Development Fund, would help to increase the uptake of science subjects at young ages.

He said that, as more opportunities were created in the field, it was important for the country to ensure there were enough young people with the skills and training necessary to take advantage of them.

“The success of this project hinges on the engagement it creates among those who visit,” he added.

Mr Agius said that the project would also restore dignity to a historic area of the island that had long called out for regeneration.

Society was often unaware of the vital work being done by university researchers and the project was a step towards bringing that work closer to the public, he added.