大象传媒 Scotland - 大象传媒 Scotland - You might be surprised how Irvine鈥檚 abandoned science centre looks 14 years after closing

You might be surprised how Irvine鈥檚 abandoned science centre looks 14 years after closing

28 June 2017 | Part of the series

The Big Idea in Irvine had big aspirations – and cost millions of pounds of public money to get up and running. after only three years of operation. went to find out how it looks now.

The abandoned science centre in North Ayrshire

Take a look around The Big Idea.

To reach the centre visitors crossed the River Irvine on .

Part of the bridge could retract to let tall ships pass through and was .

The centre sits on the site of an explosives factory on the Ardeer Peninsular.

to help it blend in with its natural surroundings and even features a turf-covered roof.

The Big Idea was intended to be a 聬‘living laboratory for people who wish to think, to dream, to discover, to innovate and to invent’.

Yet after spending £14 million to get it up and running in 2000, the Big Idea closed its doors to the public by 2003 after visitor numbers fell to 50,000 — .

The lack of visitors at the Big Idea was blamed in part on the opening of , ‘The death warrant came around the first day they gave a grant to the science centre in Glasgow. People aren’t going to come by the science centre in Glasgow to look at a similar facility in Irvine’.

Some parts of the building are so well-preserved it appears as if staff and visitors have left just left a few hours before, rather than 13 years ago.

It’s hoped that the building could be reopened in some form as part of a .