Heaney and Hanafin open children's museum

THE STATE'S first interactive children's museum has been officially opened by poet and Nobel laureate Séamus Heaney and Minister for Education, Mary Hanafin.

Imaginosity, located in the Beacon South Quarter in Sandyford, Co Dublin, has been open since last September, during which time almost 70,000 children and their parents have passed through its doors. The centre is run by a registered charity in an eco-friendly building on stilts, which has been provided by developers Landmark Developments at a peppercorn rent.

Funded by ticket admissions and fundraising from the private sector, it has raised €3.5 million in donations so far and aims to raise another €3 million.

Ms Hanafin told the launch that the centre provided a wonderful opportunity for young children to explore the world, to communicate ideas in an exciting way and to develop their curiosity and imagination through a playful experience.

Its work would complement the creative approach taken by schools, she said. Mr Heaney, who read his poem The Railway Children at the launch, declared the new venture a "triumph".

Orla Kennedy, director of Imaginosity, said while many parents spent time bringing children to dance classes and football games, the value of unstructured play should not be underestimated.

"Research has proved that play is essential for a child's development and learning, as it helps children explore the world around them, learn about their bodies, test their early skills, communicate decisions and develop their sense of confidence and imagination," Ms Kennedy said.

Built around a three-storey climbing structure, the centre includes a children's town centre with a supermarket, post office, bank and library, as well as a working theatre, television studio and construction company. The centre's facilities are aimed at children under ten years old.

Separate plans to create a science museum for children near Heuston Station in Dublin have yet to come to fruition. The organisers of Exploration Station, billed as Ireland's national centre for science and discovery, say they hope it to be up and running by 2011.