Eureka! Science + Discovery
Eureka! Science + Discovery opened its doors on the banks of the river Mersey to ignite passion and curiosity in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Maths) amongst children, schools and families, and called on JSJ UK to design, manufacture and install a tactile and eye-catching bespoke joinery fit-out that would inspire future generations of engineers and scientists.
The project encompassed an impressive pentagonal desk which would sit at the building’s main reception and welcome visitors to the museum – setting the tone for the attraction’s hundreds of iconic, innovative and interactive exhibits that Eureka! is renowned for.
A second part of the brief comprised a separate reception area which Merseytravel – housed adjacent to the Eureka! building – would use. This zone would also act as the first point of arrival and deliver an exceptional greeting to thousands of visitors each month to the city by ferry.
Our experts were also tasked with creating Eureka!’s gift shop, fabricating a must-enter merchandise space that delivers the same sense of magic housed throughout the £11.4m visitor attraction.
Working to architectural drawings, our team designed the main reception’s c.5.1m by 5.1m desk, part-built in our Preston-based workshop and installed on-site. Nicknamed ‘The 50p’, the pentagonal desk is made from birch plywood and its surface is etched with bespoke lettering and the iconic Eureka! logo. The heavy-duty surface includes a hinged gate flap to allow easy access for staff and its clear lacquer delivers an ultra-smooth finish with water and abrasion-resistant properties. Fixtures throughout the build include large steel key clamps to create a clean, open, industrial aesthetic.
The design and installation of Merseytravel’s reception area required careful collaboration with partner contractors, as roller shutters would be pulled to desk height during closing hours. Our on-site delivery team managed the end-to-end logistical and technical elements, ensuring an attractive, eye-catching finish and seamless build process.
Tudor Gwynn, operations and projects director at Eureka! Science + Discovery, said: “No problem was too big for JSJ UK. Our brief called for ambition, and their team found a way to make it happen. They were proactive and determined, with excellent ideas of their own and the capability to deliver exactly the look and feel we had hoped for. They were professional throughout, and we’re thrilled with the quality standard of the end result.”
It was an absolute pleasure to be part of the project team delivering one of Liverpool city region’s latest attractions, which is expected to draw in crowds of more than 180,000 visitors each year. The expertly managed project, designed and fabricated in-house at JSJ UK and installed on-site, was swift and seamless, ultimately creating a tactile, welcoming and engaging space perfectly suited to the much-loved and instantly recognisable Eureka! brand.
