Plans for a new science centre to be built in Abu Dhabi have been revealed by the country’s Technology Development Committee (TDC), offering more than 200 interactive exhibits in an effort to get more young children interested in science.

Opening in 2016, the state-of-the-art facility – located in Masdar City adjacent to Abu Dhabi International Airport – features a planetarium, water play area and seven signature galleries for exhibitions as well as teaching spaces.

ADSC will serve as both a local project for education, as well as a major attraction for the people of the UAE and visitors worldwide. Targeted for youth aged 6-11, the centre is expected to attract more than 200,000 visitors on an annual basis, with building set to start later this year.

Costs for the creation of the two-storey, 6,500sq m (70,000sq ft), Abu Dhabi Science Centre have not yet been revealed. The centre is part of plans by the Abu Dhabi Technology Development Committee (TDC) to “establish a vibrant Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) base in the Emirate" and is also a strategic initiative aimed at inspiring the youth generation towards STI education and careers down the line.

“It will be a full experience,” said Dr Linda Silver, associate director of content, science and technology at the TDC. “We are going to have outdoor exhibitions, so large-scale exhibitions like water play, things that reflect the sun and play with the wind.

“The whole idea is to activate the building so, as kids are walking in, they get a sense of what’s inside the science centre and it starts your experience before you even enter.”