In the first of four funding rounds by ReDiscover - the renewal fund for UK science centres and museums - nine centres around the country have benefited from awards totalling £3.8m.

The £33m ReDiscover fund is a joint venture between the Millennium Commission, the Wellcome Trust and the Wolfson Foundation and was set up to help science museums and science centres "renew, replace, refresh or redevelop high quality science, education and technology exhibitions to keep up with advances in science and technology and remain at the cutting edge."Grants ranging in size from £119,963 to £927,000 were awarded to Techniquest, Cardiff: At-Bristol; the Discovery Museum, Newcastle; Glasgow Science Centre; The Manchester Museum of Science and Industry; The Ulster Folk and Transport Museum; The Look Out Discovery Centre, Bracknell; the Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, Glasgow and the Scottish Seabird Centre, North Berwick.

A further three rounds of funding will take place over the next two years. Details: www.wellcome.ac.uk/rediscover