Linda Conlon, director of the Centre for Life in Newcastle and chair of Ecsite-uk, a network of 75 UK science centres, is leading a British Council delegation invited to China to advise its science industry on how best to set up science centres.

The Centre for Life will be presented as an ideal model owing to its wide appeal to families, children and adults as well as its financial viability.

In addition to its permanent exhibition, the centre hosts lectures, debates, consultation exercises, an annual science festival, laboratory workshops for schools, outreach to disadvantaged communities and professional development for teachers.

The centre is also self-sustaining as a result of cross-subsidises from more profitable activities on-site, including a bio-science centre for commercial enterprise, a conference and banqueting business, a nightclub and pubs.

Conlon will hold a series of lectures and seminars on financial sustainability and meeting visitor needs in China to help the country reach its aim of launching science centres nationwide.

Conlon said: “There are plans to have at least one fully functioning science centre or museum in every large or medium-sized city in China. The Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology is keen for them to be self-funding and it is therefore encouraging officials to learn from successful examples in the UK.