Business brains aid children’s museum

Peter Smart, who has recently retired from Walker Morris, has been appointed chairman of trustees at Eureka, the National Children’s Museum in Halifax, just five months ahead of the opening of its new £2.9m Me and My Body gallery which has been lead-funded by health foundation The Wellcome Trust.

The Halifax visitor attraction has also appointed Kirsty Ward, head of Asda Money, as a trustee.

Eureka chief executive Leigh-Anne Stradeski said: “We’re delighted to have Peter as our new chairman, especially as he joins us in the all-important run up to the opening of our new gallery in March 2013.

“His experience leading one of the most successful regionally-based law firms to its status as a nationally recognised legal practice gives us an impressive wealth of commercial knowledge and expertise to tap in to.

“I’m also really pleased to have Kirsty Ward on board...her understanding of consumer audiences has such a strong resonance with some of the important themes we want to explore with children, families and schools around health and well-being.”

Eureka is preparing to carry out a £2.9m transformation of the Me and My Body exhibit to bring it into the 21st century. Building work on the new exhibit is expected to start in November with it being launched in spring next year.

The new gallery will follow a similar format to the existing one as children are able to move around the exhibit learning how their body works and how it will change.

Existing features such as a skeleton bike which allows children to see how their bones work and a large human mouth will remain but there will also be new features to make the attraction more up-to-date.

This not only means updated technology but focusing on major issues surrounding young people’s health such as childhood obesity and smoking.