Science museum reopens two years on from fire

Bryony Roberts, from We The Curious, said the team was "buzzing" over the reopening

A science attraction has reopened, more than two years after a fire broke out on the roof of the building.

In April 2022, birds damaged a solar panel on the roof of We The Curious, triggering an electrical fault and subsequent fire.

The museum, based in Bristol's Millennium Square, had hoped to reopen earlier this year but was unable to due to supply chain delays.

Bryony Roberts, content director, said the We The Curious team is "buzzing" to welcome visitors back to the museum like "a big warm hug".

The fire, in the roof solar panels (right), significantly damaged the building

.... and work has been under way to repair the building ever since

Speaking to BBC Radio Bristol, Ms Roberts said: "I can't even explain how excited we are.

"We just want to get the doors open, get our visitors in and have that brilliant We The Curious experience again."

During the closure, Ms Roberts said the team felt "so supported" by "the brilliant people out there in Bristol".

"We've got some lovely new surprises in there for people to come in and enjoy but also lots of the old favourites have been zhuzhed up," she added.

Donna Speed, We The Curious chief executive, said the teams had "so hard in the background" to reopen the site

Donna Speed, We The Curious chief executive, said when she got the call about the fire two years ago she could see the "plumes of black smoke" from her house.

She added the water used to extinguish the fire had "cascaded" through the building leading to the lengthy job to repair it.

But now, she said, it "feels fantastic" to reopen and for people to be back in the building.

"It's really moving. The teams have worked so hard in the background," she said.

"All the work that's gone in to bring it back is incredible," she added.