Science museum to open climate change exhibit

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Professor Chris Rapley will mastermind the show, which aims to deliver real evidence on how climate change is affecting the Earth.

Having witnessed its effects during his time on the British Antarctic Survey, he said he wanted to let people see for themselves what global warming could do to the planet.

The exhibition will not open until 2009 and details are still to be put together, but it is part of Professor Rapley's aim to create a museum of the future.

He said: "We want to deliver the evidence for climate change, but show people exactly how scientists came to these conclusions.

"We are very keen to show how we know that climate change is real and that it is driven by humans. But we will not be making any judgments on policies, the whole exhibit will be about letting people come to their own conclusions."

Next week the museum will unveil a small climate change exhibition in its Wellcome wing. It will be a testbed for the 2009 exhibition and highlight how biofuels can be used to cut carbon emission levels.

The museum faces one of its toughest funding challenges later this year. It will bid against five other institutions, including the Eden Project, on a live TV show. A public vote will decide which gets £50million in Lottery cash.

Professor Rapley said: "It really isn't ideal, but it's what we have to do in this day and age. I think if we don't win, we'll have to answer some serious questions about our future plans.

"We need the funding to set up a museum in Swindon, where we currently house 92 per cent of our collection in unsatisfactory premises."

He succeeds Dr Lindsay Sharp, whose time as director was marred by political infighting and claims the museum was relying too much on a "Disney image". Staff also went on strike over pay. Professor Rapley pledged an end to the disputes, adding: "There is a big element of theatre in a good museum but we will not go down the Disney route."