The attraction's aim is to "consistently be the most fun place to play, learn and work... which presents the story of the planet - how it was created; how it continues to evolve, the prospects for mankind and the effect of hazards both natural and manmade.

[5] The design incorporates the original wall that formed the outer perimeter of the Abbey Brewery ale stores that were formerly on the site.

[6] The building was intended to show a relationship between nature and artifice and comprises three features: The facility is designed as an immersive experience with a high level of interactivity.

Permanent features of the museum include an iceberg, an earthquake experience and the Deep Time Machine which allows visitors to travel through the creation of the Earth through multimedia and 4D techniques.

As with many other Science Centers and Exhibitions constructed around the time including the Millennium Experience in London and The Big Idea in Irvine, initial visitor numbers proved to be overly-optimistic.