JEDDAH, 10 November 2005 — Crown Prince Sultan, deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, has given the Science & Technology Center in Alkhobar as a gift to King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), according to Prince Faisal ibn Sultan, secretary-general of the Sultan Charitable Foundation.

“This gift reflects our leadership’s appreciation and support for knowledge and science,” he said, adding that the center would play an important role in promoting science and technology in the country. The foundation established the center at a total cost of SR230 million. The state-of-the-art-center, which was opened by the crown prince on Tuesday, was designed to make learning of science and technology both fun and interesting. It has six independent theme halls housing exciting, interactive exhibits focusing on many of scientific and technological ideas and concepts. It is expected to serve more than 300,000 visitors annually.

Prince Faisal said the foundation would hold talks with Dr. Khaled ibn Al-Sultan, president of KFUPM, to discuss procedures related to transferring the center to his university. “We’ll operate the center during the interim period, which may take six to seven months,” he added.

Prince Faisal said the foundation was in the process of signing a cooperation agreement with KFUPM, which would enable its students to make use of the center’s modern facilities. “During the interim period we will not charge any visitors and when the university takes over the management, it will decide the issue of fees.”

“The center uses interactive and hands-on exhibits that engage visitors and makes learning science an enjoyable family experience,” said Riyad Al-Adel, its director general.

Dr. Al-Sultan thanked the crown prince for his valuable gift to the university. “We, the students and staff of KFUPM, are proud of this royal gesture,” he said. “I am quite confident that the center will achieve its objectives of spreading interest in science and technology among the younger generation,” he said.

Located on the Alkhobar Corniche, the center includes permanent exhibition halls, which constitute about 40 percent of the building. “They are the main attraction of the center,” Al-Adel said.

The center’s educational unit will complement the permanent exhibits by providing interested visitors with additional focused scientific experiences based on their own interests and hobbies. The unit will include a multimedia library containing about 20,000 scientific references, two PC laboratories for training and Internet access, as well as several classes for the different educational activities and programs. The unit has a 250-seat auditorium, with satellite-link capabilities for scientific lectures and presentations.

This 160-seat dome-shaped theater will be the first of its kind in the Middle East. It will be used to give audiences unforgettable visual experiences using advanced audio-visual equipment including large-format scientific films, planetarium shows and laser shows. “These shows will help educate the visitors in science in a highly entertaining and enjoyable environment,” Al-Adel said.

There is a temporary exhibition hall to host related activities including national and international traveling science exhibits. The hall will also be used for short-term activities such as the exhibition of scientific books and equipment, science competitions.