The Science Centre Singapore (SCS) received on Tuesday sponsorships amounting to $3.5 million from four organisations that will fund the development of a new science centre for children.

KidsSTOP, which is slated to open in June, aims to arouse children's natural curiosity and let them explore and learn more about science through exhibits and programmes. Spanning 3,000 sq m, the centre will be located within SCS's omni-theatre building.

Its exhibits will include a miniature supermarket where children can role-play as street vendors, for instance, to learn about good nutrition, and the nine-metre-tall "big dream climber", which has climbing structures such as hanging doors and flying fish.

The sponsoring organisations are Building and Construction Authority (BCA), the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), Lego Education and Tote Board. Funds donated by the BCA, the CAAS and Lego Education will go towards building the Built Environment Zone, Flight and Space Zone, and the Robo Robo Club respectively. Tote Board's donations will finance general programmes at KidsSTOP.

Said associate professor Lim Tit Meng, SCS' chief executive: "Science is a subject of discovery, and is best learnt through hands-on exploration. We are very excited about the development of KidsSTOP, a dedicated facility for younger children.

"It will tap on their natural curiosity at a critical stage of development as they discover the world and science around them through discovery and play."