Science Museum

The Science Museum is to receive pounds 23m in Lottery cash for a new wing devoted to contemporary science, medicine and technology, one of 35 projects throughout the UK which will share a total of pounds 52m awarded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The new wing of the museum, in south Kensington, London, is due to open in 2000, and is the most significant development at the site for 30 years.

Work will start on the pounds 44m extension in the autumn. It will include four floors of exhibition space, London's first Imax (big screen) film theatre, a scientific garden and interactive displays. Research confirms that the Science Museum is one of Britain's fastest-growing attractions and has more school visitors than any other venue in Britain.

Virginia Bottomley, the Secretary of State for National Heritage, described the Science Museum award as "an excellent example of how lottery money can be used to invest in our future generations".

The Museum of Worcester Porcelain, in Worcester, received just over pounds 1m for a new extension, the Inner Hebridean island of Mull was awarded funds to create a visitor centre at Iona Abbey, and the Scottish National Portrait Gallery received pounds 1.65m to buy an oil painting of Charles I's two daughters, Elizabeth and Anne, by the Flemish artist Van Dyck.