Young people and families will enjoy a wide range of interactive learning experiences and stimulating environments at the centre.  Exhibits and displays will focus on six themed clusters (‘Beginnings’, ‘Life’, ‘Our World’, ‘Ideas’, ‘Achievements’ and ‘You Can Do It’) with other areas providing resources for follow-up research and pre-school visitors.

The clusters are designed especially for a Syrian audience and offer a journey of discovery supported by many activities including temporary exhibitions, laboratories, studio-theatre, internet-access, a library and a rich spectrum of programmes and workshops. The centre will encourage active interaction with hands-on exhibits allowing visitors to explore, experiment, create, challenge and debate the complex world of tomorrow and develop their insight, attitudes and capabilities.

Located in the heart of Damascus, the largest and most complex component of Massar is due to open in 2013. The design of the centre takes it’s inspiration from the Damascus Rose, and its volumes, shapes, patterns and materials all draw on Syria’s architectural heritage within a wholly modern piece of architecture. The building’s form is visually striking yet has been rooted within a very strong functional brief.

The result is a sequence of practical and individual internal gallery spaces that are themselves part of the centre’s unique visitor experience. Architecture is by Henning Larsen, Denmark; landscape by Martha Schwartz; and engineering by Buro Happold. The architects were appointed by an international competition in December 2006. The building has been designed to minimise the need for artificial climate control, to recycle grey-water, and to use renewable energy sources. All public areas are linked by ramps which exceed European standards for wheelchair access. The centre will open to school groups in the morning and for families in the afternoon and evening and planned annual attendance is of around 50, 000 .