In the Mirror Magic gallery at Science City, images multiply, contract and even vanish. Picture by Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya

Driver Prasenjit takes pride as an ?espeshalist? in amusement parks. Whenever he finds the time, he zips into one. Science City is his favourite, not only because he lives close by but also because ?there are lots of free rides? and ?even the entry fees are not high?.

So, he is there nearly every Sunday, catching the latest astrovision show at the Space Theatre, strolling around the Dynamotion Hall or just sitting around with friends.

Prasenjit is not alone. On any given holiday, Science City records a footfall of nearly 20,000. And in the last fiscal, there have been some 11 to 12 lakh visitors.

But is the eight-year-old Science City just an amusement park? Certainly not, claim the authorities. And 2006 should make it clear just why not.

?We were increasingly getting the feeling that Science City was becoming more of a centre for entertainment than education. We are taking steps to change that,? director T.K. Ganguly told Metro.

?We are, of course, doing a lot of renovation and adding new items, but it is more a change of attitude. Imparting information is top priority now, which is why everywhere you will find more detailed labelling and more interactive exhibits,? Ganguly added.

The first changes are visible at Dynamotion Hall, with two new features: Mirror Magic and Giant Insects. The Mirror Magic gallery that opened last month is fast becoming a major draw, beating even Evolution Park with its animated dinosaurs. There is no entry fee and the 35 exhibits and mirror maze are nothing short of a regular magic show.

Your mirror image expands and contracts by turns, or goes upside down, and sometimes even vanishes. The literature alongside explains just why.

?Mirrors are wonderful to experiment with. The glasses obtained locally are front-coated to minimise image distortion,? said curator K.S. Murali.

The Giant Insects are animated models of bees, cockroaches, grasshoppers, spiders? ?Everything that one can find in an old house. They are to be linked with the live nurseries of butterflies and other insects,? said Ganguly.

The Pin Screen exhibit, that teaches the basics about dots-per-inch resolution, and the infra red-operated Walkover Piano, are also popular.

?The changes being made on the ground floor of the Dynamotion Hall will probably be complete by December, but there will be some new galleries on the upper floors, like the one on Powers of Ten. The live fish display will be made more attractive and the central area will be cleared for live performances. This may take till mid-February or March,? said curator Murali.

On the anvil is a new building, which, says Murali, will focus ?entirely on the planet we live in?. And the Evolution Park will see a change, with the dinosaurs probably being brought outdoors.