After seeing off the last of its financial problems, the Royal Institution (RI) has announced plans to double in size as part of its latest five-year strategy.

To help it do this, it will set up a Research Centre for Science and Culture and launch the UK’s first national science club for young people. Members of the new research centre will carry work to inform the organisation’s various public engagement activities. The RI also wants to increase its digital presence and has set itself the target of engaging people with science 100 million times by 2023.

It says it will digitise its entire collection of scientific books, manuscripts and scientific apparatus and develop a new YouTube channel specifically for children. The RI’s existing channel has attracted over 400,000 subscribers and 37 million views.

‘Our aspiration is to not only to create the scientists of tomorrow, but importantly to encourage active citizens who have the skills and confidence to critically examine science as part of an informed discussion about its benefits to society,’ said the RI’s director Shaun Fitzgerald in a statement. ‘As an independent charity which receives no government funding we need additional finance to maximise our impact, particularly among children and under-served communities.’

‘By adding new supporters to our existing loyal community, we can help even more people to develop their own lifelong journey with science.’