A new £15.7m visitor centre has officially opened at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) in Scotland, which is designed to enable visitors to explore a wide range of plants.

Construction of the John Hope Gateway, which has been built at the west gate entrance to the garden, has taken more than two years to complete and boasts a Botanics Shop and the Gateway Restaurant offering views across the site. A new reception, an interpretive area, shop, a teaching classroom and welfare facilities have also been included in the centre, which gives visitors a chance to view the work of RBGE through interactive experiences and activities.

A £10m contribution from the Scottish Government Rural and Environment Research and Analysis Directorate provided the majority of funding for the construction of the new visitor centre. The remaining £5.7m was raised by a number of funding bodies, including a £3.2m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), as well as trusts, corporate donations and voluntary contributions.

Cumbernauld-based contractor Xircon delivered the facility.