Lifetime Lab, on the banks of the River Lee, is a unique attraction for visitors of all ages with its modern interactive exhibition, themed playground, beautifully restored buildings and equipment and scenic views over the River Lee. Lifetime Lab is located at the old Cork City Waterworks which was responsible for supplying water to the city of Cork over the past 3 centuries. The Waterworks is the best preserved of its kind in Ireland. The old buildings and machinery have been carefully restored and are now being used to tell the story of how water was supplied to Cork City in the past.
Science Quiz
Lifetime Lab Primary Science Quiz
Are you a Science Whizz ?, test your knowledge on Thursday 23rd November at Devere Hall, UCC
Science Week
Science Week 2017 @ Lifetime Lab
Science Week @ Lifetime Lab
Spooky Science
Halloween Spooky Science Camp
Spooky Science Camp 2017
Teen Science
Teen Science Midterm Café Nov. 1st 2017
Teen Science Cafe
Originally the second engine house with its own boiler room and coal store, this block of buildings was completed in 1863, with the exception of the second engine room to the east which was completed c 1868. Prior to conservation works commencing none of the steam plant was still in place, although huge limestone plates on which the engines stood and racking bars for the beams of the engines show the original location of the engines.
This building had not been used as anything more than a store for many years and had serious problems with the roofs and exterior stonework in particular. The roofs were re-slated and counter battened to allow for insulation above the timber sheeting. The maximum amount of existing slates were salvaged and re-used. 
Although re-slated, all the original steel and timber trusses were retained. Most of the windows to the engine room survived, and these were restored on site and re-inserted. In the case of the stonework, the Cork red sandstone had de-laminated badly and a significant number of blocks had to be replaced with a similar stone. No matching stone was available locally and sandstone with a similar colour and appearance was finally brought from a quarry in Achill.
The former engine rooms are now used to house the exhibition while the former coal store houses the conference theatre and meeting room and the former boiler house is now the main reception area for Lifetime Lab.
It is interesting to note that the engine room walls were painted with a decorative stencil frieze at dado height, part of which has survived and can be seen today.This attention to detail and effort to make the buildings visually appealing despite their functional use can also be seen in the polychromatic use of local red sandstone and grey limestone to the exterior.
