The first phase of the exhibition is due to open next year

The Life Science Centre, in Newcastle, will carry out the work after winning a £1.2m grant from ReDiscover, a renewal fund for science centres.

The work will create a new exhibition focusing on how modern humans evolved and adapted to different environments.

It comes shortly after Chancellor Gordon Brown revealed plans to give Newcastle 'science city' status.

The new exhibition will be called 'Human Life:Past, Present and Future' and work is due to start in the Autumn. The first phase is due to open in Spring 2006, with the second phase the following year.

'New experience'

Centre director Linda Conlan said: "The new exhibition will be presented in a different style to the current exhibition and consist of three zones, all looking at human life in the past, the present and the future.

"Our aim is to build upon the success of our original exhibition to produce a new experience for future visitors.

"Human Life will draw upon local, national and international expertise to create a valuable resource for the North East."

ReDiscover is a joint venture between the Millennium Commission, The Wellcome Trust and The Wolfson Foundation.

Further funding of £500,000 has been won from The Garfield Weston Foundation and there has also been funding from Life Knowledge Park and English Partnerships.