After lying dormant for seven years, the iconic original venue of the China Science and Technology Museum in Beijing's Chaoyang district has begun a metamorphosis. When work is completed, the classic site will enter the spotlight once more as a place for planting dreams in a new generation of young scientists.

In 2009, a new museum building was completed 5 kilometers to the north, and original site was shuttered. But nostalgia for the old museum, with its distinctive dome theater, remains strong.

"I went there almost every weekend in my elementary school years," said Li Shuang, who now works in finance. "I was really fascinated by the exhibits. Many kids lined up for the Van de Graaff generator, where your hair stood up when you touched the static electricity sphere."