A favorite community spot for Ithaca families is officially launching a large-scale overhaul campaign.

Board members and employees joined in a groundbreaking Thursday to begin the renovation of Ithaca’s Sciencenter. Officials say so far the Sciencenter has raised $2.6 million out of the $3.8 million needed for the project, and they hope to collect the rest by late next year.

Executive Director Charlie Trautmann described the project.

“We’re going to be upgrading or replacing at least all of our exhibits, we’re increasing the number of programs that we’re doing, we’re moving some walls around inside the building to facilitate the program we’re going to be doing, and we’re building endowment to sustain it into the future,” he said.

Trautmann said some of the changes include a gallery for native New York animals, and a new touch tank exhibit.

“The exhibits that we have are about things that are local, but also with a global perspective,” he said. “Part of our goal here at the Sciencenter is to bring up global citizens. It kind of expands their viewpoint on the world and how they interact with it.”