Opening Times

10:00 -18:00 daily except 24, 25, 26 December

What makes this a great venue for School group Fun or Educational Visits?

We offer great learning experiences for students of all ages.
There’s always a buzz of excitement in our hands-on galleries where our Explainers help students find out more.
Our curriculum-based events and activities are packed with dynamic demos and include lots of student participation.
Fly into space, live with bugs or see inside the human body in one of the films in our 3D IMAX Cinema – it’s so realistic your students will feel like they’re part of the action.
Our object-rich galleries and special exhibitions provide a unique context for exploring, questioning and developing understanding of science and other subject areas.
Even if you can't visit, our website has a range of free downloadable resources to support your classroom teaching.

What are the Curriculum Topics or Benefit to the students from a visit?

Everything we offer provides memorable, personal and inspiring learning experiences across the curriculum and for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths in particular.
We are signed up to the Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto and we're working towards badge holder status.

What are the activities?

Hands-on galleries, object-rich displays, science shows, storytelling sessions, drama characters and 3D films in the Museum’s IMAX Cinema.
Our dedicated Education Booking Office Team can advise which activities will best meet your curriculum requirements.
We also hold Science Night sleepovers which are great for KS2 classes.

What is the age range of the activities?

Early Years, KS1, KS2, KS3, KS4 and post-16

Sample programme of the activities:

10.15 Arrive. Deposit coats and bags in storage trolleys.
10.30-11.30 Launchpad hands-on gallery
11.30-11.50 Science Show
11.50-12.30 Explore the Challenge of Materials gallery
12.30-13.00 Lunch
13.05-14.05 Watch Space Station 3D in the IMAX Cinema
14.05-14.30 Shop
14.30 depart

What materials to you provide or suggest groups bring to support the visit?

Our website gives suggestions for how to use the galleries. It also provides a range of free downloadable resources for pre- or post- visit activities that will embed your Science Museum experiences into the classroom.

What are the minimum and maximum group sizes and the free Teacher Ratio?

1:15 for general visits
1:8 for hands-on galleries
1:10 for IMAX Cinema, special exhibitions

Do you have or how do you arrange risk assessment?

Information to help you write your risk assessment is available on our website (see the link on the right hand side of this page).

Do you offer Teacher familiarisation days?

We encourage teachers to make a planning visit.
Within our menu of courses for teachers we also offer a one-day ‘Learning in Museums’ course to help you develop your skills and make the most of your visit. This course is available for individual teachers on set dates, or it makes an ideal team-building event for whole-school staff.

What facilities are there for school groups for food and drink, shop etc?

Picnic area
Eat Drink Shop sells snacks and drinks

Do you have first aid on site?

Yes.

Are there any restrictions on photos, copyright etc?

Handheld equipment is fine.