Free Space Science Activities for National Space Day

Celebrate National Space Day with a bumper bank holiday of FREE space-inspired science blasting off at the Science and Industry Museum in May

• Visit the museum during May Bank Holiday weekend (1 – 4 May) to enjoy an action-packed FREE programme of space science
• Celebrate the first National Space Day (1 May) since Artemis II astronauts touched back down on Earth
• Get a taste of space in new live Science Shows
• Put space explorer skills to the test with interactive activities designed stretch imaginations to the moon and back
• Visit new out-of-this world space exhibition, Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos

Ever wondered what astronauts eat in orbit, how they use the loo in zero gravity or why crumbs are bad news on the International Space Station? Discover the answers, and much more, at the Science and Industry Museum’s bumper bank holiday weekend of free, out-of-this-world activates from 1 to 4 May.

These free events accompany the museum’s latest special exhibition, Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos(paid for)giving more ways to explore the wonders, and weirdness, of space.

Launching on National Space Day (Friday 1 May), the special programme will celebrate the wonders of space exploration and inspire astronauts of the future by fuelling cosmic curiosity. This year’s event is especially timely following the recent return of Artemis II astronauts from their history-making mission around the moon.

Visitors can get a taste of space during new live shows by sampling real foods used to feed astronauts, and discover more about how humans live and work beyond Earth. Budding space explorers can also put their skills to the test in interactive activities designed to spark curiosity and stretch imaginations to the moon and back.

Stargazers can enjoy the night sky as its projected across super-sized screens, or get creative by crafting their very own constellations and designing a mission patch for an astronaut’s spacesuit.

These free half-term activities are inspired by the Science and Industry Museum’s latest blockbuster exhibition, Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos. The universe-first, laugh-out-loud space adventure sees explorers blasted into the Solar System where hands-on experiments, interactive challenges, mischievous storytelling, rocket-loads of silly and surprising science await. The exhibition marks the first time the much-loved Horrible Science brand has been transformed into a large-scale immersive exhibition.

The experience takes visitors on a journey through a series of weird and wonderful words, from exploring the International Space Station and landing on the Moon, to getting sizzled by the Sun and teetering on the edge of the Solar System.

Along the way, they can relax on sensory Planet Quark, gaze up at a twinkling starscape in the Cosy Crater, and venture into Dreadful Deep Space to investigate the universe’s strangest phenomena, including blackholes and the mind-bending effects of ‘spaghettification’. The adventure ends on Disco Planet, where every day is an alien dance party.

Designed to engage all the senses, the exhibition invites visitors to see, hear, smell and even feel space. Highlights include touching a real piece of the Moon, hearing first-hand accounts from astronauts who have lived in orbit, smelling scientists’ recreation of the Moon’s dusty scent, and experience Mercury’s extreme temperature swings.

Tash Camberwell, Interpretation and Content Developer at the Science and Industry Museum, said: “2026 has already been a stellar year for space! We’ve been so inspired by the amazing Artemis II astronauts, so I’m especially excited to bring space back down to Earth with an action-packed programme for the May bank holiday. 

“Just like the exhibition, our holiday activities have been created for young people and their grown-ups to enjoy together by blending humour, hands-on science and spectacular experiences to spark curiosity in space and inspire the next generation of space explorers.”

More information on the Bank Holiday weekend activities can be found on the museum’s website (www.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/may-bank-holiday-2026) General admission tickets for the Science and Industry Museum are free and can be booked online (www.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk). Tickets for Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos are also available to book online. They are priced at £10, with family discount available and under-threes going free. Following a popular Easter holiday, early booking is advised.