Science Museum

Where else can you find life-changing objects from Stephenson’s Rocket to the Apollo 10 command module, take in a science show, catch an immersive 3D movie, enjoy the thrills of a special effects simulator, introduce children to science with fun, hands-on interactives and encounter the past, present and future of technology in seven floors of galleries? At the Science Museum you can find all this and more!

Venue Type:

Museum, Science centre

Opening hours

Daily 10.00-18.00

Closed 24-26 December

Admission charges

Admission to the Museum is free but charges apply to the IMAX 3D Cinema, simulators and some special exhibitions and events.

The Science Museum has over 300,000 objects in its care, with particular strengths in the history of western science, technology and medicine since 1700.

It has been uniquely placed to acquire objects recording the Industrial Revolution, and now holds unrivalled collections in this area. Medical artifacts from all periods and cultures also form an important part of its holdings.

Key artists and exhibits

Exhibition details are listed below, you may need to scroll down to see them all.

Exhibition (temporary)

Cosmos & Culture

23 July 2009 — 31 December 2015 *on now

Explore how astronomy has changed the way we see our universe - and ourselves - through this object-rich exhibition. From ancient heritage to cutting edge technology, trace the history of people and the stars through different stories drawn from around the world.

Cosmos & Culture uses a new multimedia display environment that allows you to explore objects in depth and find out about key scientific concepts. See how different instruments work, discover the stories of the people who made and used them, and enjoy beautiful models, illustrations and photographs.

Exhibition supported by the Patrons of the Science Museum with additional support from the Science and Technology Facilities Council, STFC.

Suitable for

Admission

Free

Exhibition (permanent)

Information age

1 October 2014 — 31 December 2016 *on now

Information Age is be the first museum gallery in the UK dedicated to the history of communication and information technology, celebrating over 200 years of inventions and innovations that have transformed how we communicate. The gallery takes over the largest single space in the Science Museum and features over 800 unique objects from our world class collections.

From the laying of the first transatlantic telegraph cable between the UK and North America, to the birth of satellite communications and the smart phone, Information Age explores the major technological advances that have helped shape the connected world we live in today. Remarkable personal stories about how these developments have transformed peoples’ lives are brought to life through sophisticated interactive displays, film and audio.

Suitable for

Family friendly

Website

Churchill's Scientists

1 November 2014 — 1 November 2018 *on now

Marking the 50th anniversary of his death, Churchill’s Scientists tells the little-known story of how Churchill’s fascination with science led to the scientific achievements that helped Britain win the Second World War.

Discover how the power of science was harnessed during the war, from the recent invention of radar and the production of penicillin and antibiotics, to Britain’s top secret research behind the first atomic bomb. See these incredible events brought to life through a rich array of significant historical objects, original film footage, letters and archive images.

Explore how the culture of scientific achievement fostered by Churchill flourished after the war, invigorating scientific research across a wide range of fields, including molecular genetics, radio astronomy, nuclear power, nerve and brain function and robotics.

The exhibition features a number of personal objects belonging to Churchill, such as the cigar he was smoking in 1951 on the day he learned he'd been re-elected as Prime Minister, and his green velvet ‘siren suit’ – a one-piece outfit devised by him and designed to be put on in a hurry during air raids.

Suitable for

Website

Challenge of Materials

1 November 2014 — 1 November 2018 *on now

Explore and experience the properties of materials in our eye-opening Challenge of Materials gallery.

Walk across a magnificent glass bridge suspended by steel wires spanning the main hall. Discover historic gems, state-of-the-art materials and bizarre items, such as a cardboard chair and a steel wedding dress. You'll also see art installations from around the world.

From superconductors to spider silk, visit this gallery to discover a wide variety of materials.

Suitable for

Website

Glimpses of Medical History

1 November 2014 — 1 November 2018 *on now

From Neothlithic times to 1980, relive the absorbing (and sometimes gory) history of medicine. Explore the remarkable work of doctors, dentists, opticians and surgeons through models and life-size reconstructions.

You’ll be able to glimpse medical dramas such as the on-board carnage of a warship’s surgery during the age of Nelson, childbirth in a Victorian home and cataract surgery in 11th century Persia. This gallery is not for the squeamish!

Find out more about the rise of preventative medicine, the increasing use of technology and the growth of medical specialisms.

Come to this gallery to explore the complex relationships between patients and those who treat them. If you’re interested in medicine, make sure you visit the Science and Art of Medicine gallery too.

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The Secret Life of the Home

1 November 2014 — 1 November 2018 *on now

From pop-up toasters to horse-drawn vacuum cleaners, take a closer look at the development of household appliances.

Most of the objects on show date from the late 19th and the 20th century. But you’ll also find ancient Roman keys, 18th century cooking utensils and a 21st century robotic vacuum cleaner. In fact, you’ll be able to discover how applied robotics is one of the key ways in which the appliances in your home will develop in the future.

How does a CD player, washing machine and toilet work? Interactive exhibits in the gallery will help you find out.

You can also examine locks, try to outwit a burglar alarm and play ‘Pong’, the world’s first home video game.

Visit Secrets of the Home to see how the design of household gadgets and gizmos has changed over time.

Suitable for

Website

Veterinary History

1 November 2014 — 1 November 2018 *on now

Veterinary History is a small gallery about the medical treatment of animals in the past.

Vets today are highly-trained professionals, with access to equipment and pharmaceuticals. But it has not always been so – veterinary medicine lagged far behind human medicine until well into the 20th century.

Placed at the centre of the gallery is an extraordinarily detailed half scale anatomical model of a horse, by the famed 19th century French model maker Louis Auzoux. Around this are display cases which explore veterinary themes, including instruments for animal birth and slaughter.

Visit the Veterinary History gallery for an unsentimental look at the history of veterinary medicine.

Suitable for

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Agriculture

1 November 2014 — 1 November 2018 *on now

The Agriculture gallery traces the history of arable farming and considers a future of genetically modified food. From the ploughs and hoes of the Middle Ages to the combine harvesters and balers of the 20th century, this gallery presents a fascinating collection of original machinery and superb scale models.

Find out about dibblers, seed drills, clod-crushers and junglebusters, and see how the working life of an arable farm changes as the seasons unfold. Examine an original Ferguson tractor and operate a cut-away combine harvester yourself.

Visit the Agriculture gallery for a fascinating insight into the history and future of farming.

Suitable for

Website

Health Matters

Medicine changed faster during the 20th century than ever before. Health Matters explores how medical technology, health surveys and medical research have changed the way we experience medicine.

An iron lung built by car workers and a kidney machine made out of a tin can both show how innovation and mass production have transformed medicine. Many of the technologies on display, such as the contraceptive pill, had a dramatic cultural impact during the 20th century. Other technologies, such as the MMR vaccine, have created dilemmas for us.

Examine how we measure the health of communities, and explore how medicine is as much about preventing ill health as curing it. You can also see some iconic medical research technologies of the late 20th century, including pioneering DNA sequencers.

Come to the Health Matters gallery to find out more about modern medicine and the search for better health.

Suitable for

Website

Antenna

1 November 2014 — 1 November 2018 *on now

Learn about the most surprising science stories and the biggest breakthroughs in our multimedia science news gallery, Antenna.

Antenna brings you science news from every angle – from headline-grabbing gadgets to hot topics and full-on feature stories. And we'll be asking you to review and rate the latest ideas along with leading scientists, engineers, designers and thinkers.

Suitable for

Website

Computing

1 November 2014 — 1 November 2018 *on now

Find out about the history of early computers in our Computing gallery.

See the world's first complete Difference Engine No. 2, built by the Science Museum in 1991 from plans drawn up by Charles Babbage in the 19th century. Other displays about Babbage include part of the unfinished Analytical Mill and half of the great man's brain, preserved after his death.

Also in the gallery is the 1956 Ferranti Pegasus. It's the oldest working computer in the world, but we still turn it on (to the delight of our visitors). There’s also a timeline about computer development and a selection of calculators and adding machines.

Visit this gallery for a unique insight into the history of computers.

Suitable for

Website

Energy Hall

1 November 2014 — 1 November 2018 *on now

The Energy Hall traces the remarkable story of steam and how it shaped the world we live in today.

Steam has been the driving force behind British industry for 300 years. Without it, the Industrial Revolution could never have happened. Even now, steam provides 75% of the electricity we use every day.

The oldest surviving and unaltered atmospheric engine Rotative engines built by James Watt High-pressure engines of the type pioneered by Richard Trevithick A steam turbine designed and built by Charles Parsons

Visit the Energy Hall to gain a unique insight into how steam engines developed over time.

Suitable for

Website

James Watt and our World

1 November 2014 — 1 November 2018 *on now

Explore the legendary attic workshop of engineer James Watt, preserved as it was when he died in 1819. The workshop is an astonishing time-capsule containing its original furniture, windows, doors and fireplace, and 8,430 fascinating objects left as they were in Watt’s lifetime.

See some of Watt’s remarkable inventions that have shaped the way we live today and learn why he was heralded the ‘greatest benefactor of the human race’. From steam power to tea services, explore the relationship between Watt’s steam engine and a new age of consumption.

Watt's improved engines meant steam could be used everywhere, from pumping coal mines to powering textile mills and breweries. Find out more about the renowned engineer and his incredible legacy.

Suitable for

Website

Mathematics

1 November 2014 — 1 November 2018 *on now

Thought-provoking instruments and models in this gallery bring mathematics to life.

Examine drawing instruments found at the ruins of Pompeii, and others dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. Discover a range of uses for mathematical instruments, including gunnery, carpentry, mapping, alcohol measurement and packing. You can also find out how to draw ellipses and spirals.

Models on display begin with the Platonic solids and include colourful uniform polyhedra, topological models and surface models, which have inspired artists such as Henry Moore.

Mathematic principles are found in nature – see this for yourself in a range of crystal structures, spiral shells and horns.

Visit the Mathematics gallery on the 2nd floor for a unique insight into mathematical models and instruments.

Suitable for

Website

Measuring Time

In Measuring Time you’ll discover a rich collection of more than 500 timepieces. From sand-glasses to sundials, water clocks to wristwatches, trace the remarkable history of timekeeping.

Clockmakers and watchmakers pioneered precision in manufacturing. Early craftsmen, labouring in small domestic workshops, learned to subdivide production into separate specialised tasks – inventing mass production before the factory system. In this gallery, you’ll find out how accurate timekeeping was highly prized and attracted the finest craftsmen.

Among the timepieces on display is the Wells Cathedral clock, built around 1392. It’s the second oldest surviving clock in England and the third oldest clock in the world.

Visit Measuring Time for a fascinating insight into the history of timekeeping.

Suitable for

Website

Science in the 18th Century

1 November 2014 — 1 November 2018 *on now

Explore a unique collection of elegant scientific instruments and intricate models that belonged to King George III.

In the 1700s it was fashionable for wealthy people to have collections of scientific instruments. Discover how the teaching of scientific principles spread beyond the elite circles of the Royal Society, to reach large sections of the population.

Examine an air pump with a compression chamber, a water-raising machine and an Archimedean screw. There’s even a polemoscope, or ’jealousy glass’, used by opera goers to spy on other people in the audience. An audiovisual presentation offers you the opportunity to see some of the objects in action.

Visit Science in the 18th Century for a fascinating look at scientific apparatus.

Suitable for

Website

Atmosphere

1 November 2014 — 1 November 2018 *on now

The Atmosphere gallery is an exciting place to make sense of the climate – the science of how it works, what it’s doing now and what it might do next.

Step into a virtual world, with its own oceans, land and atmosphere, and go back in time to discover key moments in the Earth’s multibillion-year climate history. Uncover the secrets of ice cores and stalagmites, then head for the future to wonder at the latest ideas for a low-carbon life.

Fascinating objects include a real Antartic ice core, tree rings and scientists' instruments. Come to this gallery to get to grips with the latest climate news and investigate the important issue of climate change.

Suitable for

Website

Oramics to Electronica

1 November 2014 — 1 November 2018 *on now

Electronic sound didn’t just happenit was created by women and men, most often at the margins of what was musically acceptable and technically possible. New instruments such as synthesisers and samplers changed the sounds musicians could make, and influenced the way they composed and performed their music.

This exhibition focuses on the work of three British studios that produced electronic music in the 1960s and 1970s: Daphne Oram, the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and Electronic Music Studios (EMS).

At the heart of the exhibition you can see the amazing Oramics Machine, a proto-synthesiser developed by Oram in the 1960s and 1970s.

Visit Oramics to Electronica to trace the history of electronic music and discover the boundless creativity of the musicians and engineers involved.

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Website

Exploring Space

1 November 2014 — 1 November 2018 *on now

From rockets to satellites, probes to landers, this gallery showcases some out-of-this world objects. Explore how we’ve sent spacecraft to other planets, walked on the Moon and peered into the heart of our galaxy and beyond.

You’ll be able to see a full-sized replica of ‘Eagle’ – the lander that took astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin to the Moon in 1969. Then discover how we are able to live in space – to breathe, eat, drink and go to the toilet.

Get a unique insight into the history of rockets. Suspended from the ceiling are two real space rockets – a British Black Arrow and a United States Scout.

You can also find out how the space age started in 1957 with the launch of Sputnik 1. See a full-size replica of the Huygens module that landed on Titan in 2005 and a model of the Beagle 2 Mars lander.

Visit this gallery to learn the astonishing story of space exploration.

Suitable for

Website

Flight

1 November 2014 — 1 November 2018 *on now

From mankind’s earliest dreams of flight to the wide-body aeroplanes of today, discover the absorbing story of flight.

Overhead walkways allow you to get up close to aeroplanes suspended in the air. Examine exhibits from the pioneer days of aviation, including the world’s most authentic Antoinette monoplane (1909), Amy Johnson’s Gipsy Moth and the Vickers Vimy, which first crossed the Atlantic in 1919.

Website

The Science and Art of Medicine

The Science and Art of Medicine is one of the greatest collections about the history of medicine in the world. This fascinating story is told through a display of 5,000 objects.

Roman tweezers jostle with artificial noses while statues of saints are matched by the magnificent travelling medicine chest of a Genoese nobleman. You’ll find treasures from Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome and learn about their contribution to the development of 20th century medicine.

Psychology and public health are also covered here, along with major clinical and laboratory specialties such as dentistry, ophthalmology, physiology, microbiology, pharmacology and surgery. You can also find out about African, Chinese, Indian and Islamic practices.

There’s an introductory interactive section for children and a video in which patients describe their own feelings.

Come to this wonderful gallery filled with exotic devices and historic artefacts – it’s bound to fascinate old and young alike.

Suitable for

Website

Engineer Your Future

Young people will be inspired to think like engineers and have their preconceptions challenged in a free interactive exhibition that is to open at the Science Museum this December.

Engineer Your Future, a three-year exhibition opening in the Science Museum’s contemporary science wing, will put visitors’ problem solving skills to the test, exploring engineering through large-scale, high quality interactive games and digital experiences that bring to life the skills engineers use every day.

Visitors will discover some of the fascinating stories of women and men who work in engineering today, with striking objects and an accompanying film illustrating cutting-edge engineering and exploring how engineers design, improve and test their ideas.

Suitable for

Family friendly

Website

Cravings: Can your food control you?

12 February 2015 — 1 January 2016 *on now

From the flavours you learned to love in the womb to the very next bite you take, your appetite has been shaped by food. Through personal stories, fascinating objects and cutting-edge science and technology, Cravings explores how food affects your body, brain and eating habits.

This new exhibition reveals how not one but two brains work together alongside the hidden world of gut bacteria to affect your cravings.

Take part in real neurogastronomy experiments and help researchers uncover how what we see, hear, smell, touch and taste can change our desire for food. Explore the potential of technology to internally control appetite through your nerves, compare how baby animals react to sweet foods, and find out about the world’s first poo bank.

Suitable for

Website

Revelations: Experiments in Photography

20 March — 13 September 2015 *on now

The influence of early scientific photography on modern and contemporary art is to be revealed in a British exhibition for the first time at Media Space.

Showcasing some of the first and rarest examples of scientific photography, Revelations explores how the incidental aesthetics of ground-breaking techniques pioneered by figures like William Henry Fox Talbot, Eadweard Muybridge and Harold Edgerton have inspired diverse artistic responses.

From the 1840s, scientists were using photography to record phenomena too large, too small or too fast for the human eye to see. William Henry Fox Talbot’s experiments with microphotography, some of the earliest scientific photographs ever made, will be on show alongside striking works by contemporary artists including Hiroshi Sugimoto.

Co-curated by Greg Hobson, Curator of Photographs at the National Media Museum, and Dr Benedict Burbridge of the University of Sussex, the exhibition will explore how art and science have been used to show phenomena which, thanks to the limits of human physiology, were previously invisible.

Cracker

Energy - fuelling the future

A website designed to help KS2 and KS3 children find out about how we use energy, and make the most of a visit to the Energy Fuelling the Future gallery at the Science Museum. Here you will find fascinating facts, quizzes, and a wealth of practical activities developed with teachers who have tested them with their own children in schools. Many of the activities can be adapted for different audiences.

Kids' Science Book Club

The Kids Science Book Club is a fun and interactive book club to encourage children to read and learn whilst enjoying a literary extravaganza. It’s a great way to learn more about science in a fun way. On Saturdays, monthly at 11.00.

Making the Modern World: Urban Sustainability - Cities and the Role of Technology

This geography study module, available online, looks at urban development. Case studies are taken from cities around the world, and demonstrate cities as different kinds of systems, sustainability, and how technological developments affect urban life.

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0870 870 4868

All information is drawn from or provided by the venues themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.