Family Days every Saturday

Visit the Science Oxford Centre, open every Saturday for a unique family experience. Explore, discover and play in the Exploration Zone, where children and grown-ups alike have fun experimenting with interactive exhibits – create and test flying designs at the Air Table, build a giant magnetic ball run, and see what’s hot and what’s not with the Curious Camera. Create fun animations from astronauts exploring space to dinosaurs in a Jurassic world.

With 15 acres of woodland and ponds, there’s plenty to explore outside too. Pick up an Explorer Backpack and see what wildlife you can spot on our Nature Trails. Splash science at the outdoor Water Lab is designed for children to play and experiment with water flow, dams, and floating objects – bring waterproofs or a change of clothes!

Please note: Saturday 5 September with Planetarium show ‘Life Elsewhere’ in the inflatable science dome. (booking essential) Saturday 3 October is our Sensory-friendly Family Day with Planetarium show. Session Times: 10am – 12pm 12.30pm – 2.30pm 3pm – 5pm* Suitable for ages 3+ (all welcome) Under 3s free.

Tickets £8.50 per person (includes Eventbrite fee) From 1st September 2026 tickets will be £9.50 per person. Pre-booking essential. Woodland access all day (10am-5pm).

Planetarium show in our inflatable science dome. Monthly pop-up feature! Strictly limited places available – pre-booking essential.

Show times: Please queue 10 minutes before your planetarium show time. 11:00AM – 11:30PM 12:00PM – 12:30PM 13:30PM – 14:00PM 14:30PM – 15:00PM The same show is repeated in all sessions. You can choose any planetarium show time that fits your plans — before, during, or after your visit to the woodland and other Family Day activities. Due to the nature of the inflatable planetarium, capacity is limited to 25 people per show for safety and comfort.

Booking early is recommended to avoid disappointment. Please note: Seating is on the floor with a cushion. We can accomodate a limited number of wheelchairs or chairs if required.

Please contact us with any accessibility enquiries: Two-hour timeslot in the Exploration Zone. Access to the woodland and outdoor areas from 10am–5pm (last entry 4.30pm). Access to outdoor Water Lab from April – October (change of clothes recommended).

Parking (limited availability, see below for details). What’s not included: STEM Clubs. Planetarium show in our inflatable science dome.

Monthly pop-up feature! Strictly limited places available – pre-booking essential. Show times: Please queue 10 minutes before your planetarium show time. 11:00AM – 11:30PM 12:00PM – 12:30PM 13:30PM – 14:00PM 14:30PM – 15:00PM The same show is repeated in all sessions.

You can choose any planetarium show time that fits your plans — before, during, or after your visit to the woodland and other Family Day activities. Due to the nature of the inflatable planetarium, capacity is limited to 25 people per show for safety and comfort. Booking early is recommended to avoid disappointment.

Please note: Seating is on the floor with a cushion. We can accomodate a limited number of wheelchairs or chairs if required. Please contact us with any accessibility enquiries: Visitor Information & FAQs, Centre floorplan and virtual tour.