Our 2025 event

Do you ever look at floor tiles, maybe in your kitchen or your bathroom, and think about the pattern? Do you think about how squares, rectangles, and triangles make a shape that repeats across the whole floor? 

Have you ever wondered if there was a more interesting shape you could use to tile the floor, or if there’s a way that the pattern won’t repeat? 

Come to the Penrose tiles table and learn about a pattern that will never repeat even if you tile forever, and try it for yourself with our specially printed tiles. 

Can you make a pattern that won’t repeat with only two tiles? Can you do it with just one?

Image alt-text: An image of green and blue tiles arranged in a visually pleasing pattern, with blue diamonds forming a star in the centre, green diamonds filling the gaps in the outside, and surrounded by more blue tiles. The green and blue tiles are used in different orders to make a complete pattern, with no repetition in the entire domain.

Do you ever wonder how movement evolved in animals? 

Some creatures, like tiny insects and even some single cells, use vibrations to move. 

Inspired by this, our robot bugs are powered by vibration alone. 

Come along to try out different designs and see which is fastest. Can you predict the winner?

Image alt-text: A cartoon ant and robot separated by the pole of a racing chequered flag.

The UK is home to tens of thousands of different plants and animals - from tiny butterflies to giant trees – each playing a vital role in our ecosystems. 

Join us for an all-ages scavenger hunt to see what you can discover in your local park! 

In case you weren't able to get hold of paper copies, find copies of the bingo cards HERE.

Image alt-text: A portion of a bingo grid dispaying icons for various plants, animals, and bugs. Three of them are marked off by a green stamp with a diagonal line through the centre.

Perhaps you've seen the the media hype around "know-it-all" AI chatbots like ChatGPT or Gemini? Maybe you've heard about AI generating images and text upon request? You've probably even encountered AI without realising it on social media or internet advertisement...

...yet AI has longer been used to make groundbreaking scientific discoveries!

If you want to learn more about how AI works and how it is used in science and society, let's chat! We are very happy to show you that AI isn't just "magic".

Image alt-text: An electric blue outline of a brain within a human head, enclosed in a circular border. The image is displayed reminiscent of a hologram in front of a background of circuit boards.

The "recipe" for every animal and plant on Earth is all written in a common language  called DNA, including us humans. Yet no two humans will ever share the exact same DNA.

Where do we find a living thing's DNA?
In every single one of their cells! 

How can we find and see these "building blocks of life"?
Come along! We'll show you.

Image alt-text: A cartoon of a green apple with a blue and red DNA double-helix shown in the centre.

Explore the strange and surprising world of magnetism! 

Can you make a magnet fall in slow motion? Can you use magnets to launch objects at high speed without touching them? 

Come along to have a go and learn more about this invisible force!

Image alt-text: A cartoon of a red and blue horseshoe magnet placed around a grey, analogue compass.

Have you ever wanted to see a star up close? 

Our solar telescope has special filters so you can safely explore the surface of our nearest star - the sun! 

Make the most of the sunshine and discover sunspots, solar flares and more! 

Image alt-text: Image 1) A photograph of a small  refractor telescope mounted on a tripod and pointed up to a clear blue sky. Image 2) A composite image of the sun taken through a telescope showing a few small sunspots and solar erruptions looping like ribbons on the edge of the circumference.

Although electronic computers continue to grow increasingly powerful and despite the modern world relying on them every day, your most important computer will always be the human brain.

How does the human brain work so well? What does it look like when we zoom in? How do the neurons interact to allow complex thoughts?

Let's have a look together! 

Image alt-text: A cartoon of a human brain positioned head-on and placed on a plinth. Surrounding it are a couple of oversized neurons lit up in blue. 

Not too long ago, complex robotics was believed to be the work of science fiction books, TV shows, and films. Yet robot arms are widely used today in factories and can be made into extremely sophisticated and personalised prosthetics. 

Take a look at our robotic arm and find out what goes into making sci-fi a reality.

Image alt-text: A black silhouette icon of a cartoon robotic arm. Its claw is open poised to pick an object up.