News
Filter by category:
Top Tips for IF Oxford, Oxford’s science and ideas Festival
Thursday 3rd October 2024
Read our top tips for IF Oxford, Oxford’s science and ideas Festival 2024! With over 100 events for all the family from 6 October until 3 November, there really is something for everyone.
Magic summer of science inspires Oxfordshire communities
Monday 16th September 2024
Science Oxford’s summer tour visited libraries and community hubs
A bug’s life – celebrating Insect Week
Wednesday 26th June 2024
This week at the Science Oxford Centre we’re excited about Insect Week, a national celebration of brilliant bugs which runs from 24th to 30th June
Spacewalk to the stars at the Oxford Literary Festival
Tuesday 16th April 2024
Science Oxford invited local school children to unlock their inner astronaut at the Oxford Literary Festival with author and illustrator Kate Pankhurst
Stargazing evening shines bright at the Science Oxford Centre
Friday 1st December 2023
The stars came out for Starry Night, an out-of-this-world stargazing evening and planetarium show at the Science Oxford Centre.
The science of popcorn and beyond! Summer Cinema entertains communities
Monday 25th September 2023
From the science of popcorn to Super Mario Bros., over 100 children and young people enjoyed a brand new series of summer cinema and family fun at the Science Oxford Centre
Building communities at the Science Oxford Centre
Thursday 2nd February 2023
We believe the Science Oxford Centre is for everyone. This February half-term, we’re doing things a little differently, and welcoming children and their families from Oxford-based community organisations to our Centre.
Gadgeteers enjoy inventive library tour this summer
Monday 26th September 2022
We were delighted to visit seven libraries across Oxfordshire this summer with our free Incredible Inventions family show…
Presenter Network Oxfordshire is back for 2022!
Saturday 24th September 2022
Calling Oxfordshire presenters! If you love inspiring audiences in museums, discovery and visitor centres, science communication or the media, the Presenter Network is for you! Our Education Programme Officer, Ian Snell, dons his ‘Presenting-hat’ as leader of the Oxfordshire Hub and tells all…
A hot summer in the woodland
Tuesday 19th July 2022
As summer temperatures reach the highest ever recorded in the UK today, the effects on the natural world and how to look after our green spaces and wildlife is on our all minds. Luckily, we’re in good hands at the Science Oxford Centre with our Outdoor Learning and Ecology Manager, Dr Roger Baker — read his woodland update, and top tips to keep a cool head in these unprecedented times.
Young scientists shine at Big Science Event summer finals
Tuesday 12th July 2022
The sun shone for the finals of our Big Science Event 2022 this week. Held at the Science Oxford Centre in Headington on 11th & 12th July, children from 24 primary schools across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire were competing in this year’s grand final – a competition to find the county’s most engaging and experimental young scientists.
Summer of Science – hands-on family fun with Science Oxford
Thursday 7th July 2022
Summer is here and we’re looking forward to a jam-packed programme of hands-on science! Our popular Summer Science Camps are back at the Science Oxford Centre during the holidays, for children age 6-9 (August 15-19) and 9-12 (August 22-26). Our week long camps run from 9am – 3.30pm and are designed by our skilled staff for children who love science and want […]
Teachers inspired at the Primary Science Conference
Monday 4th July 2022
The Science Oxford Centre was filled with primary teachers from across the Oxfordshire and Reading areas on Monday 4th July for the annual Primary Science Conference – the first full day in-person conference since before the pandemic.
Catapulting careers in STEM – meet our placement student
Wednesday 11th May 2022
If you’re considering a career in STEM, there’s a world of opportunity waiting! Earlier this year we were delighted to welcome a PhD student from Sheffield University, Ruth Thomas, who joined us for her Professional Internship placement. Ruth explored her interests in science outreach and communication with our thriving education and engagement programmes at the […]
A not completely alive Live Lab session
Tuesday 10th May 2022
If you visit the Science Oxford Centre for a Family Day this summer, you just might see something unusual. Our pop up ‘Live Lab’ is an interactive space where families get to meet a scientist, student or researcher – or one of our expert team.
String, the super-weird and the story of life – children inspired by ‘Extinct’ tales
Thursday 14th April 2022
School children from Oxfordshire were inspired by string, the super-weird and stories of life at a recent ‘Extinct’ talk with scientist and TV presenter Professor Ben Garrod, for Oxford Literary Festival. The Prof’s ‘Extinct’ book series examines the world’s mass extinctions from the point of view of creatures living at the time, and describes science as a […]
Woodland springs to life at the Science Oxford Centre
Tuesday 15th March 2022
Earlier this March, we caught up with our Outdoor Ecology and Education Manager, Dr Roger Baker, to find out what’s springing up in the woodland and grounds around the Science Oxford Centre… Sensing Spring: It’s finally that wonderful time of year when we herald the start of the spring. Although it’s been far from extreme, the […]
British Science Week – back with a bang!
Tuesday 8th March 2022
With British Science Week (BSW) just around the corner, we’re excited to be engaging with so many schools and families. British Science Week is a ten-day national celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths that will take place between 11-20 March 2022. This year, the theme is ‘Growth’, which is apt as our BSW programme has […]
Centre awarded Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge
Tuesday 22nd February 2022
We are thrilled to announce our Science Oxford Centre was recently re-awarded the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom’s Quality Badge, a seal of approval that shows to schools that our primary education programme is of a high standard. The Quality Badge certificate was first awarded in 2019 after the Centre opening and reflects our […]
Do Look Up! Book our amazing planetarium show for your school
Monday 14th February 2022
The Science Oxford outreach team are enjoying taking our new inflatable planetarium dome to primary schools across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire this term. It’s an exciting time for science, with images of the sunset on Mars, rockets launching into space and the NASA’s James Webb Telescope mission to ‘unfold the universe’ a million miles away from […]
Celebrating young scientists of tomorrow
Monday 13th December 2021
Celebrating the science stars of tomorrow! As The Oxford Trust (our parent charity) announced recipients of their Covid Innovation Heroes Awards 2021 – where scientists and organisations were recognised for their contribution in the crisis, part of the High Sheriff of Oxfordshire’s Covid Heroes programme – Science Oxford were also delighted to invite exceptional students from Oxfordshire […]
Sir Martin Wood – engineer, philanthropist, and conservationist (1927-2021)
Wednesday 24th November 2021
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our patron and founder, Sir Martin Wood (1927-2021). A joint statement by sister charities: Earth Trust, The Oxford Trust and Sylva Foundation. Sir Martin and Lady Wood together founded our three sister charities. Each of us has a distinctive vocation, voice and vision, yet […]
Children reach for the Stars with Dr Maggie’s Space tour!
Monday 15th November 2021
“She encourages you to reach for the stars…” Local school children were ‘over the moon’ to watch a Grand Tour of the Solar System with Space scientist and BBC The Sky at Night presenter, Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock for the Oxford Literary Festival (OLF). Eight Year 5 pupils from St Andrews school in Cowley, Oxford and […]
Give a little love to our woodland and world at the Science Oxford Centre
Tuesday 9th November 2021
On Science and Innovation Day at #COP26, climate change and our environment are at the forefront of our minds as we check in with our Outdoor Education and Ecology Manager, Dr Roger Baker, for news on our 15 acre woodland at the Science Oxford Centre in Headington. Read on to find out about National Tree Week, the […]
Climate of change – students look to the future for STEM Insight Week
Thursday 4th November 2021
During an unseasonably warm October and the build up to COP26 – the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow – we were excited to welcome an enthusiastic group of young people to our Climate Change themed STEM Insight Week. Secondary school students from the region took part in free talks and tours over half term, showcasing companies at the […]
Inspiring change at the Science Oxford Centre
Monday 27th September 2021
Science Oxford is delighted to have taken part in ‘Project Inspire’ with the Association of Science and Discovery Centres‘ (ASDC) this spring and summer and inspired change in our Centre! In March of this year, we were lucky enough to be chosen as one of eight UK Science Centres awarded a grant of £15,000, to […]
Following the science – our new STEM Careers Programme launches this autumn
Thursday 23rd September 2021
Issues important to young people are constantly in the news, from ‘following the science’ during the pandemic to the New Space Race, climate change and the global energy crisis. That’s why our STEM Careers Programme strives to fire up secondary school students’ enthusiasm with topical themes and activities that inspire and engage. Our regular programmes return for this academic year with a mix of virtual […]
Summer woodland delights at the Science Oxford Centre
Wednesday 11th August 2021
Enjoying the outdoors this summer? We were delighted to finally welcome back visitors to our Centre this season, where we are lucky enough to have 15 acres of woodlands, grassland and ponds to explore. The Science Oxford Centre is the only indoor-outdoor science centre for children and families in the UK, and we love seeing people […]
Abingdon’s ATOM Festival science challenge weekend
Thursday 10th June 2021
We’re delighted to take part in the ATOM Festival of Science and Technology interactive event in Abingdon this weekend (June 11-13). All are welcome to get involved, engage with science and enjoy the sunshine! The #ATOM2021 Sci Cache Challenge is a free outdoor event, where you can find a network of signs around the town, […]
The science of gardening – top tips for National Gardening Week
Monday 26th April 2021
As spring arrives, we’re championing the great outdoors for National Gardening Week – the UK’s biggest annual celebration of gardening, organised by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) 26th April – 2nd May. We’ve all appreciated our green spaces during lockdown, and new research from an RHS study announced this week shows that gardening just two to […]
Science Oxford receives Project Inspire grant for digital engagement
Friday 12th March 2021
Science Oxford is delighted to announce successful funding from the UK Association for Science and Discovery Centres (ASDC) for their Project Inspire: Digital Engagement and Innovation Programme. The project is in collaboration with the Inspiring Science Fund, a partnership between UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Wellcome. Science Oxford is one of eight UK Science […]
Oxford Trust life science lab in Headington gets funding
Wednesday 10th March 2021
Funding is in place for a new half million-pound life sciences centre in the city, creating 100 jobs – in the Oxford Mail.
Big data, little data: insight into STEM Careers
Wednesday 3rd March 2021
As we celebrate National Careers Week, a UK initiative to empower and inform students about the world of work, we highlight Science Oxford’s STEM Careers Programme — designed to inspire young people considering a career in science, technology, engineering and maths. Our virtual STEM Insight Week took place during February half-term, where we introduced 22 […]
Nest Generation: celebrating National Nest Box Week at Science Oxford
Wednesday 10th February 2021
Britain’s wildlife is close to all our hearts, especially at the moment during lockdown. To celebrate National Nest Box Week – starting on 14th February, we take a look at our nest box programme in the woodland surrounding our Science Oxford Centre and see what families can do to get involved at home. Why celebrate […]
Science Oxford – year in review and hope for 2021
Wednesday 13th January 2021
What a year! 2020 started with our programmes in full swing – our new Science Oxford Centre was booked with school visits until July, our public family days were continually sold out and the outreach team were busy running activities in local schools. As with many other organisations across the country, we had to suspend […]
Branching out: celebrating National Tree Week at the Science Oxford Centre
Tuesday 24th November 2020
Planting trees seems more important than ever under the current circumstances – a chance to create positive change. This year we have been funded by the Tree Council Branching Out Fund to plant 25 trees in the 15-acre woodland surrounding our Science Oxford Centre in Headington. These will be dug in by a group of […]
Celebrating 30 years of science magic
Tuesday 15th September 2020
This October we mark the 30-year anniversary of CuriOXity, our very first science centre, which opened to the public in the Old Fire Station, George Street in 1990. To celebrate three decades of science magic, families are invited to join us for a special Family Open Day at the Science Oxford Centre on Saturday 3rd October. […]
Science Oxford contest challenges children to experiment
Tuesday 28th July 2020
Big Science Event at Home winners in the Oxford Mail
STEM Club Workshops
Wednesday 22nd July 2020
As part of a national programme supported by the Gatsby Foundation, Science Oxford is delighted to be working with Oxfordshire Science Learning Partnership to deliver free workshops for science teachers to grow STEM Club provision in state-maintained secondary schools. The workshops will offer guidance and support for teachers to start new, or improve existing, STEM […]
Experiment with Kitchen Science
Wednesday 24th June 2020
Have you’ve been inspired by our Big Science Event at home? Are you’re looking for investigation ideas for all the family? How about some fun kitchen science? From baking cakes to melting chocolate, our Science Oxford furloughed team have kept busy with projects at home. Head of all things tech, our Technology Projects Officer Sarah […]