Yes – The woodland and outdoor areas are open from 10am-5pm, and it is only the indoor activity rooms that have time-restricted access (ie 2-hours in the Exploration Zone for Family Day visitors, or 90-minutes in the Classroom for Club visitors). You can visit the outdoor areas before and/or after your indoor session.

There are two outdoor paths leading out from centre, one to the ponds and the other to the woodland. These paths are quite rocky but can be accessed via wheelchairs and pushchairs. There is decking around the pond area and visitors can easily reach the woodland amphitheatre, however the trails reaching deeper into the woodland are not suitable for buggies or wheelchairs.

Yes – Families can bring food and drink to enjoy at our indoor or outdoor lunch tables, or to picnic on the grass (please take all rubbish with you or place it in a bin when you leave).

Parking is only available on-site at weekends, on a first-come, first-serve basis. There is also limited 2-hour (and 3-hour) free parking available on Quarry Road.

Yes. If coming on a weekday, please book ahead by calling 01865 810000 or emailing [email protected].

Yes, Emira’s Kitchen café is open on Saturdays 10am – 4pm to visitors to our Family Days and STEM Clubs only.

For Family Days – Yes, all visitors require a ticket, and under-3s are included in our capacity limits. Please select the free ‘Under-3 Ticket’ at checkout.

For Clubs – Clubs are not generally suitable for Under 3s, but please also check the event information and get in touch via [email protected] if childcare is an issue.

For Family Days, all adults need their own ticket.

For Clubs, adults are included in the cost of the club ticket.

Family Days:
One carer is permitted free entry when accompanying your cared for person when you buy a family day or sensory friendly family day ticket.
If you require a carer ticket, please enter the promo code ‘carer-admission’ when prompted at check out and click apply. Select one ticket per cared for person that is attending. You will need to complete this transaction before completing a separate transaction to book the full price tickets for any additional attendees.

We may ask to see one of the following documents on arrival:

• A Gateway Card, Max Card or Access Card
• A Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance award letter
• Personal Independence Payment letter
• A letter from your GP or consultant confirming the need for a carer, personal assistant, or essential companion
• Your Blue Badge or a photocopy or scan of your Blue Badge
• A Carer’s Allowance Letter of Award
• Carer ID letter or card from your local authority

If you would like to access the Family Day, and you don’t have any of these documents or have any questions, please contact [email protected] and we can work with you individually.

Other actvities:

If you are attending a Saturday STEM Club or Home Educator Day and require a carer ticket, please email [email protected] to enquire.

Yes, children must always be accompanied by at least one adult. We occasionally run unaccompanied club activities during the holidays, but please check the event information for details.

We currently offer quarterly ‘Sensory-friendly Family Days’, which offer a reduced capacity and calmer visiting environment for those who would benefit. Please check our What’s On page for upcoming events.

If you miss your timeslot, we cannot necessarily accommodate you in a later session, as we have specific capacities for all events. All tickets need to be booked in advance.

If urgent, you can call us on the day on 01865 810 000 or email us at [email protected]

Yes, we offer two group booking options during Saturday Family Days (for birthday parties or community groups). Please download our Group Booking Package document here.

Alternatively, if you are interested in visiting as a home educator, we welcome home educator groups in a mid-week format similar to school class visits – please see here for information.