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 at the new ‘Animate Science’ activity, from astronauts exploring space to dinosaurs in a Jurassic world. Look out for our Live Lab*, with themed family activities in the Exploration Zone. Book ahead for monthly Pop Up Planetarium family shows (over 3s only) in our inflatable science dome!
With 15 acres of woodland and ponds, there’s plenty to explore outside too. Pick up an Explorer Backpack and trail map and see what wildlife you can spot.
*Make a splash at the Water Lab April – October, or experiment at the pop-up Live Lab on Saturdays October – March.
Session Times:
10am – 12pm
12.30pm – 2.30pm
3pm – 5pm*
Suitable for ages 3+ (all welcome)
Under 3s free.
*Please note on Saturday 10th January, we are running two sessions: 10am – 12pm and 12:30pm – 2:30pm.
Tickets
£8.50 per person (includes Eventbrite fee)
Pre-booking essential.
All visitors to the Centre require a ticket including adults and children, but free tickets are available for Under 3s and Carers.
See below in ‘Additional Support’ for Carers information, or ‘FAQ Carer Ticket’ on our Centre Visiting page.
Maximum size of a Family Day order is 10x tickets. For orders above 10, please contact us to enquire about a Group Booking.
Woodland access all day (1oam-5pm).
Please note on Saturday 10th January, the Woodland can be accessed from 10am to 3pm.
Book:
- Two-hour timeslot in the Exploration Zone
- Access to the woodland and outdoor areas from 10am–5pm (last entry 4.30pm) (Please note on Saturday 10th January, you can access the woodland from 10am to 3pm)
- Access to outdoor Water Lab from April – October (change of clothes recommended)
- Parking (limited availability, see below for details)
What’s not included:
Please note: Over the festive period, ‘Harry’s Tipsy Mare’ horse box style food outlet will be serving our Family Days from 10am-4pm on Saturdays 27 December and 3 January and from 10am to 3pm on Saturday 10 January offering hot and cold drinks, sandwiches, snacks and cakes. Families are welcome to bring food and refreshments too.
Visitor Information & FAQs, Centre floorplan and virtual tour.
Food and drink: Emira’s Kitchen the visitor café at the Science Oxford Centre is open on Saturdays from 10am-4pm, serving hot and cold drinks, snacks and rolls. Visitors are also welcome to bring their own refreshments and picnics to eat at our indoor or outdoor lunch tables. Everyone must have a ticket.
Bike Parking: This is available on site
Car Parking: Parking only available at weekends on a first come first serve basis*.
Limited spaces, please see here for information on alternative parking and how to get here.
Contact us on [email protected] if you require parking for accessibility reasons.
Our skilled staff ensure that every child can access the activities and differentiate to engage all children. If your child has specific additional needs, please get in touch via [email protected] to discuss how they can be best supported. See our Accessible Resources.
One carer is permitted free entry when accompanying your cared for person. To book your free carer ticket, select from the ‘Add On’ option in Eventbrite when prompted at check out. Select one ticket per cared for person that is attending.
These are applicable for our Family Days and 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
Visit the Science Oxford Centre for our Sensory-Friendly Family Day, designed to better accommodate and support families who experience autism and/or have other additional needs, or those who prefer a reduced capacity visit. During this visit, we please ask that everyone respects the space and needs of others, so that everyone can enjoy their time in a way that is comfortable for them.
Our next Sensory-friendly Family Day: Saturday 31 January 2026 (including a pop-up Planetarium Show). Book ahead.
What we do to support you during your visit:
- A reduced number of tickets gives everyone more space.
- Loud exhibits are signposted.
- Hand-dryers are switched off and replaced with hand towels.
- Ear defenders are available on request.
- Lighting is switched to a dimmer setting.
- A display will show clearly how much time is remaining in your session.
During your visit, we please ask that everyone respects the space and needs of others, so that everyone can enjoy their time at the Science Oxford Centre in a way that is comfortable for them. If you require use of a quiet space during your visit, please ask a member of staff for assistance.
Before your visit, we recommend viewing or downloading our Family Day Visit – Visual Story, to help familiarise you and your family with the site ahead of your arrival.
You can also find our virtual 360 tour and other accessible resources here.
Children can try out mini experiments and hands-on activities themed from real world scientific research.
December – Seeing Differently: Look at different types of visual impairment with a range of special glasses. Can you still read an eye chart, unlock a box, find an object or make a cup of tea?
2026
January – Palaeo Puzzle: Dig into palaeontology! Unearth fossils on loan from the Oxford University Museum of Natural History (OUMNH) with fun, hands-on family activities to learn about Oxfordshire fossils.
February – Mealworm Lifecycles: Discover more about the lifecycle of mealworms, often a tasty snack for birds and wildlife!
March – Red Cabbage Indicators: Find out more about these special chemical ‘detectives’. Make your own indicator and use it to test and experiment with a range of household products.
Discover the scale of the universe in an out-of-this-world planetarium show that will transport you to space! Explore planets, stars, our galaxy, and beyond in this immersive experience inside our inflatable science dome.
Next Planetarium date:
31 January 2026: Sensory-friendly Family Day.
Strictly limited places available – pre-booking essential. Admission to the planetarium show requires both a Family Day Ticket and a £3 Planetarium Ticket for each person.
Each 30-minute session includes the show, a brief Q&A, and time to enter and exit the planetarium.
Children must be accompanied by an adult. No entry for under 3s.
Show times:
Please queue 10 minutes before your planetarium show time.
11:45AM – 12:15PM
13:00PM – 13:30PM
14:00PM – 14:30PM
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/mat. Please contact us with any accessibility enquiries: [email protected].
Planetarium Visual Guide here.
Contact
Visiting information: Science Oxford Centre visiting information and FAQs here.
Email [email protected] for all event booking and visiting queries. Please allow 24-48 hours for a response, possibly longer over a weekend.
If you have an urgent query or require immediate assistance, please speak to a member of the team on 01865 810000 Monday – Saturday during office hours.
Ticket booking: For information on our refund policy and event terms and conditions visit here. For events scheduled from January 2026, tickets are refundable up to 48 hours.
Ticket transfer changes:
For events scheduled until December 2025: if you cannot attend, you can request a refund or transfer your ticket via Eventbrite to another comparable event up to December 2025 only.
For events scheduled after January 2026: self-transfers will not be available.
Group Booking – contact us for group booking enquiries.
Venue
Science Oxford Centre
Quarry Rd, Headington, Oxford, OX3 8SB
Due to the ongoing site improvement works, you may notice some changes to the area immediately outside the centre and access to the woodland and trails.
There are temporary diversions in place directing parking (please use all available bays). There is also unrestricted free parking available on Quarry Road on Saturdays, plus limited 2-hour (and 3-hour) bays.
Visitor Café works
Our usual visitor café is closed for refurbishment to create a bigger kitchen and covered outdoor space, re-opening in January 2026.
If you have any queries, please contact us via [email protected] or 01865 810000. Thank you for your patience and understanding while we complete these necessary improvements.
