A Guide to The Explorium!

The countdown is officially on! With just one week to go until Norwich Science Festival, we cannot wait to be back taking over the city with another unforgettable celebration of all things science.  

We're hosting eight days of epic discoveries, hands-on experiences, and inspiring talks for the young, and young at heart! 

Whether you’re big into animals or astronomy, we've got something to spark your curiosity with a full programme of events from Saturday 15–Saturday 22 February 2025. 

This way to The Explorium! 

No trip to Norwich Science Festival is complete without a visit to The Explorium!  

Located in The Forum's Atrium and an outdoor heated marquee on Millennium Plain, The Explorium is the very heart of Norwich Science Festival, and open for visitors to explore for free throughout the week (Sat 15–Sat 22 Feb, 10am–4pm). 

They’ll be new activities and changing exhibitors to discover each day as kids and grown-ups alike can get stuck into some hands-on science!  

Brand new for 2025 – Explorium Zones! 

This year, The Explorium is back with a brand-new look, and will be divided into three interactive zones: 

Create

Embrace your creativity and explore the many connections between science and the arts.  

Discover

How do planes take off? What exactly is an owl pellet? Discover the answers to all your scientific questions! 

Experiment

Take on the role of a scientist and have a go at a host of fantastic experiments, test, challenges and games.  

Explorium Exhibitors

With exhibitors and activities changing every day of the Festival, there’s always something new to discover! Why not take a flight in a simulator, learn how to programme drawing robots or try your hand at CPR?

Don’t miss: 

Sequence Analysis & Quadrum Institute - join the Raspberry Pi Jamwich event for kids and beginners. Experiment with coding Minecraft adventures, Lego creations, magical disappearing tricks, and more! (Sat 15 Feb) 

Zoological Society of East Anglia - discover the amazing world of animals with hands-on activities such as 'Whose Poo!', ‘Arachno-Anatomy’ and 'Terrific Teeth!', and add a scale to the Ssssssuper Snake (Sun 16 Feb). 

The Polar Museum, Scott Polar Research Institute - how do animals survive the harsh Arctic winters? Discover how to identify footprints, compare your hand to a polar paw and learn about these amazing animal adaptations (Mon 17 Feb). 

Royal Air Force - take to the skies in an F-35B Lightning virtual reality Flight Simulator! (Mon 17 & Tues 18 Feb) 

AVIVA - turn back the clock with some retro score-based games. Play Tetris and Donkey Kong and see if you can top the leader board! (Tue 18 Feb) 

East Anglian Air Ambulance - experiment with free CPR and AED training (Wed 19 & Thu 20 Feb). 

Boulby Underground Laboratory - take a VR tour and discover the world-leading science that goes on 1.1km underground (Thu 20 & Fri 21 Feb). 

Code.Club@WillowBrookGST - take part in the Intelino Engineuity Challenge as you use coding skills to control model railway engines (Sat 22 Feb).  

The Explorium Marquee

The hands-on science fun continues in The Explorium Marquee, outside The Forum on Millennium Plain! 

Norwich Science Festival is here for everyone and The Explorium Marquee will also play host to a series of SEND Sessions. Designed for a calmer, less busy experience, these sessions may particularly suit visitors who would benefit from a quiet sensory experience.  

Please note that pre-booking for SEND Sessions is essential. 

Animal Dissection Live

And finally, Festival favourite Animal Dissection Live is back!  

Taking place on the final day of the Festival in The Explorium Marquee, this live dissection offers a unique opportunity to learn about biology in action. Join Prof Ben Garrod and zoologist Dr Jess French as they reveal the fascinating inner workings of an animal (Sat 22 Feb, 11am–3pm).  

We're incredibly grateful to this year's sponsors for helping bring The Explorium to life!