Family shows to look out for at Norwich Science Festival 2027

We know 2027 might seem a little way off, but it's never too early to start making plans!

Norwich Science Festival returns from Saturday 13–Saturday 20 February 2027, and we've got some epic family shows on the line up.

Our family events are always hugely popular, with most selling out, so we thought we'd give you a sneak peek at some of the shows to look out for ahead of the full programme launch later this month!

Whether your family loves space, dinosaurs, animals or some spectacular science, there are plenty of events to start adding to your February half term wish list.

The full Norwich Science Festival programme will be revealed, and tickets go on sale, on Thursday 26 November 2026.

Explorer Dome

Saturday 13–Wednesday 17 February | Various times | Tickets £8

Explore the wonders of space or take a journey inside the human body with Explorer Dome! This immersive inflatable planetarium brings science to life with spectacular projections and interactive shows the whole family will enjoy. Choose from The Wonder of Space, exploring galaxies, stars and our solar system, or Disgusting Digestion, discovering the fascinating world inside our bodies. Dedicated SEND shows also take place every day.

Venue: School Refectory, Norwich School

Animal Top Trumps

Saturday 13 February | 10am–11am | Tickets £10

It's time for another round of Animal Top Trumps! Festival Patrons and science frenemies Prof Ben Garrod and Dr Jess French go head-to-head in an epic battle of the animal kingdom. Who has the best animal facts, the most impressive creatures and the winning hand? You get to decide!

Venue: The Blake Studio, Norwich School

The Curiosity Games with Maddie Moate

Sunday 14 February | 11am–11.45am and 2pm–2.45pm | Tickets £16

Ready, set… get curious! BAFTA-winning children's TV presenter and YouTube star Maddie Moate returns to Norwich Science Festival with her very own game show. Expect quizzes, challenges and unexpected surprises, all with a curious science twist. Are you and your family ready to take on The Curiosity Games?

Venue: Norwich Theatre Playhouse

The Big Maths Gameshow

Sunday 14 February | 2pm–3pm | Tickets £6

Prefer your game shows with a maths twist? Join maths communicator Kyle D Evans for a family show packed with interactive fun, surprising facts and some pretty mind-blowing maths. Whether you're a mathsphile or mathsphobe, you could make it all the way to the final and scoop the grand prize!

Venue: The Blake Studio, Norwich School

The No-Brainer Brain Explainer

Monday 15 February | 1pm–1.25pm and 3pm–3.25pm | Tickets £4

Travelling all the way from sunny Margate, Crab Museum's Bertie Terrilliams and Brian the brain puppet will be showing us the weird and wonderful world of animal intelligence. Meet some of nature's gnarliest noggins and find out why a little silliness might actually be one of evolution's smartest tricks!

Venue: The Blake Studio, Norwich School

Dino Duel

Tuesday 16 February | 11am–12pm and 2pm–3pm | Tickets £12.50

That’s right, it's back! Dinomania Ranger Chris and Festival Patron Prof Ben Garrod are returning for the ultimate dinosaur showdown - and we promise you, it’s not one to miss! With life-sized walking dinosaurs, state-of-the-art animatronics and jaw-dropping fossils, this is your chance to get up close to some of the most incredible creatures ever to roam the Earth.

Venue: Epic Studios

Spectacular Science

Friday 19 February | 12pm–1pm | Tickets £14

Festival Patron Mark Thompson is back with a brand-new Spectacular Science show for 2027! Fun for the whole family, get ready to explore the strange and magical properties of matter, with elephants' toothpaste, vortex-generating dustbins and even howling jelly babies!

Venue: Norwich Theatre Playhouse

Animal Dissection Live

Saturday 20 February | 10am–11.30am and 12.30pm–2pm | Free (booking essential)

Join Prof Ben Garrod and Dr Jess French (and their incredible team!) for a fascinating live dissection. You'll get the chance discover the incredible anatomy of an animal and find out what its body can tell us about our own.

One of our most popular Festival events, Animal Dissection Live returns in a new, more in-depth format next February, taking place at our Principal Partner, the University of East Anglia.

Please note: the animal died of natural causes and was donated for educational purposes.

Venue: Lecture Theatre 1, University of East Anglia

Get ready to book!

Spotted something the family would love? The full Norwich Science Festival 2027 programme will be revealed on Thursday 26 November 2026, when tickets go on sale.

With family shows always proving popular, we'd recommend being ready to book your favourites!

If you can’t wait until then, don’t forget that a handful of early-release events are already on sale, including shows, talks and workshops co-programmed with Norwich Theatre and National Centre for Writing. Explore the line up below.