Your themed guide to Norwich Science Festival 2026

It’s nearly time! Norwich Science Festival is just around the corner, and we can’t wait to be back, taking over the city with our epic 2026 programme.  

Join us from Saturday 14–Saturday 21 February 2026, during February half term, as we celebrate our milestone 10^th anniversary, with over 200 events across the week.  

To help you plan your Festival visit, we’ve grouped this year’s bumper programme into themes - making it even easier to find events that match your interests, or inspire you to try something new! 

Science on the page

If books are your bag, these author-led events are not to be missed. Discover how we can talk about mental health across generations with best-selling author Christie Watson and her daughter Rowan Egberongbe in No Filters: Communication and Connection (Wed 18 Feb, 7pm, National Centre for Writing).

What happens when a novelist and a biologist team up to tackle the question of immortality? In Who Wants to Live Forever? (Thu 19 Feb, 7pm, National Centre for Writing), we’ll explore alternate realities and the blurred lines between fact and fiction.

Inspired by her new book, The Age of Diagnosis with Suzanne O'Sullivan (Mon 16 Feb, 7.30pm) explores sickness, health and medical culture in what's set to be an unmissable night at Norwich Arts Centre. Neuroscientist Professor Michael Hornberger draws from his book Tangled Up in our lunchtime session Science of Self: The Science and History of Alzheimer's Disease (Thu 19 Feb, 1pm, Norwich University of the Arts). Dr Jack Mosley joins us at the Festival for the first time with Food Noise - an eye-opening exploration of the rise of weight loss drugs (Sat 21 Feb, 1.30pm, The Forum).

Our younger visitors also have the chance to meet inspiring authors, with bookish workshops, a pick-your-own-path evolutionary adventure and the unlikely story of life on Earth.

Health, Medicine and the Human Body

Explore the science that shapes our bodies, minds and lives with our health-themed events. Join conversations with leading experts on the future of women's healthcare in Reimagining Women's Health (Sat 14 Feb, 10.30am, The Forum), and discover how micronutrients can have a big impact on health in Hidden Hunger (Mon 16 Feb, 3pm, The Forum).

Award-winning graphic novelists Dr Nicola Streeten and Dr Ian Williams reveal the surprising role comics play in healthcare in Science of Self: Graphic Medicine (Tue 17 Feb, 1pm, Norwich University of the Arts). Norwich University of the Arts and cancer charity Big C join forces for a thought-provoking talk on how game design can support young people through health treatments in Making Games About Tricky Topics (Thu 19 Feb, 3pm, The Forum).

A familiar face at the Festival, biologist and comedian Simon Watt asks the big questions as he delves into the surprising science behind immortality - and what the alternatives might be - in Why We Die (Fri 20 Feb, 3pm, The Forum). Get ready to step in the world of medicinal innovation with brain injury survivor, James Peircy. He'll be showcasing cutting-edge devices and life-changing new solutions in Medtech on the Brain (Fri 20 Feb, 6pm, The Forum).

Building the Future: Technology and Engineering 

What does the future look like when science leads the way? This theme brings together innovation, engineering and design to explore how we can build a world that works for both people and planet.

Science Careers 

Thinking about a career in science, or just curious about where STEMM skills can take you? These sessions offer insight, inspiration and practical advice from experts working at the forefront of their fields.

The science of food

Discover how science shapes flavour, fermentation and nutrition in surprising ways with these hands-on experiences. Over 18s can join the award-winning Oichi team for a favour-packed evening of Kombucha and Cheese tasting at Yalm Foodhall (Sun 15 Feb, 6.30pm).

For families, get ready for high tea like never before as our popular Tea With a Twist, returns for 2026! Discover the fascinating science behind how we taste, experience, and choose our food, all while enjoying a selection of mouth-watering treats (Thu 19 Feb, 2pm, MIND Rest Café).

Live experiments and explosive demos

Head on over to Sir Isaac Newton to experiment and investigate in our immersive children's workshops! Little scientists can get hands-on as they build electric circuits in Light up the City!, step into a world of colour in Making Rainbows, or solve the muddy mystery in Farm Detectives: The Potato Plot! (Mon 16-Sat 21 Feb).

Plus, we're truly bringing science to life with these fast-paced family shows. Get ready for sparks and surprises, with live experiments, explosive demos and plenty of audience participation! 

Nature and our changing planet

Explore the living world - from bugs and dinosaurs to icebergs and ecosystems! Discover the small actions that make a big difference for nature, with the help of some cheeky animal friends, in the spectacular puppet show The Zoo That Comes To You (Sun 15 Feb, 11am & 2pm, Norwich Theatre). Uncover evolutionary oddities at The Ugly Animal Roadshow (Fri 20 Feb, 11am, The Forum) and meet real animals up close in The Environmental Time Machine Show (Sat 21 Feb, 12pm, Norwich Theatre).

Sci-fi and space travel

Blast off into space as we decipher the science behind science fiction, and the fiction inspired by real science!  

Question the future of AI with Robots: Your New Best Friend? (Sat 14 Feb, 3pm, The Forum) or dance among the stars at Groove Baby: Groove on the Moon (Mon 16 Feb, 11am & 1.30pm, Norwich Theatre).

Late night science

Whilst we love inspiring the future generation of scientists, Norwich Science Festival isn’t just for kids. Gather your friends, plan a date night or make an evening of it as you visit the Festival after dark, with fun and thought-provoking events designed especially for adult audiences.

Whatever your interests - books or bugs, AI or animal conservation - Norwich Science Festival 2026 is your invitation to discover something new. You can browse the full programme via the button below or check out the what's-on page to start planning your Festival visit!

We'll see you there!