A busy museum gallery filled with people looking at boards and displays for the Edinburgh Science Festival
Event

Edinburgh Science Festival 2025

Daily from 5 Apr - 20 Apr, 10:00 - 17:00

National Museum of Scotland

All pricing and booking through Science Festival website

About Edinburgh Science Festival 2025

Join us as we host two weeks of science-fuelled exploration, from free interactive exhibits to family workshops and adult talks and events. 

The 2025 Edinburgh Science Festival will explore the challenges of living on a planet with finite resources, through the lenses of science fiction and space exploration. 

Spaceship Earth installation

Date: 5 - 20 Apr, free admission

This year the Grand Gallery will host Spaceship Earth, an installation exploring of the challenge of living on a planet with finite resources.

Explore finite aspects of life including food, water, energy and waste through LEGO, games and interactives. 

Drop-In Science with the University of Edinburgh

Date: Mon 7 - Thu 10 and Mon 14 - Thu 18 Apr, 10:30 - 16:30

Admission: Free drop-in

Location: Learning Centre

Take part in amazing drop-in science sessions with staff and students from the University of Edinburgh. Get hands-on with experiments from maths to medicine. 

Bookable shows, talks and workshops

The museum will also be host to many bookable events for families and adults, including: 

  • Family shows, from the Ultimate Bubble Show to Mission Bake
  • Children’s workshops, from Crystal Explorers to Code Your Own Mars Mission
  • A huge range of adult talks, discussions, and films

Accessibility and facilities

We want everyone who comes to our museums to enjoy their time with us and make the most of their visit. 

Museum entrances

There is level access to the museum via the main doors to the Entrance Hall on Chambers Street, the Tower entrance at the corner of Chambers Street and George IV Bridge, and the Lothian Street entrance.

Lifts

Lifts are available to all floors of the museum. 

Toilets

There are toilets on most levels of the museum, including accessible toilets and baby changing facilities. There is a Changing Places (U) toilet in the Entrance Hall on Level 0. 

Borrow a wheelchair

Wheelchairs are available for loan at no charge. Please note wheelchairs cannot be booked in advance. On arrival, ask about availability at the Information Desk. 

Small mobility scooters are permitted inside the museum.

Assistance dogs

Guide dogs, hearing dogs and other recognised assistance dogs are admitted. 

Induction loops and hearing helpers

Induction loops

There are induction loops throughout the museum. They can be found at: 

• Information desks at the Main Entrance and Tower Entrance
• The Auditorium
• The Dunfermline Room lecture theatre

Hearing helpers

If you are here for a workshop, staff leading them are happy to wear microphones provided.

We also have a set of hearing helpers which staff can use during a session.

Visit our accessibility page for general access information for the National Museum of Scotland. 

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