EVENT

British Science Week 2026

Ten days of science across the UK. Theme: Change. Thousands of events in schools, museums, universities and community venues — most of them free.

See the highlights → Official site ↗

About the week

British Science Week has taken place annually since 1994. Run by the British Science Association, it is the UK's largest science engagement programme — in 2025 over 3 million people took part in events across all four nations.

The 2026 theme is "Change" — chosen to highlight how science both drives and responds to change: from climate adaptation and clean energy to medical breakthroughs like CRISPR gene therapy and engineered photosynthesis.

Programme highlights

DateEventTypeDetail
13 Mar Opening day National Schools and science centres across the UK open their events. Activity packs released.
14 Mar Pi Day Maths 3.14 — international celebration of mathematics. Schools run Pi recitation challenges.
15–16 Mar Weekend family days Public Science museums, zoos and universities host open labs and interactive demonstrations.
17 Mar Schools poster launch Schools Poster competition officially opens. Entries accepted online until 30 April.
18 Mar Citizen science day Public Coordinated national data-collection events: bird counts, water quality surveys, air pollution monitoring.
20–21 Mar University open labs Public University departments across the country open their research facilities to the public.
22 Mar Closing day National Final events and summary of the week's outreach and participation figures.

How to get involved

Schools — register on the British Science Association website to receive free activity packs (primary and secondary), themed around "Change". Enter the poster competition by 30 April.

Universities and research institutes — open lab days, public lectures and researcher visits to schools can be registered as official events via the BSA event portal.

Families and individuals — use the BSA event finder to locate free public events. Science museums, natural history museums and libraries typically run special programming across the weekend dates.

Preparing for science week? Our free guides cover the core topics students encounter in demonstrations — from acid-base chemistry to cell biology.

Questions about British Science Week

British Science Week is run by the British Science Association and takes place each March. It features thousands of events in schools, universities, museums and community venues across the UK. See the British Science Association website for official resources and activity packs.

Prepare with our free guides

Science Week demonstrations often cover acids, cells and reactions. Our guides give you the background you need.

Browse guides →