Where Listening Begins

Where Listening Begins is running at the Aberdeen Science Centre from Saturday 17 October to Sunday 1 November, as part of soundfestival 2026. It's an interactive exhibition that looks at the science behind our ears and how we listen, and it's billed as a family-friendly installation, so it's as much for kids as it is for adults.

It sits within soundfestival, which is one of Europe's leading celebrations of new music. This year's edition is co-curated by composer and conductor Pete Stollery and run by festival director Fiona Robertson, with Creative Scotland's head of music Alan Morrison as a patron. The festival brings new commissions and world premieres to the region, pairing international new-music ensembles with local talent and Scottish writers. This edition also ventures into new spaces, with sound walks and street performances alongside the traditional venues.

While the festival as a whole is about new music, Where Listening Begins is the part you can walk through at your own pace. It's an installation rather than a performance, so you're not sitting in a seat watching a stage; you're moving through it and interacting with what's there. It's open from 10am to 4.30pm throughout its run, and it's included with your admission to the Science Centre, so you can make it part of a wider day out.

If you're heading in, the Science Centre is in the city centre, and the exhibition runs every day from the 17th of October through to the 1st of November, 10am to 4.30pm.