Family day at the Science Oxford Centre with The Cloud Factory show by Dr Sarah Bearchell and interactive exhibits in the Exploration Zone.
Science Oxford is hosting a Family Day on Saturday 17 October, with The Cloud Factory as the main feature. It's part of the IF Oxford science and ideas Festival, and it's designed for ages two and up, so it works for toddlers and older kids alike.
The show is by Dr Sarah Bearchell, an Oxfordshire-based science writer and presenter. She's won the 2014 Josh Award and the 2024 Beetlestone Award for her 'Inclusive Science' approach, and she describes The Cloud Factory as a multisensory, hands-on show that invites you to touch or taste a cloud. It's a good fit for the festival's focus on science and ideas, and it's built around getting people involved rather than just watching from a seat.
Around the show, there's plenty more to do. Inside the Exploration Zone, kids and adults can get stuck into interactive exhibits like the Air Table, a giant magnetic ball run, and the Curious Camera. Outside, the Water Lab lets you play with water flow, dams, and floating objects, and there are nature trails and woodland walks for wildlife spotting across 15 acres of woodland and ponds. The Centre itself is run by The Oxford Trust and is the UK's first indoor-outdoor learning primary-age science and discovery centre, so the whole day moves between the exhibits inside and the grounds outside.
Every week we pick 🏆 the 5 best 🏆 things to do in Oxford and send them to your inbox. Just one weekly email, no spam.
By submitting your email, you accept our Privacy Policy
There are three sessions to choose from: 10am–12pm, 12.30pm–2.30pm, and 3pm–5pm, and the woodland is open all day from 10am to 5pm, so you can fit in the show and the outdoor walks whenever suits you. Tickets are £9.50 per person, which includes the Eventbrite fee; under-threes go free, and there are free tickets for carers. The Science Oxford Centre is at Stansfeld Park, Quarry Road, Headington, OX3 8SB.
