Voyage of Discovery

Voyage of Discovery runs across Plymouth on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 September, from 15:00 to 18:00 both days. It's the University of Plymouth's Horizon Europe-funded European Researchers' Night programme, which the Public Engagement team is delivering across 2026 and 2027. Every September, European Researchers' Night happens simultaneously across Europe, connecting researchers with the public and making EU-funded science visible and relevant to everyday life. The idea is simple: you meet the people behind the discoveries and take part in hands-on activities.

This year's programme is spread across several venues in Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall. The Main Hall in Plymouth (PL4 8AA) is one of them, along with Market Hall Devonport, The Box, and Liskeard Library in Cornwall. The line-up of events includes an Antarctic dome, a look at smart cities, and research fairs, so there's a bit of everything to pick from rather than one single thing to see. It's a drop-in format, which means you can wander through the exhibitions at your own pace across the two afternoons.

Beyond the two public days, there's a sustained Researchers in Schools programme running throughout both years, taking the work into classrooms rather than just keeping it in the halls. The whole thing is free to attend, with no tickets needed for the exhibitions.

So, if you're around on the 25th and 26th, you've got two afternoons to drop in. It runs from 15:00 to 18:00 on both Friday and Saturday, with the Main Hall in Plymouth as one of the spots you can visit.