Manchester Science Festival stages a mesmerising programme of family–friendly fun this October

Running from Fri 18 – Sun 27 Oct, Manchester Science Festival returns to the Science and Industry Museum with ten thrilling days of unrivalled family-friendly entertainment, from immersive exhibitions, creative activities and futuristic technology to engaging storytelling, colossal creatures and pop-up performances.

Located in the museum’s historic 1830 Warehouse, an assortment of Activity Zones allow curious kids to uncover the wonders of science with a wide array of pop-up activities and drop-in workshops for all ages.

Learn how to survive a volcanic eruption, find out about the journey towards net zero in aviation, see the groundbreaking Vollebak graphene jacket up close and discover what the National Graphene Institute’s laboratories are like with interactive activities. Elsewhere, you can explore the mental health benefits of drumming, build your own super-sized molecules and even experience life as a microbe as you travel through the human airways on a VR adventure.

Taking place across the festival, the spellbinding new installation State of Mind delves into the complex and far-reaching impact of smartphones, apps and other media technologies on our mood, behaviour and everyday lives. Using breathtaking light and sound innovations, pioneering technology artists Squidsoup have created an immersive, playful audiovisual experience in which visitors and sit, stand or walk around in a feast of sensory stimuli.

For younger visitors, the STEM-inspired BBC CBeebies Bedtime Stories offer a delightful diversion from the high-energy entertainment of the festival with a series of interstellar tales, read by CBeebies House presenters and a constellation of special guests. Numbers are limited, so register for tickets HERE.

In Colour and Emotion, the Young People’s Project from Pinc College unveil a specially curated interactive exhibit packed with activities, creative challenges and new artworks to explore how colours affect our memory, mood and behaviour.

On Sat 19 Oct, Brain Waves invites neuroscience nippers to uncover the strange relationship between our brains and bodies, as part of a free drop-in afternoon session where you can get up close with cutting-edge research, the secrets of science and cinema and test whether video gaming or physical exercise is better for mental function.

There’s also plenty of fun to discover elsewhere around the city. In the Arndale, the heart-stopping giant Arachnobot puppet will bring scientific wonder to Manchester’s shoppers with a towering eight-legged cable skeleton and inflatable skin, showcasing the extreme capabilities of large-scale kinetic creations across Sat 19 and Sun 20 Oct. There will also be an array of special spider science activities to get involved with throughout the weekend.

Over at Harpurhey Sure Start Children’s Centre, Maternal Instinct hosts an absorbing creative residency exploring the incredible science behind pregnancy, motherhood and mental health, alongside an installation from Manchester-based arts duo Malandra Jacks and Harpurhey support group Mindful Mums.

For more information on Manchester Science Festival’s family activities at the museum and beyond, click below.