The Science and Industry Museum invites you to ‘unlock the power of play’ this February half-term

Running from Sat 10 to Sun 25 Feb, adventurous visitors of all ages are invited to unlock the power of play at the Science and Industry Museum, and discover the fun at the heart of innovation with an unmissable programme of special events, playful pop-ups, blockbuster world-premiere experiences and five decades of gaming magic.

Pick up a Play Passport and follow your curiosity to find pop-up activities across the museum. Set out on a Curiosity Quest and complete fun, hands-on challenges including scarf-weaving using techniques from Manchester’s original textile mills, and paper plane races with the expert Explainers.

Throughout the action-packed fortnight, visitors can meet a variety of scientists and innovators and learn about their captivating, cutting-edge research and inspirational inventions, or get involved with experiments which employ advanced materials to help build a clean, green future, before going head-to-head to discover the strongest chocolate bar with interactive sessions hosted by Discover Materials and the Henry Royce Institute.

For budding young scientists in search of their Eureka moment, a brand new interactive story station provides props and costumes for visitors to tell their own scientific stories and listen to others throughout the day, while The Rust Retreat offers the chance to relax and explore different ways to play with a gentle sensory experience inspired by the ongoing redevelopment of the museum, featuring wild native plants and fabrics dyed with materials connected to construction alongside a soundtrack by composer Peter Howell with the Radiophonic Workshop.

Running as usual during half-term and open daily until June, the immersive blockbuster experience Operation Ouch! Food, Poo and You invites visitors on a wonderfully unique and gleefully gross journey through the human digestive system. Beginning at the mouth, visitors travel through the body ‘as a poo’ with digital assistance from the BBC Children’s TV show presenters Dr. Chris, Dr. Xand and Dr. Ronx, as anatomical explorers enjoy a range of interactive activities and displays designed to illuminate the science of our inner ‘poo-duction’ line.

Featuring over a hundred consoles and fifty years of classic titles, the ultimate gaming experience Power Up invites children and grown-ups alike to enjoy the intergenerational wonder of video games, from nostalgic favourites like Pong and Pac-Man to latest-gen releases and virtual reality systems. A series of specially curated sections showcase Manchester as a growing epicentre of the global gaming industry, while BAFTA-winning games developed by young people celebrate the blossoming connection between science and play.

Book your free museum tickets here, and book your tickets to Operation Ouch! Food, Poo and You (£9 children, £10 adults) and Power Up (£6 children, £8 adults) with family discounts available.

Check out the Science and Industry Museum’s full half-term programme here.