Life Science Centre

We’re not like a museum where you’ll only find stuff in cases and be expected to look and not touch. At Life Science Centre, you’re encouraged to get stuck in: explore, create and have fun – whatever your age. Our friendly Science Explainers are always on-hand to answer questions – just look out for people wearing the Life-branded blue polo shirts.

Your science centre ticket gives you access to ALL of the daytime activities inside Life Science Centre (see below). There are no extra fees for blockbuster exhibitions or for entry to the planetarium, live theatre shows and the 4D Motion Ride. You won’t find any hidden charges here!

Explore Life's interactive Zones - experience neurological tests in the Brain Zone and let little ones discover the Young Explorers’ Zone.

Everything below is included in your Science Centre ticket

The planetarium

This is an immersive experience – once the lights are dimmed, the doors are shut and you’re sitting on one of the comfiest seats in the region, it’s easy to forget you’re still on planet Earth. We have shows that are tailored for different ages.

Live theatre shows

A changing programme of live theatre shows developed and performed in-house by our Science Explainers to explore a science topic with storytelling, demos and a bit of audience participation (not compulsory if you’re a wallflower).

4D Motion Ride

Watch a short 3D film with seats that move with the on-screen action – plus a variety of other special effects to add to the experience, including smells and fake snow. You have to be at least 1.2 metres in height to use the ride (for safety reasons).

Young Explorers’ Zone

This is a hands-on area designed to let children explore and create. There’s a little indoor garden with a tree house, a shop, a cafe, a kitchen – and even a recycling centre to teach children some good habits at an early age.

Brain Zone

Play memory games, step inside an optical illusion and (attempt to) interact with exhibits that require some mind over matter. Developed with the curriculum in mind, it's a fantastic resource for science students – particularly those on psychology courses.

Experiment Zone

Don a lab coat and try out some real science experiments. We provide the chemicals*, pipettes and conical flasks – you just need to bring your ‘A’ game for precise measurements and keen observations. (*Yes, real chemicals! Hence you must be 7+ to enter the lab.)

The Making Studios

In the Making Studios, a range of interactive exhibits from selfie booths to poetry robots will help you tap into your inner creativity, while the studio spaces provide an opportunity to try your hand at a variety of hands-on making activities.

What's On

Exhibitions

Exhibitions Zones Planetarium 4D Motion Ride Science Theatre Special Events

Game On 2.0

25 May 2019 - 4 September 2019 From Space Invaders to Sonic, Minecraft to Mario, Game On 2.0 is an exhibition on the past five decades of computer gaming.Explore the vibrant history, culture and future of gaming, entertainment and technology through more than 150 playable games. Retro aficionados can play on consoles from the 1970s with a dedicated arcade games section, including Pac-Man, Defender and Donkey Kong. Grab your friends, family and dance partners to have a go on multiplayer games such as Just Dance and Wii Sports Resorts. In the ‘Futures’ section, you can learn about the continuing development of gaming, including how virtual reality ...

Perfect for All ages Included in your science centre admission

Space Zone

Be inspired by the wonders of the Universe and how space exploration impacts our everyday lives. It’s easy to forget we live on a spinning rock that is whizzing through space. The new Space Zone brings space close to home: find out how we’re already using space technology in our everyday lives and discover how the future of space exploration is being shaped right here in the north east of England. Highlights include: Launch your own rocket. Climb inside a mock-up model of part of the International Space Station. Operate a Mars rover from mission control. Watch shows on ...

Perfect for 5+ Included in your science centre admission

Brain Zone

Explore what makes you 'you'. Find out how your brain works and how it controls so many of your body's functions – often without you even realising it. Play memory games, step into an optical illusion and (attempt to) interact with exhibits that require some mind over matter. Developed with the national curriculum in mind, the Brain Zone has much to offer psychology students, but it also offers broader science insights, such as how scientists carry out experiments when data is hard to capture. Don't miss: Sip of conflict – A drinking fountain disguised as ...

Perfect for all ages Included in your science centre admission

Curiosity Zone

There are no right or wrong answers, no instructions, no rule book. Just follow your instincts as you experiment with a range of exhibits, including spinning turntables, sound-based games and a ‘Bernoulli Blower’ that floats a beachball in mid-air – always popular with younger children! Ask yourself the kind of questions that a scientist would: “what happens if?”, “what can I see here?” and “why is that happening?”. All of the exhibits in Curiosity Zone can be used in a variety of different ways, so you choose what you want to explore. When you come back next time, ...

Perfect for all ages Included in your science centre admission

Experiment Zone

In the Experiment Zone YOU are the scientist! Ever wondered what it's like to be a real scientist? Find out in the Experiment Zone.Carry out practical experiments using real tools and materials.Work on your own, in a team, or enlist the help of a friendly Science Explainer.Meet real-life working scientists. See them at work and ask questions.Help in actual research projects taking place in the region's universities.Experiment Zone opening times Monday - Friday: 11.00am - 4.00pm (last entry 3.30pm) Saturday: 10.00am - 5.00pm (last entry 4.30pm)Sunday: 11.00am - 5.00pm (last entry 4.30pm)The Experiment Zone is for ages 7+, we restrict ...

Perfect for ages 7+ Included in your science centre admission

The Making Studios

We all have a creative side – you don’t have to be an artist to be creative and imagination has no age limit.In the Making Studios, a range of interactive exhibits from selfie booths* to poetry robots will help you tap into your inner creativity, while the studio spaces provide an opportunity to try your hand at a variety of hands-on making activities – covering everything from sewing and soldering, to cardboard construction and coding. Create your own summer (20 July - 3 September)Check out our schedule of making activities for the summer holidays below - time to ...

Perfect for All ages Included in your science centre admission

Young Explorers' Zone

Children learn through play – it’s how they make sense of the world. Our Young Explorers’ Zone for under-7s is designed to encourage open-ended play and to help children build their imagination and other key skills, whilst having fun! Activities include:Big blocks, which are just waiting to be crafted into something wonderful. Will your child design a rocket, a unicorn or something totally new?A sensory den, where smaller tots and babies can explore light, colours, shapes and sounds – tucked safely away from some of the more energetic play from older toddlers! A fresh take on soft play, with linkable pieces ...

Perfect for under 7s Included in your science centre admission

A View from Space

20 July 2019 - 18 October 2019 Discover what Earth looks from space in this family-friendly planetarium show.We know that sending satellites into space allows us to explore the cosmos and increase our understanding of the Universe. But did you that there are some satellites that look down on Earth?Such satellites give unprecedented detail of the surface of our planet; information from the sensors allow us to see changes over time, including the impact that humans have on our world, and even let us monitor groups of animals in remote locations.All images credited to NASA.

Perfect for Ages 7+ Included in your science centre admission

Naughty Monsters in the Sky

25 May 2019 - 22 May 2020 An exciting planetarium show for young children to explore a sky full of mysteries – are naughty monsters to blame?The sky is full of mysteries. Where does the Sun go at night? Why does the Moon change shape? Where do rainbows come from?Could it be naughty monsters playing tricks in the sky, or can we explain everything that we see with science? Find out in this exciting planetarium show for young children.

Perfect for under 7s Included in your science centre admission

Planetarium

Life is home to the North’s biggest and best planetarium.In our planetarium, the skies are darker, the stars are brighter, the planets are so clearly defined, it looks like you could reach out and touch them.Thanks to the most sophisticated digital technology available, you can:Experience the most immersive, absorbing journeys through space and the solar system.See stunning space films and visuals that you won’t see anywhere else in the region.Experience real-time Live Skies shows where you can find out what’s happening in space right now.Zoom through space and land on planets throughout our solar system.Journey through the stars and see ...

Perfect for All Ages Included in your science centre admission

4D Motion Ride

You can expect to be blasted with wind and smoke, and you'll even be able to smell the action, on Life's 4D Motion Ride experience! For safety reasons you have to be at least 1.2 metres in height to use the Motion Ride. There are plenty of other things to enjoy if you’re smaller - just ask a member of staff. Shows are on at various times throughout the day, daily show times are available on arrival.

Perfect for anyone over 1.2m in height Included in your science centre admission

Legend of Apollo

20 July 2019 - 30 September 2019 Discover what it would be like to fly to the Moon and experience NASA's Apollo 15 mission in this Motion Ride.Experience every jolt and rumble of the roaring rocket as the Motion Ride moves mimic the action of launch, a lunar landing and re-entry to Earth.Legend of Apollo has been produced in partnership with former NASA and Apollo astronaut, David R Scott, and tells the inside story of the lunar landings, with particular reference to the Apollo 15 mission.

Perfect for 7+ Included in your science centre admission

Science Theatre

Awesome experiments and audience participation help to unravel science fact from science fiction in our fun, family-friendly shows. Shows change regularly and cover all sorts of science themes like dinosaurs, the weather, aerodynamics (with fake flying pigs as test pilots), reactions, chain reactions... the list goes on! The Science Theatre is equipped with an analogue induction loop. Shows are on at various times throughout the day, daily show times are available on arrival.

Perfect for all ages Included in your science centre admission

Super Hero Science

18 May 2019 - 22 September 2019 A show that explores superpowers and whether they really defy the laws of science.Wouldn't it be great to have superpowers like Iron Man and Spider-Man?Discover the science behind the nature-defying powers of your favourite Super Heroes in our Science Theatre show Super Hero Science.Watch as our Science Explainers recreate Spider-Man’s web-line and build an alternative power source for Iron Man’s mask live on stage!

Perfect for 5+ Included in your science centre admission

Top Ten

24 September 2019 - 19 January 2020 20 years of show highlights in one extravaganza!Life celebrates its 20th birthday next year, which has prompted us to look back at the highlights of shows in the Science Theatre.Top Ten features our (you guessed it!) top ten science demonstrations from the past 20 years, from fiery pops to beautiful colour changes. But which of our favourites will you see in the show? That’s completely up to you!

Perfect for 5+ recommendation Included in your science centre admission

After Hours: Noël

Next Date: Thursday 28 November 2019, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM Fiery hands, feverish folding and Pink Floyd bangers! Adults take over Life Science Centre on the last Thursday night of the month. With no kids around, we can be bolder and more daring with the workshops and activities on offer. Don’t forget to wear your best Christmas jumper at this event! Highlights of Noël: Experience a 15-minute sample of Pink Floyd’s The Wall set to visuals in the planetarium, including the 1979 Christmas number one single, Another Brick in the Wall (part 2). Learn the art of origami gift-wrapping in the Making Studios. Warm your hands with methane ...

Perfect for 18+ Separate prices apply

Game On 2.0: Late Gaming Night for Adults

Next Date: Friday 30 August 2019, 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM Back by popular demand, Life is reloading its adults-only gaming night!Head to Life after-hours to be transported back to your childhood as you explore five decades of video gaming.Enjoy a drink* and more than 150 playable games – including retro arcade classics, like Pac-Man and Donkey Kong, and early console games, such as Lemmings on the Commodore Amiga and Pong.Modern favourites are also available, including multiplayer party games, such as Just Dance and Wii Sports Resorts.The event in July sold out, so don’t delay in buying your tickets!

Perfect for 18+ Separate prices apply

Paranormal or Paranoia? (Tour 1)

Next Date: Thursday 31 October 2019, 7:00 PM - 12:00 AM Halloween special: first ghost hunt in Life!The excavation work ahead of Life’s construction revealed a startling discovery: a mass grave. Rumours spread quickly that the site could be a plague pit... Join Life and the team from GHOSTnortheast to learn more about the site’s unnerving history and to take part in the first ever paranormal investigation in the science centre using various tech devices.Between ghost hunts, parapsychologist Professor Nick Neave from Northumbria University will also present scientific explanations for why you may sense apparitions.We have developed two tours that focus on the areas where staff and visitors have reported ...

Perfect for 18+ Separate prices apply

Paranormal or Paranoia? (Tour 2)

Perfect for 18+ Separate prices apply

Pre-school Days

Next Date: Tuesday 17 September 2019, 9:30 AM - 3:00 PM These regular events, led by Life's friendly Science Explainers, provide a delightful opportunity for young children to enjoy and explore the Science Centre.Each session offers a mix of classic activities, such as Piccolo Music workshops, mini-beast handling and a toddler bubble disco alongside new activities, so that every event is different. Access to our hands-on Young Explorers' Zone and special planetarium shows for little ones are also available.Pre-school days are drop in events so you can arrive and leave when it's convenient for you, but please be aware that spaces in Piccolo Music Workshops are limited and do tend to ...

Perfect for Ages 4 and under (and accompanying adults) Separate prices apply

Science Sessions: Dye Hard Fabrics

17 November 2019 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM Are you aged between 13 and 18? Want to explore what you can really do with science? Life’s hands-on sessions for teenagers include a ‘no boring stuff’ guarantee!Whether you take part alone or with friends, you’re guaranteed to meet like-minded people, learn something new and have fun.Dye Hard FabricsBrighten your day with the spectrum of coloured fabrics created using synthetic and naturally occurring dyes.Colour plays a vitally important role in the world in which we live. They can sway thinking, irritate or soothe your eyes, raise your blood pressure and even suppress your appetite.In this session, investigate how different ...

Perfect for 13 - 18 Separate prices apply

Science Sessions: Essential Oils

Next Date: Sunday 1 September 2019, 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM Are you aged between 13 and 18? Want to explore what you can really do with science? Life’s hands-on sessions for teenagers include a ‘no boring stuff’ guarantee!Whether you take part alone or with friends, you’re guaranteed to meet like-minded people, learn something new and have fun.Essential OilsDiscover the power of plants.There are many claims about the beneficial uses of essential oils, from an improved sense of wellbeing and medicinal properties, through to their effectiveness in industrial cleaning.In this session, you will use steam distillation to extract the oils from a range of plant samples and consider the different ...

Perfect for ages 13 - 18 Separate prices apply

Science Sessions: Thermoelectric Power

Next Date: Sunday 6 October 2019, 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM Are you aged between 13 and 18? Want to explore what you can really do with science? Life’s hands-on sessions for teenagers include a ‘no boring stuff’ guarantee!Whether you take part alone or with friends, you’re guaranteed to meet like-minded people, learn something new and have fun.Thermoelectric PowerCan you turn waste heat into a power source for your mobile phone?A lot of energy is lost as heat in many domestic and industrial processes. What if there was a way to harness that energy to generate electricity? Could this be the power source for future spacecraft?Explore how something called the ...

Perfect for ages 13 - 18 Separate prices apply

Science Speakeasy: sperm count zero

Next Date: Thursday 14 November 2019, 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM Will we reach sperm count zero before we’re comfortable talking about male infertility?Studies have found that sperm counts have been declining for decades and fertility problems affect males and females roughly equally. So why is infertility still seen as a woman’s problem? And are we naively swimming towards a fertility apocalypse?This event is part of the Science Speakeasy programme – a series in which important and often controversial topics are debated in a relaxed cabaret-style setting, all while sipping cocktails mixed by The Alchemist.* No question or statement is taboo, so these events are not suitable for anyone who ...

Perfect for 18+ Separate prices apply

Science Speakeasy: the inconvenient truth about psychopaths

Next Date: Thursday 10 October 2019, 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM The inconvenient truth about psychopaths.Psychopaths are commonly viewed as evil serial killers, but many top athletes, business leaders, journalists and comedians would score highly on the psychopath scale; are psychopathic traits not only necessary for society but something to be applauded? And as we learn more about the neurobiological basis of this personality disorder, what does it mean for our understanding of free will and culpability in the criminal justice system?This event is part of the Science Speakeasy programme – a series in which important and often controversial topics are debated in a relaxed cabaret-style setting, all while sipping ...

Perfect for 18+ Separate prices apply

Summer holiday

20 July 2019 - 3 September 2019 School's out, game on!Whatever the weather, you can create your own summer at Life. Build and explore imaginative virtual worlds in the Game On 2.0 exhibition, or head to our new Making Studios to create something to take home. Plus, there's a special week of activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing!Highlights include:Challenge friends and family to a multiplayer game, or set the high score in an arcade classic – there's something for everyone with more than 150 playable games in our exciting exhibition Game On 2.0.Join us for Super Hero Science – a show performed in Life’s in-house ...

Perfect for All ages Included in your science centre admission

Super Hero Chic with Paul Shriek

Next Date: Monday 19 August 2019, 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM Design alongside award-winning costume maker Paul Shriek!For one day only, join award-winning costume designer Paul Shriek in the Making Studios. Use Paul’s creative input to design your very own super hero masks and capes – perfect for keeping your identity a secret!Paul’s visit will kick-start Super Hero Fortnight (19 August – 1 September) at Life – two weeks of super hero-themed activities during the summer holidays for the whole family to enjoy.Other activities in Super Hero Fortnight include:Watch Super Hero Science – a show performed in Life’s in-house theatre that explores whether the powers of four super heroes can ...

Perfect for All ages Included in your science centre admission

"It's a fascinating place that appeals to all age groups and caters very well for families. I love the fact there are lockers to leave coats in and that there are tables to have your own packed lunch at."

Visitor feedback

Opening times

Science Centre Times

Valid until 4 September 2019

Monday - Saturday	10.00am - 6.00pm

Sunday	11.00am - 6.00pm


Recommended last admission	4.00pm


Please note the Science Centre will close at 5pm on Tuesday 20 August 2019.

Useful information for visitors over the school holiday period
We anticipate the Science Centre will be busy over the school holiday period, so we've put together some useful info for visitors.

More info

Latest from Life

Shriek puts the chic into super hero style

Award-winning costume designer Paul Shriek will put his super-sharp creative skills to the ultimate test this summer, with the help of visitors at Life Science Centre.