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 exhibitions or for entry to the planetarium, live theatre shows and the Making Studios. 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

Space Zone

Be inspired by the wonders of the Universe and how space exploration impacts our everyday lives in the brand new Space Zone.

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.

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).

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.)

What's On

Exhibitions

Exhibitions Zones Planetarium Science Theatre Special Events

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.Watch shows on a digital globe displaying Earth, Moon and planetary satellite imagery.Touch a genuine ...

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 7+ (recommended) Included in your science centre admission

Experiment Zone

In the Experiment Zone YOU are the scientist! Lab coat up and experiment with real chemicals.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.Opening timesMonday - Friday: 11.00am - 5.00pm (last entry 4.30pm)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 access to under 7s for safety reasons. Children aged 12 and ...

Perfect for ages 7+ Included in your science centre admission

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. Opening timesMonday - Friday: 11.00am - 5.00pm (last entry 4.30pm)Saturday: 10.00am - 5.00pm (last entry 4.30pm)Sunday: 11.00am - 5.00pm (last entry 4.30pm)

Perfect for All ages Included in your science centre admission

Space Zone

Perfect for 5+ Included in your science centre admission

The Sphere

Part of our new Space Zone, the Sphere is a digital globe and show space where visitors can enjoy family-friendly presenter-led science shows.Show topics change regularly so there's always something new to learn!Currently showing: Climate EmergencyRight across the globe, people are declaring a climate emergency. But why? And are we running out of time to act?Humans have walked the planet for a mere fraction of Earth’s existence yet, due to our activities, the planet is changing at an unprecedented rate which pushes the natural balances of the Earth to its limits. With carbon dioxide levels increasing, what effect does ...

Perfect for 7+ (recommended) 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

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

Tales of a Time Traveller

19 October 2019 - 19 October 2020 Enter the planetarium to experience time travel!Enter the fluctuating world of time in this exciting new planetarium show and discover it’s not as easy to define as simply looking at a clock!We invite you to explore the far-reaching impact of time, from the lives of stars and the Big Bang to the impact of gravity here on Earth. You’ll be blown away!

Perfect for 7+ (recommended) 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

The Space Show

21 January 2020 - 10 May 2020 Take a seat and discover how satellites enable us to view the Universe in a different light in this family-friendly show. You’ll also find out how satellites work and affect our everyday lives here on Earth as our Science Explainers perform a variety of exciting live science demonstrations.

Perfect for 7+ (recommended) Included in your science centre admission

After Hours: Happy New You

Next Date: Thursday 30 January 2020, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM A teetotal event that’s anything but dry.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.Highlights of Happy New You:Make a Bubble Bar to take home with the team from Lush Cosmetics – they’re vegan and plastic-free!Thinking about jacking in your job in the pursuit of happiness? Listen to the incredible tale of a scientist who did just that – and cycled to Bhutan!Find your happy place at our laughter yoga workshops – belly laughs encouraged.Work out ...

Perfect for 18+ Separate prices apply

After Hours: Happy New You + Skating

Perfect for 18+ Separate prices apply

After Hours: Sex and Attraction

Next Date: Thursday 27 February 2020, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM Respect your body and question relationships.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.Highlights of Sex and Attraction:Celebrate the female form in a vagina art workshop, run by the founder of the new Vagina Museum in London, Florence Schechter.View STIs under the microscope—they can be surprisingly beautiful!Tinder matches dwindling? Find out how to show off your best side with Saskia Nelson, the founder of the dating photography company Hey Saturday!Comedian Rosie Wilby will perform her latest ...

Perfect for 18+ Separate prices apply

After Hours: The Next James Bond

Next Date: Thursday 26 March 2020, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM Suit up and enrol to replace Daniel Craig as 007.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 sharpest suit and grab a martini at the bar at this Bond-themed event. Highlights of The Next James Bond:Seize the ID cards of other spies before they grab yours in a game of Assassin across the science centre. Get a cyber security health check for your mobile phone.Learn how not to suck at poker with ...

Perfect for 18+ Separate prices apply

After Hours: Unplug and Unwind

Next Date: Thursday 30 April 2020, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM The antidote to work and exam stress! 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. For ultimate comfort, come dressed in your PJs for this event! Highlights of Unplug and Unwind: Enjoy a mobile phone-free night as you take part in our smartphone amnesty: we’ll be locking devices out of swiping reach for the night in specially-designed Yondr pouches*. Find your zen at a Vinyasa flow yoga taster class**. Rediscover the joy ...

Perfect for 18+ Separate prices apply

Dame Stella Rimington: My life in MI5

Next Date: Monday 16 March 2020, 6:30 PM - 7:45 PM We’re kick-starting Life’s Spy Season with an evening with the former Director General of MI5.Dame Stella Rimington, who is known to billions of people worldwide as the role model for the character M played by Dame Judi Dench in the James Bond 007 films, will speak candidly about her life and career, including some personal anecdotes.The event is being held in the build-up to the highly-anticipated release of the 25th James Bond 007 film, No Time to Die, which will open in cinemas on 3 April 2020.Dame Stella was appointed Director General of MI5 in 1992 – the first ...

Perfect for 18+ Separate prices apply

Go to infinity and beyond this February half-term

15 February 2020 - 23 February 2020 We’re going up, up and away with a rocket-fuelled extravaganza for the school holidays!Highlights include:In the new live science theatre show Destination Space, find out about satellites built here in the North East that let you see our world in a new light.Explore the Universe and beyond in Life’s new Space Zone and capture the moment with selfie opportunities in Mission Control, on the ISS toilet and with your face projected onto an astronaut floating high above.Make your own airpowered rockets in the Making Studios.Get up close to a real satellite that fits in the palm of your hand.Experiment ...

Perfect for All ages Included in your science centre admission

Pre-school Days

Next Date: Tuesday 4 February 2020, 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 Speakeasy: appily ever after

Next Date: Thursday 13 February 2020, 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM In a world of gamified dating, are there any winners?Dating apps can help people to widen their dating circles, but with another potential match just one swipe away, will anyone ever be satisfied with their current mate? Can you get addicted to dating apps? Are they used to find ‘The One’ or to provide a quick ego boost?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 ...

Perfect for 18+ Separate prices apply

Science Speakeasy: rational suicide in an ageing society

Next Date: Thursday 12 March 2020, 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM Rational Suicide in an ageing society: stagger to the grave or call it quits early?Life expectancy has increased dramatically in the last century, but we’ve fared worse in conquering ageing – we are living longer and dying slower, with many spending years or even decades in serious ill-health. Is it time that society embraced rational suicide for the elderly as a viable endgame plan?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 ...

Perfect for 18+ Separate prices apply

Sensory-friendly Sundays

Next Date: Sunday 2 February 2020, 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM Join us for our monthly Sensory-friendly Sundays, dedicated quiet hours for people with autism and other sensory needs to enjoy the science centre.Visitors will be able to explore all the exhibitions in the science centre and enjoy a relaxed performance in the North’s biggest planetarium. Lighting and sound levels will be altered to accommodate those with sensory needs.Our autism-friendly hours are 9.30am – 11.00am. You are welcome to stay until we close at 6.00pm if you wish but please note that our normal programme, lighting and sound levels will resume from 11.00am.Ear defenders for both adults and children are ...

Perfect for All ages Separate prices apply

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Opening times

Life Science Centre

Valid until 23 February


Monday - Saturday	10.00am - 6.00pm
Sunday	11.00am - 6.00pm

Recommended last admission	4.00pm





Ice Rink

Valid from 6 January - 23 February


Monday - Saturday	10.00am - 7.00pm
Sunday	11.00am - 7.00pm
Last session starts	6.00pm

The Science Centre is busy with school groups on weekdays during term time.
For a quieter experience please visit after 2.00pm.

More info

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