We anticipate the Science Centre will be busy over February half-term, so we’ve put together some useful info for visitors.

While we do everything we can to keep things moving, please be prepared to queue for certain activities and on arrival.

Before you arrive. You can book tickets online up until 10.00am on the day you want to visit, or buy them on the door when you arrive at the science centre. Buying tickets online will ensure you get entry to the science centre, even on busy days.

Life Science Centre is a fully accessible venue. Some visitors may find our accessibility information and Visual Story helpful when planning their visit.

Science Centre opening times

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

Recommended last admission: 4.00pm

Ice Rink opening times

Monday - Saturday 10.00am - 7.00pm
Sunday 11.00am - 7.00pm*

Last session starts: 6.00pm

*Nursery Skate Sessions for children aged under 5 are held every Sunday 10.00am - 11.00am before the rink opens to the public. Tickets must be booked online in advance.

To beat the crowds, arrive early or stay late. Our busiest times are from 11.00am – 2.30pm. You will need at least 3 hours to see everything, and many visitors choose to stay for the whole day. If you arrive just before we open then you won’t have to wait long to get in. The first Science Theatre and planetarium shows will be at around 11.00am each day.

Getting here. Car parking is available in Times Square Car Park, just a short walk from the Science Centre. Parking rates are available on our website. Accessible bays are available. The car park has more than 350 spaces, but it can fill up on particularly busy days, so we recommend you arrive early or use alternative transport.

Inside the Science Centre. When you buy your science centre tickets you’ll get a programme of the day’s activities as well. This has a map on the back plus the day’s showtimes on it. Plan which shows you want to see and work out where they are in advance so you don’t miss out. Staff are on-hand to help if you have any questions.

There might be queues for the planetarium, Science Theatre and Experiment Zone. Aim to visit these areas earlier or later in the day to avoid the busiest times. We kindly ask that you visit the planetarium and Science Theatre only once at busy times so that other visitors can enjoy the experience too. We also have the Making Studios open every day, where you can try your hand at a variety of hands-on making activities (programme changes regularly).

Space Zone brings space down to earth: 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.

Experiment Zone. This area has slightly shorter opening hours than the Science Centre – please check your daily programme for details. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing time each day. You may have to queue to enter the Experiment Zone and to participate in experiments during busy times. Our friendly staff are on-hand to help and will show you where the lab coats can be found. The Experiment Zone is for ages 7+ – we restrict access to under-7s for safety reasons. Under-13s must be supervised by an adult.

Hungry? We have two cafés on-site: Times Square Café and Life Café. There’s also an indoor picnic area where you can eat food that you bring from home. Our cafés and packed lunch area get busy at peak times, so consider having an early or late lunch to avoid the rush, or feel free to leave the Science Centre for lunch and return later in the day. (Just show your Life hand stamp at the turnstiles to get back in.)

Too much baggage? You can hire a locker to store coats and small bags. Pay £5 at reception to use a locker and you’ll get £4 back when you return the key. Buggies and prams can be brought into the Science Centre but there might be limited space on busy days. We don’t have space to park buggies, so please keep them with you throughout your visit.

Fancy coming back again soon? You can upgrade your day ticket to Life Science Centre membership on the day of your visit, and we’ll deduct the cost of admission from the price of the membership (like-for-like only, terms and conditions apply). Membership gives you unlimited Science Centre visits for a whole year, so it’s a great option if you would like to see new planetarium and Science Theatre shows when they’re out, as well as new and current exhibitions.