After two years of social distancing and homeschooling, kids are more excited than ever to dive into some interactive, hands-on fun. It’s a moment worth celebrating, so why not treat them to an educational day out? With so many kid-friendly, interactive museums all over the country, simply pile into the car or onto a train and make it a family outing worth remembering.

Welcome to your guide to four of the best hands-on science museums in the UK for a great family day out.

Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum

Let’s start in the Midlands with the Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum. It’s the perfect day out for all ages, offering exhibits and activities that the whole family can get involved in. With three permanent exhibitions, including the child-sized city MiniBrum, the out-of-this-world 4K Planetarium and the intriguing Science Garden, as well as four floors of interactive exhibits and displays, every interest and curiosity is catered for.

What’s more, it’s conveniently located in the city centre with easy access from all nationwide rail links.

Eureka!

Heading up Yorkshire way? Then you’ll have to check out Eureka! The National Children’s Museum in Halifax.

Quite unlike any other museum out there, Eureka! is packed with interactive exhibitions and plenty of wow-factor that makes science easy and accessible for kids to learn. This is where digital forests come to life, where Virtual Reality shapes the way we perceive things and where the famous Archimedes bathtub resides. With six unique zones to explore, it’ll be a challenge dragging the kids away!

Techniquest

Over in Cardiff, we have Techniquest, the largest science discovery centre in Wales made up of over 100 hand-made exhibitions. Experts in helping kids understand the mind-boggling science behind our planet and space, their live science shows draw in crowds from near and far. Equipped with a mesmerising planetarium too, don’t miss their Star Tours and special Lightyear exhibits that happen throughout summer.

Horniman Museum and Gardens

The Horniman Museum and Gardens in South London are packed with incredible natural history and science exhibitions and are free to enter. Let your little ones wander through the aquarium and butterfly house and experience the wonders of the natural world. Their separate Handling Collection contains over 3,700 historical objects and artefacts designed to be picked up and interacted with, offering a unique sensory experience to help children connect with global cultures and the natural environment around them.

The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent

If you’re planning a visit to Staffordshire, don’t miss The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent. While it’s not solely a science museum, it features a fascinating Natural Science collection that adds an educational twist to its wider focus on local art, history, and world-renowned ceramics. It’s a great option for a family day out that blends science with culture. For families or groups, mini bus hire Stoke on Trent is a practical way to travel together and make the most of your day out.

There are of course lots more wonderful museums to visit with your family across the UK but I hope that these four will give you some inspiration for fun days out.

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