Family Science Day at museum Dorchester Science Festival

Building on the success of popular events, the Family Science Day will be taking place at the Dorset Museum and Art Gallery on Sunday, March 17 from 11am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm.

The event is aimed at children aged above four, but with something for people of all ages to enjoy. The day is part of the Dorchester Science Festival, programmed as part of the national British Science Week which is a ten-day celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths.

Family Science Day will include more than 20 different stalls from a range of scientific disciplines to allow visitors to get involved in some hands-on learning and experiments.

A range of activities will be held by local scientists allowing visitors to learn about how physics play a part in everyday life, as well as discovering the world of microbes, the biodiversity of the natural world, how magnets and gravity work and handle a 205-million-year-old meteorite.

Entrance is ticket only and obtainable through the Dorset Museum and Art Gallery website where you can also reserve tickets for the Critter Clan who are back with their immersive experience, the Critter Chronicles. The captivating tale will see you travel with them through time, unlocking secrets, folklore and profound beliefs surrounding invertebrates.

Emma Talbot from Dorset Museum & Art Gallery said: “We are delighted to be hosting the Dorchester Family Science Day on Sunday 17th March.

“It’s a great opportunity to show families our incredible galleries, in particular our Natural Dorset Gallery where you’ll see 250 million years of natural history come alive.  We’re hoping families will enjoy exploring and discovering how Dorset people collected, investigated and made important discoveries about the natural world – and what we can do to protect them. 

“Families will also have the opportunity to get up close to the Weymouth Bay pliosaur, learn about Alfred Russel Wallace and his work with Charles Darwin and marvel at the vast collection on display.”

On top of the Critter Clan talks and Family Science Day event at the museum, there will be two performances of the family show, the Discovery Lab.

The production, from Brave Bold Drama blends improvised theatre with interactive science as the lab, a spaceship, home to travelling aliens on an Earth exploration that are keen to make discoveries with the audience- Earth experts. There will be two performances at the Corn Exchange on High East Street, at 12pm and 2pm.

The day is being coordinated by Dorchester Town Council, Bournemouth University, the Institute of Physics, and the museum, along with the help of local scientists.

Professor Genoveva Esteban at Bournemouth University said: “We are delighted to be co-organising and being involved again in the 2024 Family Science Day. It is fun to share our research with children and their families and our students cherish the two-way interaction with people of all ages. It’s a win-win situation."

Dorchester Science Festival is taking place from Friday, March 8 through to Sunday, March 17. Venues across the county town that will be hosting a range of events as part of the week include Dorchester Library and Learning Centre, Mini Professors, Dorset Museum & Art Gallery, Cape Farewell, Dorset County Hospital and Brewery Square. There are also two free stargazing sessions taking place at Maiden Castle.

Judith Wardlaw, one of the co-organisers of the week, said: "It is very exciting to see so many organisations coming together and offering a wide range of activities and events for the 2024 Dorchester Science Festival. 

“The last few years have been very challenging, but have also highlighted the value of work in STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.)

“We aim to inspire, educate and entertain people of all ages, including many who might not usually be inclined to engage in science-based activities."

Phil Cooper, chair of the Southwest branch of the Institute of Physics, said: "We're very proud to support this event and the way it brings the joys of science to people of all ages and backgrounds."

For full information about everything happening, visit the Dorchester Science Festival Facebook page and look up the events, or grab a programme from a number of locations around town including the Dorchester Library and Learning Centre, Waterstones, Dorset Museum & Art Gallery, and the Town Council offices.