Manchester Science Festival announces jam-packed full lineup for 2024

This year's festival is all about "tackling the extremes of our world".

Emily Sergeant - 11th September 2024

You can explore the extremes of nature, human capability, and creativity at Manchester Science Festival next month.

In case you missed it, Manchester‘s massively-popular Science Festival confirmed back in January that it would be making a grand return for 2024 later this year, and would be offering visitors the unique opportunity to become a genuine part of history through a wide range of hands-on events and activities when it did.

And now, the full programme for the exciting festival has been released this week – with loads of immersive experiences lined up.

📢 It’s here 📢

Our Festival line-up is officially here and it’s a packed one! We’ve got immersive installations, hands-on fun celebrating the extremes of science and exclusive adult-only events.

Discover the full programme and book your tickets now https://t.co/jpLf8RddA7 pic.twitter.com/p6zgahgHMi
— Manchester Science Festival (@McrSciFest) September 11, 2024

Manchester Science Festival – which is produced and staged at Manchester’s legendary Science and Industry Museum in the heart of the city centre every other year – is one of the UK’s largest and most popular science festivals, and the lineup for 2024 only goes to prove why that is the case, as there’s something for people of all ages to get stuck into.

This year, organisers say the festival is all about “tackling the extremes of our world”.

Visitors will have the opportunity to learn about some of science’s most cutting-edge developments through multi-sensory experiences and hands-on family fun.

Manchester Science Festival has announced its jam-packed lineup for 2024 / Credit: Science Museum Group

Interactive events will take place throughout the 10 days of the festival, with the Science and Industry Museum itself playing host to a significant majority of them, but other city centre-based hubs like Manchester Arndale also involved.

At the Science and Industry Museum, you can expect incredible immersive artworks with the new installation State of Mind by Squidsoup, which explores the impact of smartphones and apps on our brains, while the major exhibition Injecting Hope: The Race for a COVID-19 Vaccine – which opened at the Museum back in July – considers the extreme challenges faced during the pandemic.

STEM champion, social entrepreneur, and computer scientist, Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE, will join forces with Libby Jackson OBE, who is the UK Space Agency’s Head of Space Exploration, for the first time for a special conversation around AI in Space.

The incredible Arachnobot, a giant spider puppet, will make its way through Manchester Arndale Centre in an “unmissable” and “enchanting” spectacle.

The popular 10-day event is returning to the city next month / Credit: Science Museum Group

Families can also visit fun-filled activity zones at the Museum too, all of which will be looking at the extremes of human performance and our planet.

There’ll be loads of different activities to do throughout the week, including some from fesrtival partners including Natural History Museum, and the universities of Manchester and Salford.

And there’ll be a special science-themed BBC CBeebies Bedtime Story during your visit too.

Ella Wild, who is the Head of Festivals and Events as the Science and Industry Museum, said the Museum is “delighted” that Manchester Science Festival is back with “an unmissable programme packed full of fun” this year.

She added that there’ll be lots of “playful experiences designed to ignite curiosity about our world”.

“The festival is a brilliant opportunity to bring together visitors of all ages and interests to be inspired by science in action,” Ella commented, “and it’s a wonderful way to showcase Manchester’s long-standing position as a leader in innovation, so we can’t wait to welcome everyone in October.”

Manchester Science Festival 2024 kicks off on Friday 18 October and runs right through to Sunday 27 October, and tickets are officially now on sale.

Find out more and grab yourself some tickets here.

Featured Image – Orbie Pullen (via Science Museum Group)