Science Museum

Science Museum

  • Attraction
  • Culture
  • Education

The Science Museum was founded in 1857 and now has an impressive collection of incredible discoveries such as Puffing Billy – the oldest surviving steam locomotive, the first jet engine, a reconstruction of Francis Crick and James Watson’s model of DNA, documentation of the first typewriter, the first prototype of the 10,000 year Clock of the Long Now and many more.

Exploring the Science Museum is free, except for certain exhibitions which may cost an additional fee. The museum has 5 floors of captivating scientific items:

  • Level -1: The Garden and The Secret Life of the Home
  • Level 0: Making the Modern World, Energy Hall, Exploring Space, Pattern Pod, Tomorrow’s World, Fight for our Lives, IMAX Theatre and Legend of Apollo.
  • Level 1: Challenge of Materials, Who am I? and The Sun: Living With Our Star.
  • Level 2: The Last Tsar: Blood and Revolution, The Clockworkers’ Museum, Mathematics: The Winton Gallery, Information Age, Atmosphere and Space Descent VR.
  • Level 3: Wonderlab: The Equinor Gallery, Fly Zone, Flight and Engineer your Future.

Take a break from exploring the Science Museum in one of the many cafes and restaurants which offer a variety of delicious food and drinks. Once you have exhausted your brain, check out the shop which is full of experiment kits for aspiring scientists and interesting gadgets for the tech-loving audiences.

Key Points
  • Some of the museums larger objects, such as airplanes, hovercraft and other vehicles are stored in Swindon. The public cannot see these, except by prior appointment.
  • Queen Elizabeth II sent out her first tweet in 2014 when she opened the Information Age exhibiton. It read: “It is a pleasure to open the Information Age exhibition today at the @ScienceMuseum and I hope people will enjoy visiting. Elizabeth R.”
  • To keep it safe the famous steam locomotive, Stephenson’s Rocket, was stored at Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire during World War II.
Location

Science Museum