What is the Edinburgh Science Festival?
The Edinburgh Science Festival is the UK’s largest Science Festival. The festival takes place for two weeks each year, around the Easter break.
You will find lots of amazing experiences on offer for both adults and children such as workshops, performances, exhibitions, and screenings as well as exciting science debates on a range of topics.
The festival encourages young people to learn about topics such as climate change, spaceships, the human body and the weather. For adults, there are opportunities to engage in discussions and debates as well as attending evening events.
The Edinburgh Science Festival programme takes place in galleries, public spaces and museums across Edinburgh. In 2024, the festival took place in around 30 venues including Dynamic Earth, The University of Edinburgh and the National Museum of Scotland.
In 2025, the festival will take place from 5 to 20 April and will focus on the theme of Spaceship Earth. Last year’s theme focused on Shaping the Future which explored some of the innovative science and technology that can help us build a future that is sustainable and accessible.
What is the history of the Edinburgh Science Festival?
The Edinburgh Science Festival was the first event of its kind in the world. Founded in 1989 as an education charity to encourage people to discover the wonders of the world, this two-week-long festival was developed to celebrate science and technology and communicate the excitement and benefits both can bring.
Throughout the year, the festival also runs a touring education programme in Scotland, including interactive science shows for schools, as well as a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) focused career fair.
Find out more about the Edinburgh Science Festival