The Observatory Science Centre
Wartling Road
Herstmonceux
Hailsham
East Sussex
BN27 1RN
England
Website
Telephone
01323 832731
Fax
01323 832741
The Observatory Science Centre is one of the country's leading Science Centres. Explore Science, Space and Astronomy with over 100 exhibits and travelling exhibitions. The popular 'Discovery Park' is the Observatory's outdoor science playground. There are many exciting giant sized interactive exhibits for a real hands-on experience.
The Observatory Science Centre opened in April 1995, on the grounds of the former Royal Observatory. The domes, buildings and telescopes are being renovated and the Centre is a major venue for exhibitions, lectures and educational programmes. Research and training facilities are being developed in conjunction with local universities, colleges and technology-based businesses. The renovated telescopes are providing a unique facility for schools, colleges and astronomical societies.
Venue Type:
Museum, Archive, Gallery, Heritage site, Science centre, Ship or maritime heritage site, Garden, parklands or rural site
Wartling Road
Herstmonceux
Hailsham
East Sussex
BN27 1RN
England
Website
Telephone
01323 832731
Fax
01323 832741
Collection details
Science and Technology
Wartling Road
Herstmonceux
Hailsham
East Sussex
BN27 1RN
England
Website
Telephone
01323 832731
Fax
01323 832741
Workshop: Valentine Work Out!
In this Olympic year you will be learning all about the heart and how athletes keep going! You will also get your own heart pumping, check out your pulse and make your own stethoscope. Just some of the fun activities before you relax and make your own heart-warming treats for Valentine's day.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
2-4:30pm
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Workshop: Valentine Work Out!
In this Olympic year you will be learning all about the heart and how athletes keep going! You will also get your own heart pumping, check out your pulse and make your own stethoscope. Just some of the fun activities before you relax and make your own heart-warming treats for Valentine's day.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
10:30am-1pm
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Workshop - Arty Stars & Planets
Be crafty and creative decorating your own stars and planets to take home. Workshop materials include water-based paint, glue and glitter. Please wear suitable clothing.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
- Any age
When
2-4:30pm
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Workshop - Arty Stars & Planets
Be crafty and creative decorating your own stars and planets to take home. Workshop materials include water-based paint, glue and glitter. Please wear suitable clothing.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
- Any age
When
10:30am-1pm
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Workshop -Curious about chemistry ages 6 to 9
Come and have a go at some exciting chemistry experiments.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
10:30am-1pm
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Children aged 6-9 only. Call 01323 832731 to book
Workshop -Curious about chemistry ages 9 and over
Come and have a go at some exciting chemistry experiments.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
2-4:30pm
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Children aged 9 and over only. Call 01323 832731 to book
Open Evening
Open evening (viewing subject to weather).
Suitable for
- Any age
- Family friendly
When
6:30-11pm
Admission
Adults £7.80 child £5.85 senior £6.10 family of 4 £24.10 family of 5 £27.45 One child free of charge per paying adult. Call 01323 832731 to book
Spring Star Search 4 week evening course
This course is designed to help you recognise the constellations so you will be able to navigate your way around the night sky. It incorporates lectures in one of the telescope domes with looking at the whole sky using the naked eye (weather permitting).
Suitable for
Admission
£50.00 per adult. Call 01323 832731 to book
Close encounter with Mars' Open Evening
Close encounter with Mars' Open Evening (Viewing subject to weather conditions).
Suitable for
- Any age
- Family friendly
When
6:30-11pm
Admission
Adults £7.80 child £5.85 senior £6.10 family of 4 £24.10 family of 5 £27.45. Call 01323 832731 to book
Science Festival Weekend
Come and join us for a Family Fun Activity Weekend to celebrate National Science and Engineering week.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
10am-5pm
Admission
Adults £7.80 child £5.85 senior £6.10 family of 4 £24.10 family of 5 £27.45. Call 01323 832731 to book
Family Open evening
Family Open evening. (Viewing subject to weather conditions).
Suitable for
- Family friendly
- Any age
When
6:30-11pm
Admission
Adults £7.80 child £5.85 senior £6.10 family of 4 £24.10 family of 5 £27.45 One child free of charge per paying adult. Call 01323 832731 to book
Evening with the Planets
Evening with the Planets. Open Evening (Viewing subject to weather conditions).
Suitable for
- Any age
- Family friendly
When
6:30-11pm
Admission
Adults £7.80 child £5.85 senior £6.10 family of 4 £24.10 family of 5 £27.45. Call 01323 832731 to book
'Man in the Moon' half day workshops
Learn all about the features of the Moon through fun interactive activities. Make some fantastic craters and hear about the mysteries about the "Man in the Moon".
Suitable for
- Family friendly
- Any age
When
2-8pm
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
'The Mysterious Moon' Twilight Special workshop
Why is the Moon so important to us? How was it made? Why did we land there? Learn all about our satellite including its many features. Make fantastic craters and examine some real Moon rock before we hopefully look at the Moon through the historic telescopes (weather permitting).
Suitable for
- Family friendly
- Any age
When
2-8pm
Admission
£19.95 per child - this is for the workshop only - booking essential.Age: 9 + years.. Call 01323 832731 to book
Easter Science Trail
Our alternative to an Easter Egg Hunt! Follow the sheet of science questions that will lead you around the centre and then claim your mini Easter Egg if the answers are correct.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
Admission
Adults £7.80 child £5.85 senior £6.10 family of 4 £24.10 family of 5 £27.45. Call 01323 832731 to book
Rocketry children's workshops 6+ years
Learn all about the mighty rockets that launch robot explorers to the planets and fly men and women into space. Make and launch your own balloon and water powered rockets.
Suitable for
- Especially for children
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Rocketry children's workshops 9+ years
The rocket is the only engine that will work in space. To-day you will make and launch a water-powered rocket which you will float back to Earth by parachute. You will also make and race simple rocket powered cars
Suitable for
- Especially for children
When
2-4:30pm
Admission
£19.95 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Open Evening Close encounter with Saturn
Open Evening (viewing subject to weather).
Suitable for
- Any age
- Family friendly
When
8pm-12:30am
Admission
Adults £7.80 child £5.85 senior £6.10 family of 4 £24.10 family of 5 £27.45. Call 01323 832731 to book
Open Evening Close encounter with Saturn
Open Evening (viewing subject to weather).
Suitable for
- Any age
- Family friendly
When
8pm-12:30am
Admission
Adults £7.80 child £5.85 senior £6.10 family of 4 £24.10 family of 5 £27.45. Call 01323 832731 to book
Open Evening 'Museum at Night'
Open Evening 'Museum at Night'. (Viewing subject to weather).
Suitable for
- Family friendly
- Any age
When
8pm-12:30am
Admission
Adults £7.80 child £5.85 senior £6.10 family of 4 £24.10 family of 5 £27.45. Call 01323 832731 to book
Open Evening 'Museum at Night'
Open Evening 'Museum at Night'. (Viewing subject to weather).
Suitable for
- Family friendly
- Any age
When
8pm-12:30am
Admission
Adults £7.80 child £5.85 senior £6.10 family of 4 £24.10 family of 5 £27.45. Call 01323 832731 to book
Themed Evening - Museums at Night
Open Evening (viewing subject to weather)
Suitable for
- Family friendly
- Any age
When
7:30pm-12am
Admission
£17.95 per person. Call 01323 832731 to book
Breakfast with Venus revisited
Times to be confirmed but will fit in with the transit of Venus as it crosses the face of the Sun. This is going to be an early SUNRISE start as this spectacular phenomena will already have started before the Sun rises above our horizon. Exact times TBC.
Suitable for
- Any age
- Family friendly
When
5:30-6:30am
Admission
Call 01323 832731 to book
Children's Workshop - Living in Space
Men and women regularly fly into space nowadays, living and working there for long periods. You will learn how we keep them alive and what it is like to live in space. Before you leave, you will prepare your own space meal.
Suitable for
- Especially for children
- 0-4
- 5-6
- 7-10
When
2-4:30pm
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Children's Workshop - Living in Space
Men and women regularly fly into space nowadays, living and working there for long periods. You will learn how we keep them alive and what it is like to live in space. Before you leave, you will prepare your own space meal.
Suitable for
- Especially for children
- 0-4
- 5-6
- 7-10
When
10:30am-1pm
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Children's workshop Car Power
Design and build your own model car and then see what can power it along - gravity, balloon, propeller or solar panels.
Suitable for
- Especially for children
When
2-4:30pm
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Children's workshop Car Power
Design and build your own model car and then see what can power it along - gravity, balloon, propeller or solar panels.
Suitable for
- Especially for children
When
10:30am-1pm
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Childrens Workshop rocketry
Learn all about the mighty rockets that launch robot explorers to the planets and fly men and women into space. Make and launch your own balloon and water powered rockets.
Suitable for
- Especially for children
When
2-4:30pm
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Childrens Workshop rocketry
Learn all about the mighty rockets that launch robot explorers to the planets and fly men and women into space. Make and launch your own balloon and water powered rockets.
Suitable for
- Especially for children
When
10:30am-1pm
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Childrens Workshop rocketry
The rocket is the only engine that will work in space. To-day you will make and launch a water-powered rocket which you will float back to Earth by parachute. You will also make and race simple rocket powered cars.
Suitable for
- Especially for children
When
10:30am-4pm
Admission
£19.95 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Children's Paper making
Recycle rubbish into some fabulous hand-made paper. Used paper is pulped, then pressed back into sheets making fantastically unique and colourful hand-made paper.
Suitable for
- Especially for children
When
2-4:30pm
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Children's Paper making
Recycle rubbish into some fabulous hand-made paper. Used paper is pulped, then pressed back into sheets making fantastically unique and colourful hand-made paper.
Suitable for
- Especially for children
When
10:30am-1pm
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Perseids Open Evening
Perseids Open Evening (viewing subject to weather).
Suitable for
- Any age
- Family friendly
When
8pm-12:30am
Admission
Adults £7.80 child £5.85 senior £6.10 family of 4 £24.10 family of 5 £27.45. Call 01323 832731 to book
Perseids Open Evening
Perseids Open Evening (viewing subject to weather).
Suitable for
- Any age
- Family friendly
When
8pm-12:30am
Admission
Adults £7.80 child £5.85 senior £6.10 family of 4 £24.10 family of 5 £27.45. Call 01323 832731 to book
Perseids Shooting Star themed Evening
Perseids Shooting Star themed Evening - Open evening with Guest speaker and opportunity to ask questions.
Suitable for
- 18+
- Not suitable for children
When
7:30pm-12am
Admission
£17.95 per person. Call 01323 832731 to book
Children's workshops: Family of the Sun
In this workshop you will learn about the planets and bits and pieces that travel around our Sun. You will design and make a Martian Lander to land an egg safely on its surface and you will test your design by dropping it from a great height.
Suitable for
- Especially for children
- 5-6
- 7-10
- 11-13
When
2-4:30pm
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Children's workshops: Family of the Sun
In this workshop you will learn about the planets and bits and pieces that travel around our Sun. You will design and make a Martian Lander to land an egg safely on its surface and you will test your design by dropping it from a great height.
Suitable for
- Especially for children
- 5-6
- 7-10
- 11-13
When
10:30am-1pm
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Children's workshop Olympics
The contents of this workshop are in development and information will be updated as soon as we have it.
Suitable for
- Especially for children
When
2-4:30pm
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Children's workshop Olympics
The contents of this workshop are in development and information will be updated as soon as we have it.
Suitable for
- Especially for children
When
10:30am-1pm
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Childrens Workshop Bug hunt
Bugs are everywhere, especially in our wood! But what do they look like under a microscope? Come and find out. Good footwear is essential.
Suitable for
- Especially for children
When
2-4:30pm
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Childrens Workshop Bug hunt
Bugs are everywhere, especially in our wood! But what do they look like under a microscope? Come and find out. Good footwear is essential.
Suitable for
- Especially for children
When
10:30am-1pm
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Childrens workshops Cool chemistry
Find out what makes things fizz, bang and pop in some crazy chemistry experiments.
Suitable for
- Especially for children
When
10:30am-4pm
Admission
£19.95 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Childrens workshop Captivating chemistry
Chemistry is definitely fun, especially when trying to find out what does with a bang! Come and try some crazy chemistry experiments.
Suitable for
- Especially for children
When
10:30am-4pm
Admission
£19.95 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Children Workshp k'nex
Design and build a model using a K'nex construction kit. We are sorry but on this occassion you will not be able to take your model with you.
Suitable for
- Especially for children
When
2-4:30pm
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Website
Children Workshp k'nex
Design and build a model using a K'nex construction kit. We are sorry but on this occassion you will not be able to take your model with you.
Suitable for
- Especially for children
When
10:30am-1pm
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Website
Astronomy Festival
Camp under the backdrop of the observatory domes:
Friday, Saturday and Sunday
£10 per night.
Allows up to 4 people per site.
There are a limited number of sites so BOOK EARLY!
Throughout the weekend there will be a comprehensive programme of events:
Lectures
Talks about the telescopes
Science Shows
Visits to the Radio Shack
Trade stalls
Spectacular Science exhibits
Family activity fun day on the Sunday
Viewing through the historic telescopes (weather permitting) and the smaller telescopes of amateur astronomy societies including a dedicated observing site in the camping field which will be available after The Centre closes at 11pm
There will also be the usual
Raffles on both main event days with fabulous prizes* donated by the sponsors and trade stalls
Beer tent
Food and refreshments
Suitable for
- Any age
Admission
Adults £7.80 child £5.85 senior £6.10 family of 4 £24.10 family of 5 £27.45. Call 01323 832731 to book
Website
Astronomy for Beginners
This course is suitable for those with little or no knowledge of the subject and introduces astronomy at a basic level. On this course you may get the opportunity to look through The Centre's historic telescopes (weather and time permitting).
Suitable for
Admission
Cost: £125 for 12 evenings (with the option of a 13th week on 6th December at no extra cost). BOOKING ESSENTIAL. Call 01323 832731 to book
Autumn Star Search 4 week course
This course is designed to help you recognise the constellations so you will be able to navigate your way around the night sky. It incorporates lectures in one of the telescope domes with looking at the whole sky using the naked eye (weather permitting).
Suitable for
Admission
£50.00 per adult. Call 01323 832731 to book
Open Evening
Open Evening (viewing subject to weather)
Suitable for
- Any age
- Family friendly
When
6:30-11pm
Admission
Adults £7.80 child £5.85 senior £6.10 family of 4 £24.10 family of 5 £27.45. Call 01323 832731 to book
Open Evening
Open Evening (viewing subject to weather)
Suitable for
- Any age
- Family friendly
When
6:30-11pm
Admission
Adults £7.80 child £5.85 senior £6.10 family of 4 £24.10 family of 5 £27.45. Call 01323 832731 to book
Open Evening
Open Evening (viewing subject to weather)
Suitable for
- Any age
- Family friendly
When
6:30-11pm
Admission
Adults £7.80 child £5.85 senior £6.10 family of 4 £24.10 family of 5 £27.45. Call 01323 832731 to book
Childrens Workshop - Eyes on the Universe
Find out how we study the heavens around us. Make and use your own telescope and sundial as well as learning how to use the large telescopes on sit
Suitable for
- Especially for children
- Any age
When
2-4:30pm
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Childrens Workshop - Eyes on the Universe
Find out how we study the heavens around us. Make and use your own telescope and sundial as well as learning how to use the large telescopes on sit
Suitable for
- Especially for children
- Any age
When
10:30am-1pm
Admission
£9.50 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Childrens workshop Twilight special: Earth and Beyond
Spend an afternoon carrying out some fascinating experiments learning about volcanoes, earthquakes, ice caps and more before looking through The Centre's giant telescopes (weather permitting).
Suitable for
- Especially for children
- 7-10
- 5-6
- 11-13
When
2-8pm
Admission
£19.95 per child per session. Call 01323 832731 to book
Family Open evening and Halloween drop-in
Among the activities you can make your own flying bats and screaming balloons as well as decorating goody bags with spooktacular pictures.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
- Any age
When
6:30-11pm
Admission
Adults £7.80 child £5.85 senior £6.10 family of 4 £24.10 family of 5 £27.45. Call 01323 832731 to book
Open evening
Open evening (Viewing subject to weather)
Suitable for
- 18+
- Not suitable for children
When
6:30-11pm
Admission
Adults £7.80 child £5.85 senior £6.10 family of 4 £24.10 family of 5 £27.45. Call 01323 832731 to book
Comets & Curry themed Evening
Come and enjoy a warming curry and a glass of wine before trying to spot an impressive shooting star or two.
Suitable for
- 18+
- Not suitable for children
When
7-11:30pm
Admission
Adults £22.95. Call 01323 832731 to book
Open Evening
Open Evening (viewing subject to weather)
Suitable for
- Any age
- Family friendly
When
6:30-11pm
Admission
Adults £7.80 child £5.85 senior £6.10 family of 4 £24.10 family of 5 £27.45. Call 01323 832731 to book
Open Evening for Geminids Meteor shower
Open Evening for Geminids Meteor shower(viewing subject to weather)
Suitable for
- Any age
- Family friendly
When
6:30-11pm
Admission
Adults £7.80 child £5.85 senior £6.10 family of 4 £24.10 family of 5 £27.45. Call 01323 832731 to book
Wartling Road
Herstmonceux
Hailsham
East Sussex
BN27 1RN
England
Website
Telephone
01323 832731
Fax
01323 832741
Wartling Road
Herstmonceux
Hailsham
East Sussex
BN27 1RN
England
Website
Telephone
01323 832731
Fax
01323 832741
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