The perfect place to take the kids during the school holidays, there’s hours of entertainment to keep them occupied in the science centre including ‘don’t try this at home demos’ and lots of exciting adventures awaiting at the planetarium. If you want to see science come to life, get ready to watch live experiments right before your eyes. The science centre gives everyone the chance to enjoy science and nature in an engaging way.
Where is the Science Centre and Planetarium and how much are tickets?
Winchester Science Centre is surrounded by the beautiful South Downs National Park. The address for Winchester Science Centre is: Telegraph Way, Winchester, Hampshire, SO211HZ.
The centre is open on weekends and school holidays from 9:30am to 5pm and the centre is closed on weekdays during term time.
It's a great family day out, suitable for children over 3 years old. For some of the night time events, children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. If you wish to visit, all tickets must be purchased in advance and online. You can book tickets to the science centre here. Ticket prices range from approx. £14 to £19.25, depending on how far in advance they're booked.
How do I get to Winchester?
Travelling by train
The closest train station to Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium is Winchester station. There's public transport available from the station. The Winchester Park & Ride runs on a frequent schedule and connects people to the number 64 bus which goes straight to the centre.
Winchester Station is easily accessible from locations such as Bournemouth, on the London Waterloo line, Poole or Portsmouth, all with South Western Railway.
Explore our full range of ticket types to find the right one for your journey. You can find cheap train tickets by booking early or going off-peak, and if you have a Railcard or if you’re travelling in a group, you could save even more.
Things to see and do at the Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium
There's so much to experience at Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium. The centre holds movie nights, After Dark events where you can discover the secrets of the skies, and they even host album visualisations in the planetarium where you can enjoy the music of your favourite iconic albums under the lights and screens of the planetarium. Continue reading to see what events are upcoming:
After Dark - The Planetarium Experience: Living in Space
This event gives you the opportunity to experience the planetarium with a presenter-led live show. You will get to watch the breath-taking planetarium take you on a journey, beginning on Earth and travelling through the skies all the way to Space. Your ticket to this event includes the show and an opportunity to purchase snacks in the planetarium café. This event takes place on Friday 10th October, starting at 6:45pm and you can book tickets for the After Dark experience here.
After Dark - Musical Experience
As part of the After Dark programme, Winchester planetarium is hosting music nights where you can experience the sounds of iconic albums like Wish You Were Here and The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd. There is also a Led Zeppelin night where you can enjoy a whole range of legendary tunes with the backdrop of the planetarium’s amazing visuals. If you’re a music lover, this is the event for you, a rare opportunity to enjoy some of your favourite songs in Winchester’s planetarium.
After Dark - Starlight Cinema
The planetarium also hosts movie nights where you can enjoy some of the most classic movies under the stars – a unique cinema experience. Upcoming movies include Interstellar, The Ring and Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, so make sure you get the popcorn ready and get your tickets today.
After Dark - Night Sky Live
Ever wanted to try stargazing? Now is your opportunity. This Winchester Planetarium event allows you to learn all about the solar system within the planetarium itself, before going outside to experience it for real. Gaze up above at the starry night and learn all about what you are seeing from the host – an educational and fun experience.
Things to do near Winchester
While you are visiting Winchester, why not explore some more of the area after the Science Centre and Planetarium visit? See some of the great things available to do and see in Winchester here.
Winchester has great shopping facilities while also appealing to anyone with a cultural eye who wishes to visit the Winchester Cathedral for example, or Wolvesey Castle, which are both well worth a visit.
You also have a tasty selection of eateries in Winchester and will find many of them on Jewry Street. A local favourite is Gurkha’s Inn, specialising in Nepalese curries. Or if you’re looking for some fine dining then Chesil Rectory is the perfect choice.
Find out more about Winchester in SWR’s Winchester Destination Guide.
Don’t forget to check out SWR Rewards for money off activities, food, and drink deals.
Where to stay in Winchester
Winchester has a range of hotels that suit a range of budgets. From the budget friendly Premier Inn situated in walking distance from the town. To the high-end Lainston House, located a couple of miles outside Winchester.
For something a little quirkier, located right next to Winchester College is the Wykeham Arms. The Wykeham Arms is a country pub with rooms, and another great location option for your trip to Winchester.
Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium Accessibility
At Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium, they aim to make science accessible for every child. They have worked to create an accessible science centre making it easy for all young people and families to take part in everything they have to offer. They have accessible parking with nine Blue Badge parking spaces available. Within the centre itself, the area is completely open plan with level surfaces on all floors.
There are spacious lifts to get to the next level while there is also space for wheelchairs and pushchairs throughout the location. Assistance dogs are also welcome and if you need some quiet space there is a specifically designed peaceful sanctuary just for you on the lower level of the centre. Find out more about Winchester’s Science Centre's Accessibility options.
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