COVID-19
Enabling the public to
experience,
investigate
and enjoy
hands-on science
We are desperate to reopen so that families can once again experience, investigate and enjoy hands-on science but we have made some changes. You need to book in advance.
Opening times
Booking tickets
Refunds
Annual family passes
Masks
Cleaning
Social distancing
How to find us
Workshops and clubs
Gift shop
Library
OPENING TIMES
Our opening times have changed! This is to help us safely rotate our exhibits. There will be 70 hours between each of the three sets of equipment being used.
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AUTUMN HALF TERM - to abide by our risk assessment, we do not currently anticipate being able to offer additional sessions during autumn half term.
BOOKING TICKETS
You need to book your ticket in advance as we will not be accepting cash at the science centre. We also need to take contact details for track and trace.
Each session can have 3 "bubbles" of up to 5 people (including 0-4 year olds).
£7.50 + 50p booking fee per bubble (up to 5 people)
To avoid having to pay the booking fee, email us to purchase an annual family pass for £20. This entitles you to unlimited entry for up to five people for 12 months.
If your plans change, please let us know so that someone else can use the slot.
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We are not restricting the number of sessions you can book as we know that you will show consideration to other families.
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Due to the fees associated with taking online payments, it is not currently possible to buy a single ticket (£2 per person aged over 4). We hope to reintroduce these rates in the future.
REFUNDS
If you are required to self-isolate and are unable to attend, email us and we can rebook your slot for a later date or arrange a refund for any tickets purchased. We are unable to refund an annual family pass.
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If Dave is required to self-isolate, you will be informed by email as soon as possible and you will be given the opportunity to rebook or receive a refund.
ANNUAL FAMILY PASS
Using an annual family pass, gives entry to a maximum of 5 people (including 0-4 year olds). This is a temporary change whilst we need to restrict numbers.
Annual family pass holders will be sent the link to book sessions 48 hours before they are released to the public. You will also not need to pay the 50p booking fee.
If you would like to purchase an annual family pass in order to benefit from priority booking, email us.
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Having looked at our records, most families have or will have the opportunity to use their annual family pass at least three times despite the enforced closure of the science centre during lockdown. We are therefore kindly asking you to renew any passes that have expired so that we can continue to open the science centre.
MASKS
As an indoor setting, government guidance requires those over the age of 11 to wear a mask. We understand that some people have exemption. We will not ask for evidence of this.
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Volunteers working in the science centre may choose to wear a mask but this is not mandatory.
CLEANING
On arrival, you can choose to use your own hand sanitiser or wash your hands for at least 20 seconds.
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At the end of each session, surfaces will be wiped down and the equipment will be sanitised and put in a sealed box for 70 hours.
SOCIAL DISTANCING
Each session will have a maximum of 3 bubbles (15 people). We are unable to introduce a one-way system but ask that you are responsible for ensuring all members of your party follow social distancing guidelines. Where possible try to keep to one bubble per exhibit.
HOW TO FIND US
68 Edinburgh Place,
Cheltenham,
GL51 7SE
We are right next to Coronation Square car park which costs 30p per hour
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Bus A and Bus F both run a regular service from Cheltenham town centre
to Coronation Square throughout the day.
WORKSHOPS AND CLUBS
We will not initially be doing any of our messier experiments. You will be able to explore most of our interactive exhibits. In addition, your bubble will be assigned a table on which you can play with either a LEGO WeDo kit, our ozobots or some maths puzzles depending on the session you select. We hope to be able to restart our popular drop-in STEM club in the future.
GIFT SHOP
Many visitors choose to support us by purchasing items from our gift shop. We are unable to take cash payments at present so these items are not on display. As an alternative, you can support us by purchasing tickets for the Cheltenham Lottery.
LIBRARY
Ordinarily, annual family pass holders can borrow books from our collection of science books. We will not be restarting this service yet. If you have any books at home, please return them when you next visit.