COVID-19
Enabling the public to
experience,
investigate
and enjoy
hands-on science
#COVID19
We will be open Monday to Friday
from 26th July to 3rd September 2021 during the school holidays.
You need to pre-book sessions:
(Tickets will be available from Monday 19th July)
Please share our summer holiday flier
with anyone you think might be interested!
Opening times
Booking tickets
Refunds
Annual family passes
Masks
Cleaning
Social distancing
How to find us
Workshops and clubs
Gift shop
Library
OPENING TIMES
We will be open Monday to Friday from 26th July to 3rd September 2021 during the school holidays. You need to pre-book your tickets. There are 3 options each day: a weekly theme or our ever popular ozobots and Lego WeDo.
weekly theme
10:00 - 11:30
ozobots
12:30 - 2:00
LegoWeDo
2:30-4:00
The morning session will change each week:
catapults
26/7 - 30/7
dinosaurs
17/8 - 20/8
maths magic
2/8 - 6/8
aeroplanes
23/8 - 27/8
polymers
9/8 - 12/8
bridges
30/8 - 3/9
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 groups. The ideal size is 5 people but if you want more people in your group, book your ticket and email us as we will be more than happy to help.
A group ticket costs £7.50 + 50p booking fee. Alternatively, 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.
We are not restricting the number of sessions you can book as we know that you will show consideration to other families.
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.
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
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.
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
Although it is no longer compulsory to wear a mask, you may choose to do so.
CLEANING
On arrival, you can choose to use your own hand sanitiser or wash your hands for at least 20 seconds.
We are continuing to have 30 minute breaks between sessions so that surfaces can be wiped down.
SOCIAL DISTANCING
Each session will have a maximum of 3 groups. 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 group 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
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 group will be assigned a table on which you can play with either a LEGO WeDo kit, our ozobots or the weekly themed activity 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.