Europe’s longest-running science festival is coming to Southampton, with a whole host of free events, exhibitions, performances and installations for the public to enjoy.

The British Science Festival, hosted by the University of Southampton and run by the British Science Association, runs from Wednesday 16 to Sunday 20 September 2026.

The event will be a celebration of the people, stories and ideas at the heart of science.

And for the first time in the Festival’s history, local teenagers will be playing a vital role in helping to shape what visitors will see, hear and take part in.

Working alongside the Festival team and LifeLab, the University of Southampton’s research-based educational project, a youth panel will help to curate the five-day programme.

Youth panel member Hena Sudiqi, 16, said:

I love how my input will play a part in the British Science Festival and it’s something I’ll remember and talk about. I have a strong passion for science, which made this opportunity even more exciting. It’s also helped me get a sense of the different science careers available out there other than just lab work, which typically most people associate scientists with. The youth panel has given me an insight into what the world of work is like, such as working as a team, communicating with others on the work that was set, and questioning them on things that I didn’t understand.

Professor Kathryn Woods-Townsend, LifeLab Programme Director at the University of Southampton, added: 

The youth panel has told us how much they’ve loved knowing their input will play a part in this year’s British Science Festival. There aren’t many opportunities for young people to be as involved as this in science, but this has given them a chance to voice their own opinions.

The Festival will take place at locations across the city including the university campus, as well as arts venues including Turner Sims and John Hansard Gallery, and across Guildhall Square.

The full programme of events will be unveiled in the summer, but festival goers can expect interactive exhibits exploring topics such as AI and ocean creatures, as well as musical performances, comedy shows, panel discussions, creative workshops and much more.

The British Science Festival builds on the University of Southampton’s strength for engaging young people in science. In March, almost 5,000 people attended their annual Science and Engineering Day to see high-tech facilities and enjoy hands-on activities.

Professor Mark Spearing, the University’s Vice-President for Research and Enterprise, said:

The British Science Festival will be a fantastic opportunity to really celebrate science, and we are thrilled to be hosting it here in Southampton. Our annual Science and Engineering Day is always popular with local families and the British Science Festival gives our researchers and academics the chance to engage new audiences. We are looking forward to being able to reveal more about this year’s festival programme in the coming months and hope people from across the city will get involved in what’s sure to be an exciting five days of learning new things about science.

James Brown, Head of Festivals at the British Science Association, said:

We can’t wait to bring the Festival to Southampton for the first time since 1992 – it's been incredible to see the diversity, quality and creativity behind the submissions made by people and organisations around the UK, and no easy task to select and shape our programme as a result! The input of young people from Southampton has been vital in giving us a programme that feels novel, relevant and inspiring.

Visit the British Science Festival website