Frequently Asked Questions

During term time, the museum’s galleries and exhibitions are open 10.00–17.00, Wednesday to Sunday.

During school holidays, the museum is open 10.00–17.00 every day. 

Our cinemas are open Wednesday to Sunday and every day of the week during school holidays. Please check our cinema pages for information about screening times.

Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult (18+). Children aged 13–16 can visit without an adult, but must provide parents’ or guardians’ contact details when booking.

There will be contactless donation points in the museum. You can also donate online.

The museum is still free to enter, but you can now book a free ticket online in advance. When booking you’ll be able to add extras such as a timed entry slot for the Games Lounge (£2 per person) and our current temporary exhibition.

You can also book your cinema tickets online in advance. Our full programme and tickets are available on our cinema pages.

In line with GDPR, we will retain the ticket booker’s contact details, as well as those of members of your group who are over the age of 16. Read our Privacy Policy for more information.

Museum admission tickets are available to book online in advance.

If you have trouble with the booking system or do not have access to the internet, you can call our booking team on 033 0058 0058.

When you book online, you will receive your tickets via email. They contain a barcode that will be checked with a contactless scanner when you arrive at the museum. The best way to do this is to show the email on a mobile device.

If you don’t receive or can’t find the email, you can also log into your National Science and Media Museum account on a mobile device and access your tickets.

You can print out the tickets if you wish. However, as part of our commitment to sustainability we are asking visitors to avoid printing tickets if they can.

Tickets will be available on the door, but we recommend booking online in advance.

We recommend you allow around two hours for a visit, but you can stay as long as you like.

We will do our best to accommodate latecomers, but if we’ve reached capacity for the time slot, you will need to wait until the next available time slot, or book again for another time.

This is so we can make sure everyone has a safe and enjoyable visit.

If you wish to book a ticket to a gallery (such as the Games Lounge) or IMAX screening within the museum during the day (10.00–17.00), or wish to visit the Café, you will also need to book free general admission tickets.

If you have booked a cinema ticket for an evening screening, and only intend to visit the cinema, you do not need a general admission ticket.

We are asking visitors to use contactless card payments where they can. However, we will accept cash.

Returning free admission tickets

Our phone lines can get very busy, so the best way to do this is to submit a return request for free tickets online. You can do this up until 08.30 on the day of your visit. You are welcome to book new tickets for another day online.

Changing paid tickets

If you’d like to move your paid tickets to a different day, please call us on 033 0058 0058. Our phone lines can get very busy, so please bear with us if you can’t get through.

If you would be happy to donate the value of your tickets to the museum, please email us at info@sciencemuseumgroup.ac.uk with your name and order number.

Donations

Please note that donations, including those made as part of your booking, are non-refundable. Your support, large or small, will make a huge difference—thank you.

These areas of the museum are open:

• Kodak Gallery
• Life Online
• Galleries 1 and 2
• Wonderlab
• Experience TV
• Games Lounge*
• Animation Gallery
• Museum shop
• Café (10.00–16.00)
• Picnic areas
• IMAX
• Pictureville
• Cubby Broccoli Cinema
• Pictureville Bar (for cinema customers only)
• Insight: Collections and Research Centre (by appointment only)

*Additional ticket required for Games Lounge; under-12s must be accompanied by a paying adult

These areas of the museum are currently closed:

• BFI Mediatheque

All our interactive galleries are open. Exhibits with touchscreens, levers and buttons, touch objects, gallery books and braille labels have an increased cleaning regime. Hand sanitiser stations are located at key points throughout the museum.

Exhibits involving the mouth, or which involve prolonged interaction with hard-to-clean areas have been removed.

Wonderlab is open. However, some exhibits are not currently in use.

Exhibits containing elements that can be placed near or in the visitor’s mouth, or in close proximity to the face, will remain closed.

There are hand sanitiser stations at key points within Wonderlab.

Our temporary exhibition Top Secret: From Ciphers to Cyber Security is in Galleries 1 and 2 between 11 February and 5 June 2022.

Our new permanent Belle Vue Studio exhibition is on display in the Kodak Gallery.

You can check our what’s on calendar for the current programme and sign up to our newsletters to hear about new events as soon as they are announced.

Researchers may visit Insight: Collections and Research Centre by appointment only. Please email the curatorial team to discuss your plans at research@scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk. Research slots will normally be released a month in advance, and your booking must be made at least 14 days before the date you would like to visit.

You can find full information on our research the collection page.

Pictureville Cinema—including IMAX—is open Wednesday to Sunday. We also open on selected Mondays and Tuesdays for school holidays and key film titles.

Our full programme is available on our cinema page. Please book your tickets online in advance.

We have taken the decision to return to full occupancy in our cinemas in order to allow as many customers as possible to see the fantastic range of films we have available. However, we’re continuing to implement a range of enhanced measures to keep our audiences safe—see ‘What health and safety measures are in place for the cinemas?’ below.

Tickets may be available from our Box Office on the night. However, we advise that you book online and in advance whenever possible.

Yes—Pictureville Bar opens 30 minutes before the first screening of the day for cinema customers. The bar will also be open before Kids’ Club and Thursday Silver Screen shows.

In line with government guidance, we are using fresh air ventilation in our cinemas.

We remain committed to a range of measures to help keep you safe, including:

• Asking you to book tickets online in advance
• Installing screens at all main reception points, ticket desks and information points
• Offering hand sanitiser stations, including at key points such as entrances, exits and high touch areas
• Scanning tickets using contactless e-scanners
• Asking you to make contactless payments where possible
• Additional signage
• Mechanical ventilation to provide optimal fresh air flow

We have implemented enhanced cleaning regimes in line with government guidance. This includes (but is not limited to):  

• Increasing the numbers of cleaning operatives
• Increasing the cleaning regime in the theatres between screenings
• Focusing cleaning on high touch points such as seats, lift buttons and handrails

CAN I STILL PURCHASE TICKETS IN PERSON?

Please book your tickets online in advance. Tickets will be available in person at Pictureville Bar, but booking your ticket in advance helps us avoid queues and maintain safe distancing.

I CAN’T FIND A SILVER SCREEN TICKET OPTION ON THE WEBSITE

Make sure you are logged in to your account and choose the ‘60 & over’ ticket. If you are a Silver Screen Club member, the Silver Screen price will automatically be applied when you reach the checkout page.

I’VE TRIED TO RESET MY PASSWORD, BUT HAVEN’T RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION

Please check the junk and spam folders in your email inbox to ensure that our emails haven’t been directed there.

CAN I RECEIVE MY SILVER SCREEN DISCOUNT ON MORE THAN ONE TICKET?

No, you will only be able to purchase one ticket at the reduced Silver Screen price.

WILL PICTUREVILLE BAR BE OPEN?

Yes, Pictureville Bar will open 30 minutes before the screening. 

The Café is open Wednesday to Sunday, 10.00–16.00.

Pictureville Bar is open Wednesday to Sunday for cinema customers only. The bar opens 30 minutes before the first screening of the day. It will also be open before Kids’ Club and Thursday Silver Screen shows.

Yes, you can bring your own food. Picnic areas will be open and clearly signposted.

We have risk assessed our requirements in line with government and PHE guidance, and to industry standards, and will be operating in a Covid-19 safe environment.

There are measures in place to ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable visit. These include:

• Asking visitors to book free, timed tickets in advance to manage capacity
• Asking visitors to follow a one-way route through parts of the museum
• Installing screens at all main reception points, ticket desks and information points
• Offering hand sanitiser stations throughout the museum, including at key points such as entrances, exits, interactive experiences and high touch areas
• Scanning tickets using contactless e-scanners
• Asking visitors to make contactless payments where possible
• Additional signage

We have implemented enhanced cleaning regimes throughout our museums in line with government guidance. This will include (but is not limited to):  

• Increasing the numbers of cleaning operatives
• Increasing the number of cleans (including while open)
• Focusing cleaning on high touch points such as lift buttons, handrails and interactive exhibits

We have taken all reasonable steps to provide adequate ventilation in enclosed spaces.

Hand sanitiser stations are located throughout the museum, including at key points —such as entrances, exits and high touch areas—in or around all galleries and exhibitions that contain interactive experiences.

We also encourage visitors to bring their own hand sanitiser and remind them to follow government guidelines on regular hand washing and how to keep themselves and others safe. 

In line with Government guidance, wearing a face covering at the museum isn’t compulsory. We encourage mask wearing, particularly at busy times, so that everyone feels welcome and safe during their visit.

Toilets will be open, and we have introduced enhanced cleaning regimes for your safety.

Lifts are in use. However, we request that you only use the lifts if you are unable to use the stairs and are considerate towards other lift users.

Staircases are open as usual but we ask you to follow the ‘keep right/left’ signs and show consideration towards other users.

Lifts are available to visitors with access requirements. Further access provisions have also been made throughout the museum.

For detailed information about accessibility in different areas of the museum, read our accessibility page.

No, lockers are not currently available.

There is a buggy park at the back of the Life Online gallery on Level 0. There is also a baby changing area on Level 0. There is an enhanced cleaning regime in place for these facilities.

If you are bringing a school group or other educational group to the museum, you will need to book in advance. Due to large numbers, we are currently unable to accept groups without a booking less than two weeks in advance.

Please complete our online form at least two weeks in advance of your anticipated visit date. If you need help or would like to make an enquiry, please email us at learning@scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk.

If you have a question about hiring the museum for a future date, please get in touch with the team at events@scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk or 01904 686 226.

In line with government guidance, the museum is now available for commercial and editorial filming or photography.

For requests of this nature, please contact Brittany Noppe, Senior Press Officer, at brittany.noppe@scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk or 01274 203 356.