The University of Southampton is set to host the British Science Festival from 16 to 20 September 2026, bringing roughly 100 free events, exhibitions, performances, and installations to venues across the city. This five-day event marks the festival’s return to Southampton for the first time since 1992 and coincides with the celebration of its 195th anniversary.
Organised in partnership with the British Science Association, the festival is designed for a predominantly adult audience and aims to reach people who have a general interest in science but do not typically seek out such activities. The programme will uniquely weave arts and culture into its offerings, with a strong focus on working alongside local communities to address topics of equity and social justice.
The upcoming festival follows a successful warm-up event held on 14 March 2026, when nearly 5,000 visitors attended the university’s annual Science and Engineering Day. That event featured more than 150 activities across the Highfield and Boldrewood campuses, showcasing the institution’s history of innovation, including its pioneering work in optical fibre technology and advancements at the UK’s first centre dedicated to cancer immunology research.
The Southampton Science and Engineering Festival, which has run annually since 2002, has helped build the local experience necessary to host this national showcase. As one of the longest-established science festivals in Europe, the British Science Festival travels to a different part of the United Kingdom each year, offering residents a significant opportunity to engage with the research and ideas currently being developed on their doorstep.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
