DYNAMIC EARTH DELIVERS A PACKED 2026 EDINBURGH SCIENCE FESTIVAL PROGRAMME

More than 10,000 people took part in our programmes at Dynamic Earth this April, across our annual 16-day programming extravaganza as part of the Edinburgh Science Festival.

Free experiences gave families the opportunity to track down egg-laying creatures in an Easter egg hunt like no other and to meet real scientists tackling some of the biggest challenges facing Scotland and our planet. This gives visitors of every age the chance to discover something new about the world around them and the relevance of science in their everyday lives.

We were delighted that over 175 scientists brought their research to life for families across the festival at Dynamic Earth.

One of the programme’s highlights was a seven-day takeover of our atrium space beneath our Gaia installation by colleagues from The University of Edinburgh. More than 100 scientists and researchers explored topics ranging from Dark Universe Detectives and Powering the Future with Light to BioDiscoveries, Healthy Homes and How do Supercomputers Work? These activities and experiences truly reflected the depth and diversity of world-class research happening right here in Edinburgh.

We were thrilled to welcome colleagues from the British Geological Survey for a takeover event as part of our James Hutton Tercentenary celebrations. Visitors got stuck into everything from critical minerals and natural hazards to the mysteries of Earth’s magnetic field, with big questions met with brilliant answers explored alongside geologists from the Lyell Centre.

The festival also saw a fantastic joint takeover from Edinburgh Napier and Heriot-Watt University. Visitors explored the cutting edge of robotics and AI, delved into the future of health and medicine and discovered the role of design and nature-inspired thinking in solving real-world problems. A brilliant showcase of the collaborative, applied research that makes Edinburgh such a dynamic place to learn and work in scientific research and innovation.

The festival also saw a fantastic joint takeover from Edinburgh Napier and Heriot-Watt University. Visitors explored the cutting edge of robotics and AI, delved into the future of health and medicine and discovered the role of design and nature-inspired thinking in solving real-world problems. A brilliant showcase of the collaborative, applied research that makes Edinburgh such a dynamic place to learn and work in scientific research and innovation.

Our sold-out Astronaut Training programme for young explorers was a festival favourite and even caught the attention of STV News! Budding space explorers blasted off on a voyage through distant planets and galaxies in our mobile planetarium. Our science storytelling sessions gave even more young people and their grown-ups some early steps into science and discovery.

We were delighted to host the Edinburgh launch of Vojta Hybl’s debut book Rocks, complete with a talk and guided walk across Arthur’s Seat and yes, you can pick up a copy from our shop!
We also brought the great James Hutton himself back to life through a series of outdoor theatrical immersive walks, as part of our Hutton Tercentenary events programme with the Edinburgh Geological Society.

For the grown-ups, our Prehistoric Pictures Planetarium Lates delivered something a little different after dark. Whether settling in for a screening of Jurassic Park or Godzilla on the big dome screen or joining one of our Live & Late stargazing shows with our in-house astronomers, the programme gave adults the chance to explore our planetarium without the kids and enjoy a themed cocktail or two along the way!

“One of the best things we can do as science centre is to connect our audiences with practicing scientists working to understand our world and how to make it a better place for people and planet. I’m incredibly grateful to all the scientists and researchers who joined us at Dynamic Earth this Easter to deliver purposeful public engagement and bring research and innovation to life – at scale – for thousands of families in accessible, fun and dynamic ways!”

Conor Ellis
Science Learning and Engagement Director