Review: Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos Exhibition at the Science and Industry Museum Manchester – An Out-of-This-World Family Day Out
Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos Exhibition at the Science and Industry Museum Manchester – An Out-of-This-World FAMILY SPACE ADVENTURE 🪐
We visited the Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos exhibition at the Science and Industry Museum Manchester on Tuesday 17th February, and it turned out to be such a fun, interactive family day out.
We had booked the 1:45pm time slot and paid £32 for a family ticket. In the end, we spent just over an hour exploring, which felt like the perfect amount of time to see everything without it becoming too much for the kids.
From the moment we arrived, everything felt really well organised. After showing our tickets at the desk, we were directed round the corner to a waiting area. Opposite the desk there was an accessibility hub with ear defenders and other items available to borrow if needed, which I thought was such a thoughtful touch. There was also a buggy park in the waiting area, which makes things much easier if you’re visiting with younger children.
In front of the doors, there was a countdown screen showing when the next session would begin. It’s such a simple idea, but it really builds excitement while you wait. As soon as it reached zero, the doors opened and we were let in together.
Even though our time slot — and most of the others that day — were sold out, it never felt overcrowded. There was plenty of space to move around, we didn’t feel rushed at all, and we rarely had to wait long to try anything. That made a huge difference and meant we could just enjoy it at our own pace.
🚀 Blast Off: Stepping Into Dr Big Brain’s World
As soon as you enter, you’re welcomed by a short video that introduces Dr Big Brain and sets the tone for the whole experience.
It immediately makes the exhibition feel more like an adventure rather than just a series of displays. From that point on, you’re moving through different space-themed zones, all connected by the story and characters from the BBC Horrible Science series.
The kids really responded to this — it gave everything a bit more purpose and made it feel like they were part of something rather than just walking around looking at things.
🌟 Alice & Leo’s Favourite Bits
There was so much to see and do throughout the exhibition, and the fact that it’s so hands-on really keeps children engaged.
Some of the biggest highlights for us were seeing the real space toilet from the Soyuz-Mir spacecraft, touching a real piece of the Moon, and learning how astronauts eat, sleep and train in space.
Both kids thought taking a selfie on the space toilet was absolutely hilarious — definitely one of those moments that really stuck with them.
Alice also loved dressing up as an astronaut earlier in the exhibition, while Leo was more interested in the interactive challenges and moving between the different activities.
The rover activity was another standout. Programming it to move across the crater was such a fun way to introduce problem-solving, and it didn’t feel like learning at all — just play.
There were also lots of sensory elements throughout, which made it feel really immersive. There’s always something to press, move, listen to or try, so it never feels like you’re just walking around reading information.
🌌 From Astronauts to Alien Worlds
The exhibition is set out as a journey through different parts of the Solar System, and each section feels slightly different as you move through it.
Some areas are bright and energetic, while others are darker and a bit more atmospheric, especially as you move towards the deeper space sections. It keeps things interesting and stops it from feeling repetitive.
I also liked that there were quieter moments mixed in with the more interactive areas. Spaces like the cosy crater give children a chance to slow down for a minute before moving on again.
Despite it being a busy day, the layout meant it never felt stressful or overwhelming. There was always enough space around each activity, and you could easily move around without feeling like you were in anyone’s way.
🪩 The Grand Finale: Disco Planet & Dress-Up Fun
At the end of the exhibition, there’s another short video before you move into the final room — Party Planet.
This space has a big screen, music, and silver astronaut costumes and wigs for children to dress up in. It’s a really fun way to end the experience and feels quite high-energy compared to some of the earlier sections.
By this point Alice and Leo were starting to get a bit tired, so they didn’t want to dress up, but I can imagine this being a big highlight for lots of children.
After that, you exit by the gift shop. Alice chose a robot arm and Leo picked a little Earth plush, both £6.99, and they were really happy with their choices.
💭 Would We Recommend It?
Definitely.
Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos is one of those exhibitions that gets the balance just right. It’s educational without feeling heavy, interactive without being overwhelming, and genuinely fun for both children and adults.
There’s so much to do, and the mix of real space artefacts, hands-on activities, humour and sensory elements makes it feel really memorable.
If your children enjoy space, science, dressing up or interactive play, this is absolutely worth a visit.
A brilliantly bonkers space adventure that makes science feel hands-on, exciting and genuinely fun for the whole family.
Top Info ℹ️
📍 Science and Industry Museum, Liverpool Road, Manchester, M3 4FP
📆 13 February 2026 – 3 January 2027
💰 £10 per person, family discounts available, under 3s free
⏱️ We spent just over an hour exploring
👶 Buggy park available in the waiting area
♿ Accessibility hub with ear defenders and other items available
🛍 Gift shop at the end of the exhibition
👨👩👧👦 Recommended for ages 7+, but younger children can still enjoy plenty of it too
🎥 Watch Our Visit in Weekly Vlog #442
If you’d like to see what we got up to during our visit to the Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos exhibition at the Science and Industry Museum Manchester, you can watch it in Weekly Vlog #442 below. Our trip to the museum is at the beginning of the video, although the vlog also includes some other moments from our week.
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