Fun for the curious!
Over 100 interactive exhibits, indoor and outdoor, as well as groundbreaking scientific history all in one place!
Great British Summer Savings on Child Tickets until 1st September!
The Lunar Experience
23 May – 31 August 2026
A limited-time immersive family adventure, designed with ages 7-12 in mind. Step into the world of space exploration and discover the mysteries of the Moon!
Schools & Groups
We are a unique science learning destination set within the historic domes of the former Royal Observatory. Surrounded by beautiful Sussex countryside, our secure site offers a truly inspiring setting for groups to explore science and astronomy in a real-life context.
Celebrations
Whether its a birthday party, a wedding or any other event – we’d love to help you celebrate. Our fascinating telescope domes provide a unique backdrop for any celebration and our interactive science exhibits keep everyone entertained.
Annual Membership
Annual Membership gives you admission for 12 months on any of our public opening days (weekends and school holidays – see Opening Times for exact dates). You can also gift an annual membership – perfect for treating friends and family!
“What an absolute gem!
If you want hands on fun, where children and adults alike can touch, push, wind, press, feel, see, hear – then this is the place!”
Tripadvisor review
“Amazing little hands on science fun find! We filled a whole day at the centre with no waiting to use anything and the science show was great! Worth the journey to get to it.”
Google Review
“Had a wonderful evening of stargazing here last night. Saw Saturn, Neptune, Jupiter, the Andromeda galaxy, a nebula and eventually the Moon, which blew me away seeing it up close.”
Google Review
Discover
Find out more about our incredible exhibits, historic telescopes and upcoming events
Rescue a Railing!
Help restore our historic site. We’ve got lots of plans to improve our site, including ensuring the main building is
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Astronomy Festival 2026
The Astronomy Festival returns on Friday 28th August until Sunday 30th August 2026. For our 22nd Festival, we’re excited to
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History of The Royal Observatory
From Greenwich to Herstmonceux The Royal Observatory was founded by King Charles II on 4th March 1675 when John Flamsteed
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Stargazing Evenings
See the stars through our historic telescopes. Stargazing Evenings at the Observatory are the best way to experience the natural
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Home Educator Days
Home Educator days at the Observatory Science Centre & Museum are the perfect opportunity to learn through play, engage with
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Our Awesome Orrery
When you visit Dome F, don’t forget to look up! Mounted next to the massive Congo Schmidt telescope, you’ll find
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Shake it off!
Discover our popular Earthquake exhibit in the ‘Earth & Beyond’ gallery. Design, Build, Test, Learn! Have you ever felt an
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Solid, liquid, gas…plasma!
Explore our popular Plasma Globe exhibit in the ‘Light and Colour’ gallery. What is plasma? Plasma is the fourth state
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Proving Einstein’s Theory of Relativity
Historic glassware exhibited at the Observatory includes telescope mirrors and a lens used in one of the 20th century’s pivotal
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The Isaac Newton Telescope
Read about the Isaac Newton Telescope, previously based at Herstmonceux. Sir Isaac Newton was born on 4 January 1643 at
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Big Telescopes for Small Astronomers
Explore the night sky with stargazing events for kids and families in East Sussex at the Observatory Science Centre & Museum
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Science for all
Our mission is to empower everyone to engage with science confidently and so feel more resilient in our complex world. We believe that science should be as fun and easy to talk about as Taylor Swift or the football.
100%
of profit to charity
1.5 million
visitors
30
Years open to the public
120
School visits every year
