THE Edinburgh Science Festival is returning to Scotland’s capital city this April with the theme Spaceship Earth.
With a range of free and ticketed events, the festival will run from April 5 to 20 in 30 venues across the city, including Edinburgh Zoo, the Royal Botanic Gardens and Dynamic Earth.
The Science Festival will also host speakers including former Nasa astronaut and oceanographer Dr Kathy Sullivan, Great British Sewing Bee judge Patrick Grant, and zoologist and evolutionary biologist Dr Richard Dawkins.
Returning for the 35th time, the festival has organised exhibitions, activities and all-star guests to showcase the scientific advancements helping create a sustainable future.
The titular Spaceship Earth event, which is free to access at the National Museum of Scotland, is an interactive exhibition exploring science fiction, space exploration and the challenges of living on a planet with limited resources.
Discussing the latest technological advances in the UK space industry, Spaceship Earth looks at re-designing everyday life to help people use less.
Also included in the Edinburgh Science Festival’s 2025 programme is the DiscoveryLab, with five floors of hands-on science activities.
The interactive experience involves creating slime, investigating a crime scene, programming a robot and becoming an animal conservationist.
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said: "The Edinburgh Science Festival is an eagerly awaited event – sparking curiosity, showcasing innovation, and celebrating Scotland’s world-leading strengths in science and creativity.
“The festival makes science accessible to all, while playing a vital role in inspiring young people, supporting STEM learning, and nurturing Scotland’s next generation of scientists.”
Also featuring this year is a murder-mystery event, where guests receive a behind-the-scenes tour of the oldest medical library in Scotland to investigate gory forensic history.
Creating child-tailored Easter fun, the festival has also invited international Bubbleologist and Guinness World Record holder Ray Bubbles to lead a family-fun quest to make “the ultimate bubble”.
For guests without children, there are alcohol friendly and adult-only events, such as An Evening of Cosmic Exploration, which promises a range of interactive experiences and talks.
Just under half of the events at the Edinburgh Space Festival are free to access.
City of Edinburgh Council culture and communities convener councillor Val Walker welcomed the festival’s return.
She said: “We are once again excited to support the Edinburgh International Science Festival, which transforms the city into a vibrant celebration of science and technology for all ages.
“Throughout the festival, our City Art Centre will be a dynamic space filled with family-friendly events, offering five floors of hands-on science for children as young as three.
“Whether you're making slime, becoming an animal conservationist, solving a crime-scene mystery or programming your own robot, there’s endless exploration to be had!
“Inspired by both science fiction and science fact, and with the theme Spaceship Earth, the jam-packed programme has something for everyone and it’s the perfect way for families to enjoy the Easter holidays together.”
