Science Chefs

Thrusters on – it's time to go back to 2002 as Winchester Science Centre celebrates 20 years of its most amazing wow moments. But don’t worry if time travel leaves you feeling a bit peckish, the Inspirers will be cooking up a scientific storm. Between Saturday 22 January and Sunday 13 March, including February half term, join the Science Centre’s very own noughties cooking show, Science Chefs. Discover how much cooking and chemistry have in common through fun facts and explosive and fiery demos. Plus, head off on a magical adventure in the Planetarium, experience hands-on fun with the interactive exhibitions and get up close to nature in Bio:Space.

In 2022, Winchester Science Centre is celebrating 20 years in its iconic pyramid shaped building. Visitors throughout the year will see the return of some of the most popular science show themes and demos of the past 20 years – all with a retro 2002 twist. First up, it’s the explosive chemical reactions.

Back in the noughties food exploded in the UK. There were lots more ingredients. Cookery shows were all over TV and people were becoming more adventurous in what they were eating. But did you know that cooking and chemistry have lots in common? In fact chemical reactions are key to making something super tasty. After all, flour on its own isn’t great but when it reacts with sugar, eggs and butter you get a cake.

Visitors are invited to join the audience of the Science Centre’s very own noughties cooking show, Science Chefs, and get cooking with curiosity. Find out what makes a chemical reaction. Explore the chemistry of snacks and how different foods supply your body with different amounts of energy. And discover how much chemical energy changes depending on the food. And of course, this marvellous menu of science bites wouldn’t be complete without some epic demos. There’ll be new fiery reactions and some of the Science Centre’s most spectacular chemical reaction demos will be making a comeback. Get set to be wowed again by the explosive sugar flame thrower.

And that’s not all there is to do at Winchester Science Centre this winter…

Adventure awaits in the Planetarium as the popular Solar System Adventure live show returns. With hundreds of moons, eight planets, five dwarf planets and one sun to explore, there’ll be something new discover every time. Or experience the universe like never before in the subtitled film show, We Are Stars. Join the Time Master as he travels back 13.8 billion years to find out if we are in fact all made of stars.

Come rain or shine, in the nature-based experimentation zone, Bio:Space, families can take part in some exciting activities, both inside and outside. Themed around the season and the Science Centre’s stunning South Downs National Park location, there’ll be something for everyone to get involved in.

And don’t forget the hugely popular, and huge in size, explosive demos in Science Live that take place right on the exhibition floor throughout the day. These are definitely not ones to try at home! Families can also embark on an exhilarating adventure through the Science Centre’s immersive exhibits including the out-of-this-world Explorer:Space zone and tuneful sound, hearing and vibration exhibition. Venture into an enormous 10m long guitar to feel the vibrations, experience the wonder of acoustics inside the sonic rocket and climb inside a giant ear to explore its inner workings. Laugh and learn together by making sounds in the huge echo tubes, discover more about decibels, rhythm and frequency and try your hand at British Sign Language. There’s even an opportunity to join the rescue crew to save Humphrey the Humpback Whale and meet the experts in the bringing Research to Life zone, plus so much more!