How Does It Work (including Light & Space Backpacks)

A free volunteer-led hands-on afternoon exploring how scientific instruments work, with SEND-friendly Light and Space backpacks and family trails.

A volunteer-led afternoon at the Museum of the History of Science where visitors can get hands-on with real scientific instruments from the collections and see how they worked in practice. Families can borrow a Light and Space backpack — designed with Iffley Academy students and Rutherford Appleton Space Lab scientists to be SEND-friendly — to explore science stories through hands-on activities in every gallery. Family Scavenger Hunt trails such as Spot the Animal and Mission: Morse Code add puzzles and treasures to discover. The event is free and open to all, though volunteer-led weekends may occasionally be postponed or cancelled at short notice.