Families are being invited to step inside a world where science and the arts collide this October half-term, as the team behind the acclaimed Festival of Tomorrow launches the brand-new Swindon Imaginarium — a free ‘pop-up’ creative space in the Brunel Centre, Swindon.
The Swindon Imaginarium offers hands-on activities and free workshops designed to spark curiosity, creativity, and conversation around the ideas and innovations shaping our future.
The project builds on the success of February’s Festival of Tomorrow, which attracted more than 45,000 participants from across the region. Responding to public feedback for more year-round events, organisers have transformed an empty retail unit into a welcoming drop-in hub for science and creativity.
“We were blown away by the enthusiasm for the Festival of Tomorrow earlier this year,” said Louise Halliday, organiser. “Families told us how much they valued opportunities to get hands-on with science and creativity, and to meet real-world role models. We wanted to keep that spirit of curiosity alive all year round. Swindon Imaginarium will be a relaxed, welcoming place for everyone to explore, create and play.”
The project is supported by UK Research and Innovation, the Sustainable Futures Programme funded through the Science Museum Group Wroughton Solar Park Community Benefit Fund, managed by the Wiltshire and Swindon Community Foundation, and with help from the Swindon and Wiltshire Institute of Technology.
Each day throughout half-term, visitors can take part in a changing line-up of interactive activities, led by local artists, science communicators and researchers from organisations including Diamond Light Source, Southampton Clinical Unit, the University of Bath, and the University of Oxford.
Highlights include making music with chemistry, exploring why autumn leaves change colour, creating prehistoric ‘fossils’, sculpting nature-inspired wall art, and experimenting with giant drawing machines.
The Swindon Imaginarium is open daily from 10am to 4pm until Saturday 1 November, offering a fun, free experience for all ages — from interactive workshops to cosy crafts and creative challenges.
For updates and the full programme, visit www.festivaloftomorrow.com or follow Festival of Tomorrow on social media.
