Founded in 1988, the annual Edinburgh Science Festival is a programme of over 150 educational and interactive activities for the wee ones, and events and talks for adults in over 30 venues across town during the Easter holidays. The festival aims to provide a fun introduction to the world of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).
There's a big focus on educational, interactive fun for kids, but also intellectual fodder for adults. Many activities and events require a fee, but around 40% of events are free.
Each year, the Edinburgh Science Festival takes on a different theme. In 2024, the EISF theme is Shaping the Future.
The 2024 programme was released on 15th February.
Highlights (2024) include:
- City Art Centre (daily 30 Mar-13 April) The Science Festival's flagship venue for kids since 2011 with interactive activities over five floors. Workshops include construction challenges, scab and slime making, animal conservation, making wind energy, and programming your own robot.
- A key hub for the Science Festival is the National Museum of Scotland, with a series of talks for adults and youth around burning, scientific issues and hands-on activities and shows for all the family. In particular, interactive exhibition Growing Home looks at the possibilities for use of biomaterials in building, packaging, fashion, and other aspects of daily life.
- The annual Edinburgh Medal Address given to a pioneer in the field of Science.
- A free, large-scale, outdoor photography exhibition which looks at the human impact on the universe on The Mound Precinct.
- Late Night events for adults at the City Art Centre, National Museum of Scotland and Dynamic Earth
- Green-fingered workshops in growing food, identifying fauna and flora & an Easter Trail at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Science Festival Background
After the Science Festival was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the EISF moved in 2021 from April to June/July and adapted the programme to feature more outdoor events and online components to augment the live Festival experience.
In 2022, the Science Festival returned to its traditional Easter hols spot in the events calendar with in-person events, workshops, guided tours, talks, and hands-on activities on the theme of Revolutions, focusing on the power of circles and revolution(s).
Selected EISF coverage
- Edinburgh Science Launches Festival's 35th Anniversary Programme
- Edinburgh Science Festival 2020 cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic
- Edinburgh Science Festival director Amanda Tyndall tackles climate change
- "12 Years to Save the Planet": Edinburgh Science director Simon Gage on how
- Interview: Dr. Simon Gage, director of the Edinburgh International Science Festival