Family Fun Day

Family fun day: Cool stuff

A fun day of interactive science for the whole family.

Image credit: Edward Moore

Over the Ri's 200 year history we have seen some pretty amazing things happen, and we wanted to showcase some of these. Join us for a hands on day exploring some of the coolest stuff we can find, from levitating magnets, to a slice of actual meteorite.

This event runs from 11am – 4pm and is packed full of talks, demonstrations and hands on science. It is sure to be an unforgettable day of science-y fun!

There will be limited tickets available on the day to purchase in person when the event opens. 

 

Talks

Medical Mavericks: The human guinea pig show

Show times: 11:30am and 1:45pm; 30 mins

Discover the cool unsung heroes of the NHS that work behind the scenes performing the diagnostic tests that identify the diseases that make us poorly. Why is this called The Human Guinea Pig Show? Well, we'll need some willing volunteers to take part in some live medical tests! You'll also get to watch some fascinating video footage of the medical tests Tom has had for fun, just to show you what goes on in these careers! 

Affelia Wibisono: The Secret Lives of Icy Moons

Show times: 12:30pm and 2:45pm; 30 mins 

Astronomers now know of almost 300 moons orbiting the planets in our Solar System. But the most intriguing of the lot are the icy moons of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes – some like Ganymede and Titan are planet sized, while others like the ravioli shaped Pan can fit comfortably within London. Despite having temperatures of around -180°C, some of these frigid worlds may be hiding oceans of liquid water beneath their surfaces. Join Dr Affelia Wibisono to find out how scientists found that out without drilling into any of the moons and what the chances of finding alien jellyfish swimming in the underground seas are with the help of some seriously cool demos.

Activities

The Ri's education team will be cooking up their usual amazing mix of exciting hands on activities, helping you explore a whole host of amazing cool science, with lots for you to make and take home with you. We also will be joined by friends from these wonderful organisations:

Medical Mavericks

Get hands-on with a range of exciting medical equipment, and see if you've got what it takes to work in a hospital.

The River Wey Trust

Explore topography and how rivers shape landscapes with an amazing interactive 3D projection mapped sandbox, and learn about how we can help keep our rivers clean and safe for everyone.

Payload Studios presents TerraTech

Try out this exciting new open-world sandbox game, and design and build your own creations through a mix of crafting, combat and discovery.

UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience

Explore your brain and how your senses work with scientists from University College London. They will have a variety of hands-on activities to help you understand exactly how your brain functions. 

The National Archives

The National Archives are the official archive and publisher for the UK Government, and for England and Wales, holding over 1,000 years of iconic national documents. They will be bringing activities exploring their new family-friendly exhibition 'The Spirit of Invention'.

The CHILL study: Children’s Health in London and Luton

Meet scientists from Queen Mary, University of London exploring how air pollution effects your health. Learn a bit more about the study, test how strong your lungs are and use your creative thinking skills to build a prototype to solve an air pollution problem.

 

 

About Family Fun Days

Family Fun Days are suitable for children aged 7–12, though older and younger siblings are very welcome. All children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult, and those aged 4 and above need a ticket to attend.

Entrance for Ri Young Members is free, but you do need to pre-book your free ticket.

All activities and talks run throughout the day, giving you plenty of time to see all the talks and try out all the activities. There is sometimes a queue when we first open, so you might find it easier to arrive a little later. Most people stay for about two hours, but you're welcome to stay as long as you like.

Our Café will be open, and will be selling hot and cold drinks, sandwiches and snacks. There is also a picnic room, if you are bringing your own lunch with you and a quiet break room.

By booking to attend events at the Royal Institution, you confirm that you have read and accept the Ri's event terms and conditions. You also agree to abide by our code of conduct, and help to create a great experience for yourself and your fellow participants. 

Covid guidelines

Face masks are no longer mandatory and wearing one in our Theatre and at other Ri events is at your discretion, however please do not attend the Ri if you are displaying Covid symptoms or, if you have tested, the result remains positive. Thank you for respecting other people and their choices, and for helping us keep all of our visitors and staff safe and well.

Accessibility

The event will take place on the first floor and there is step-free access from the street via lift.

The closest underground station is Green Park, which is step-free.

There is space at floor level in the theatre for wheelchair users.

Seating is usually unreserved for our events. If you and your group require seating reservations, please do let us know by emailing us at events@ri.ac.uk, and we’ll be more than happy to help.

Carers can receive a free ticket to an event by emailing events@ri.ac.uk.

Our theatre is equipped with an Audio Induction Loop. 

Event terms and conditions