But did you know there’s a way to explore our nearest neighbour that doesn’t involve three days’ travel? Instead, you can find out more about the Moon in Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos.
The world premiere exhibition blasts you off on a journey into the Solar System where you’ll encounter hands-on experiments, interactive challenges and mischievous storytelling. Based on the hit BBC Children’s show, Horrible Science, Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos is packed with familiar characters and out-of-this-world fun. Here’s just a taste of what you can get up to when you take a giant leap and stop off at the Moon.
Touch the Moon
Get hands-on with a real piece of the Moon! The exhibition is home to a meteorite that’s 4.5 billion years old that you can touch.
Small pieces like this can tell scientists amazing things about how the Moon and the planets were created.
Science Museum Group © The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Smell the Moon
Have you ever wondered how the Moon smells? Now’s your chance to get an answer… if you dare!
Apollo astronauts who landed on the Moon thought it had the whiff of gunpowder. This is the smell of ‘regolith’, a fancy way of saying Moon dirt.
Test your Moon balance
You’ve heard of earthquakes, but what about moonquakes?! Some moonquakes are caused by crashing meteorites, but most happen when the Moon’s surface is stretched by the Earth’s gravity, making its crust shake!
Put your balance skills to the test and see how you’d manage with our wobble Moon activity.
Science Museum Group © The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Snap a Moon selfie
Get your cameras ready for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet the Moon. The hilarious character from Horrible Science is brought to life in the exhibition, and is excited to finally be welcoming humans back for the first time since 1972.
Explore the Moon
The exhibition is jam-packed with fun facts about space, remarkable objects and hands-on activities. Don’t miss your chance to blast a rocket to the Moon, see Apollo 11’s flight plans or discover surprising snippets to impress your friends. Like did you know that the Moon is about a quarter of the size of Earth, or that moondust can give astronauts hay fever?
Science Museum Group © The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Once you’ve explored the Moon, there’s even more on offer in Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos. Head deeper into the Solar System to explore, and then shake off the space dust on an Alien Disco planet—just watch out for the black hole!
Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos is open now until January 2027. Tickets cost £10 with family discounts available, ages 3 and under go free.