Glasgow Science Festival unveils 20th anniversary programme
This year's festival will run from the 4th to the 14th of June.
Last updated 15 hours ago
The Glasgow Science Festival will return to the city this June to celebrate its 20th anniversary with a packed programme of events including dogs with jobs, cocktail chemistry, and musical performances inspired by cosmic rays.
This year’s festival, which will run between Thursday 4th and Sunday 14th June, is themed ‘Cheers to 20 Years’ in recognition of its two decades of work to help make science accessible to adults and children alike.
Since the first Festival in 2007, organisers estimate more than 860,000 visitors have attended events across the city, and more than 200,000 school pupils have taken part in outreach activities including the annual Creating Engineers competition.
The festival’s reach has also expanded into the digital world, with online ‘Science on the Sofa’ sessions introduced during covid lockdowns continuing to inform and entertain people around the globe long past the easing of pandemic restrictions.
175 events
This year’s programme, unveiled for the first time today (Tuesday 28 April), includes 175 events and activities delivered by scientists, staff and students from the city’s universities and beyond, as well as representatives of partner organisations like NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, CRUK and the RSPB.
The University of Glasgow’s Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre (ARC) will host events throughout the Festival’s run, with other activities set to be presented at city landmarks like the Botanic Gardens, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, and the Riverside Museum. City libraries will also be taking part, and Festival events will be held at the Govan and Gorbals local fairs.
The University of Glasgow’s Dr Deborah McNeill founded the Glasgow Science Festival in 2006 and has served as its director for the past two decades.
She said: “We’re thrilled to be celebrating our 20th anniversary this year with what we think is our biggest and best programme of events yet. It’s remarkable to reflect on how far we’ve come since the start of the Festival, reaching more than a million visitors at in-person and online events. Everything we’ve achieved so far is thanks to the enthusiasm and commitment of the city’s science community and our wider partner network.
“We’ve now been running long enough that children who were inspired by visiting Festival events in previous years are starting science careers of their own today. I recently met a woman who s studying neuroscience at the University of Glasgow who had been at the Festival in 2008, and we managed to find a picture of her wearing a lab coat at event back then. It’s wonderful to think that we’ve made a real impact on people’s lives and played a part in creating the next generation of world-changers.
“We’re very grateful for the support of our main funders, the Scottish Government and the University of Glasgow, and we’re looking forward to an even bigger and better festival next year.”
What's on the programme?
Highlights of this year’s Glasgow Science Festival include:
- Dogs with Jobs (Friday 5th June at Kelvin Hall) — This event explores how working dogs use science every day, from assistance dogs to sniffer dogs, and includes demonstrations of how training, behaviour and biology help them excel.
- Molecular Masterclass at The Alchemist (Various times and dates) — Cocktail culture and cutting-edge chemistry will make for a delicious mix at this 20th anniversary event, where professional mixologists will demonstrate the science behind their craft.
- World Ocean Day Movie Night and Panel Discussion (Monday 8th June at the ARC) Screenings of Pixar classic Finding Nemo and New Zealand family drama Whale Rider will be accompanied by conversation about ocean conservation with expert panellists from the University of Glasgow.
- Superhero Science (Tuesday 9th June at the ARC) — Discover the real elements of physics, biology and chemistry behind superheroes with experts from the University of Glasgow’s School of Cancer Sciences.
- Live Portrait of a Minority Scientist (Tuesday 9th June at the ARC) — A creative celebration of the diversity of scientific achievement, featuring a live portrait sitting in partnership with King’s College London and London Fine Art Studios.
- Sport and the Commonwealth Games (Wednesday 10 June at the ARC) — An celebration of sports science themed around Glasgow’s proud Commonwealth Games legacy.
- Songs from the Cosmos (Friday 12th June at Kelvin Hall) — Award-winning musician Lomond Campbell and University of Glasgow physicist David Mahon discuss their collaboration called MŮO, which harnesses cosmic rays to create a unique audiovisual performance.
- Dear Green Music Scene (Saturday 13th June at St Mungo Square outside the ARC) — The annual hydrogen and solar-powered music festival returns for its third year, with performances from grassroots musicians, presentations from sustainability scientists and the WestFest ceilidh.
The Glasgow Science Festival has grown from 88 events and 16 partner organisations in 2007 to more than 183 events and 132 partners by 2025, with more than 1,000 student and staff volunteers helping to bring the programme to life. The festival has won Best Scottish Festival at the Scottish Hospitality Awards three times, in 2018, 2019, and 2025.