National Space Centre
BEST FOR
Ages 0+
ENTRY
from £20
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
Leicester
What it’s like
A planetarium show, rockets to climb through and hands-on galleries about space, all under one roof in Leicester.
The planetarium is the big draw here. The Sir Patrick Moore Planetarium runs shows including a drop-in Tour of the Night Sky, and your first one's included in the ticket price. If your five-year-old wants seconds, extra shows are £5 on the door. There are subtitled and BSL shows too, which is worth knowing if that matters for your family.
Beyond that there's the Rocket Tower to climb about in, galleries full of artefacts to handle rather than just look at, and cosmic craft sessions if your kids like making things. It's built for ages 5 and up really, and under 5s go in free, so a toddler tags along fine even if the exhibits skew a bit older.
It's not cheap: £20 for a child online, £22 for an adult, plus £4 to park. But the ticket comes with a free Annual Pass upgrade, so if you think you'll go back within the year, that day out effectively becomes unlimited visits. Boosters Café does hot food and kids' meal deals, though it gets properly busy between 12 and 2, so eating either side of that saves you a queue.
Mornings are the crush point. School groups fill the place from opening until about 2pm, so if you can get there mid-week after 2, you'll have it far quieter. Some rocket and explosion exhibits are loud and sudden, so if you've got a child sensitive to that sort of thing, it's worth pacing your route round the galleries.
What’s on here
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- 5 and up; under 5s go free but the galleries suit older kids more
- Parking
- 400+ spaces onsite, including 23 accessible spaces, £4 per car (09:00-17:00), contactless or cash machines
- Food
- Boosters Café with hot/cold drinks, snacks: nachos, jacket potatoes, hot dogs, soup, sandwiches, salads, wraps, cakes
- Wheelchairs
- Three manual wheelchairs, four walking stick chairs, one adjustable walking stick available to borrow (first-come
- Dogs
- Assistance dogs welcome. May wish to visit during quiet periods (mid-week after 14:00) or Accessible Afternoons
- Getting there by bus or train
- First Bus 54 runs every 10 mins Mon-Sat, every 20 mins Sunday from Haymarket Bus Station near train station
- Worth knowing
- Day ticket includes FREE Annual Pass upgrade for unlimited visits for whole year plus free planetarium show on first visit
- A standard ticket upgrades to a free Annual Pass for unlimited visits that year.
- Coaches park free if pre-booked, otherwise it's £10.
- There's a dedicated quiet feeding space away from the café if you'd rather not feed a baby in the middle of the buzz.
- Tickets aren't refundable, though you can email to move an Accessible Afternoon booking to another date.
Plan your visit
How much are tickets?
£20 for a child (5 to 15) online, £22 for an adult, and under 5s go free. Concessions are £20.
Do we need to book ahead?
There's a booking link on their site and it's set up for online purchase, which tends to be cheaper than paying on the door.
Is parking easy?
There are 400-plus spaces onsite at £4 a car, but it fills fast during half term and special events, so turning up early helps.
Is it suitable for a toddler?
Under 5s go free and there's a baby changing room and feeding space, but the galleries are really built with 5-plus in mind.
What's the food like?
Boosters Café does hot food, sandwiches, and kids' meal deals, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. It gets very busy between 12 and 2.
What's the quietest time to go?
Mid-week after 2pm, once school groups have left for the day.
Is the planetarium show included?
Your first show comes with the standard ticket. After that, extra shows are £5 each on the door.
What if my child struggles with loud noises?
The rocket launch and explosion exhibits can be startling, so it's something to bear in mind if a child is sensitive to sudden noise.
Is the Centre accessible for wheelchairs?
There are 23 accessible parking spaces, manual wheelchairs and walking sticks to borrow on a first-come basis, and the planetarium has space for 6 wheelchairs.
Are dogs allowed?
Assistance dogs are welcome, though given how busy and loud it gets, quieter periods like mid-week afternoons or Accessible Afternoons suit them better.
What are the opening hours?
10am to 4pm on weekdays, 10am to 5pm at weekends, though some Wednesdays are closed.
How do we get there without a car?
First Bus 54 runs from Haymarket Bus Station near the train station every 10 minutes on weekdays, and Skylink Derby runs along Abbey Lane every 20 minutes.
Also on site
Boosters Café
On-site cafe.
Sir Patrick Moore Planetarium
indoorsUK's largest planetarium, showing space and science films on a giant dome screen.
The Shop
Experiences
Outer Solar System Experience
New interactive experience exploring icy moons, storms and distant worlds of the outer solar system.
Areas to explore
Tetrastar Spaceport
Featured in 2 Huddlepin lists
See all Science & Discovery Centres in Leicester · Things to do in Leicester
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