This summer, At-Bristol Science Centre is running a series of out of the ordinary events and experiences to spark curiosity, with the first ever Festival of What If. Over the six week summer holiday period, the Festival will focus on three 'what if' themes celebrating what it is to be curious!
Inspired by questions from visitors, each fortnight of the summer will take a different theme, based on a question, and so every two weeks the spaces will come alive with new weird and wonderful activities to get people thinking and doing. The themes are 'What if we had to live on a different planet', 'What if nature took over' and 'What if I could see inside myself'.
There will be special events, extra Planetarium shows, evening talks and outdoor film screenings. There will also be the unique opportunity to take part in some of the schools workshops, as they are opened up to families for the very first time. Also, every Thursday night, At-Bristol's rooftop bar will be open for evening drinks before or after special evening events (Studio talks and Planetarium Nights) – with panoramic views of the city, it's a bit of a hidden gem!
With over 50 events and activities over the Festival period, there will be something for everyone, including (to name just a handful): driverless pods, designing a space house, LEGO robotics workshops, edible facemasks, visiting Vikings and drop-in Planetarium shows.
During the festival, At-Bristol will be looking and sounding a bit different too, with a fiesta weekend at the end of each fortnight, there will be a weekend celebration with live music and lots of additional activities. At-Bristol is also working with artists as they approach the three themes in different and intriguing ways. Whether it's helping to design a house on Mars or experiencing the poetry of plants, the Festival of What If is a chance to look at science from a fresh perspective.
