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The National Space Centre Leicester Review & Top Tips

National Space Centre Review – Over the weekend we visited Leicester and the National Space Centre. I had discovered the attraction some time ago and knew the boys would love to visit. Having learnt all about space in his last year of infant school I knew Harry was just about the right age for a visit. Charlie has long been interested in the future of space exploration. What I had not bargained for was just how interesting it was for us as well as the boys. The National Space Centre in Leicester really does offer something for everyone. There is so much to do, I have listed our must-sees and some top tips for your own visit in this National Space Centre Review.

AD – We were gifted tickets to the National Space Centre in return for this review.

Table of Contents

Where is the National Space Centre

We stayed in Leicester city centre for the weekend. The National Space Centre is around a ten-minute drive from the centre. You can follow the brown road signs once you get close. Or you may see the high iconic rocket tower poking out above the other buildings. You can use the address – National Space Centre, Exploration Drive, Leicester, LE4 5NS to find it.

If you are planning on using public transport

By Train: Leicester train station is well connected to major cities in the UK. If you’re coming from London, you can take a direct train from London St Pancras to Leicester. Trains also run frequently from Birmingham, Sheffield, and Nottingham to Leicester. From here you will need to;
By Bus: You can take a local bus from the city centre to the National Space Centre. The number 54 bus service runs from the city centre to the Space Centre every 10 minutes and there is a bus stop close by
It is possible to walk to the National Space Centre in Leicester. It will take around thirty minutes to walk from the city centre.

Parking at the National Space Centre

When we visited we drove since we were staying on the outskirts of the city. There is a large car park with 400 parking spaces. Although at busy times it can fill up quickly so I would suggest arriving early if you plan to park at the attraction. To encourage people to use public transport there is an additional cost to park. Which is £4 for the day. Payment needs to be made on arrival as it is a pay-and-display car park. The machines take cash or cards.

National Space Centre Leicester Tickets

The National Space Centre is a popular destination, especially during the school holidays. So you should book your day ticket in advance if you want to guarantee entrance on a particular day.

Other than the car park everything I mention below is included in the ticket price. You should buy your entry ticket online to get the best price. In doing so you can upgrade your ticket to a free annual pass. Which will allow you an annual membership. As a charity, they ask that if you are working and paying tax you gift aid your admission price. Prices start at £19.95 for an adult and £17.95 for a child. There is not a family ticket option although under 5s are free.

What do you do at the Space Centre in Leicester?

As you walk into the museum the first thing you see is a spacecraft hanging from the ceiling. It is hard to miss the giant Soyuz as you walk in. Made in 1967 the spaceship was composed of three different modules. The boys were instantly engaged.

Next, you can see a line of space suits. I do not think I have seen a real-life spacesuit and the boys definitely hadn’t. They were fascinated by them. There are lots of displays and these are broadly divided into six different areas. Along with two experiences in this great place. Here is a rundown of our highlights from our visit.

The giant Soyuz rocket made in 1967 the spaceship was composed of three different modules.

Sir Patrick Moore Planetarium

When you book your tickets online, or if you turn up on the day. You will be shown the shows that are on for that day and the times available. The further in advance you book your tickets then the more choice you will have. All are popular because it is the UK’s largest planetarium.

It is definitely worth doing as it was a highlight of our visit. We chose their newest planetarium show which was a tour of the night sky. This show was aimed at 8+. Harry was 7.5 when we visited but was fine. During the show which lasted for around 25 minutes we learnt about star consolations, some of the planets in our solar system and galaxies. There was a lady who explained what we were looking at and used a red laser to help you distinguish different consultations.

I found it really interesting as did the boys. I was surprised by just how much Harry knows about the space! We opted to sit at the back although there is plenty of seating. Our session was full.

Interactive Galleries

There are six different areas of the centre. All are designed to look at different fields of space science. All areas have lots of hands-on learning opportunities and interactive exhibits.

Into Space – This is the first area and looks very much at the history of space travel. A couple of the things the boys really enjoyed was the mock-up of the Columbus Module. Where they could press all the buttons and imagine what it would be like. There is also a Tim Peake take-off experience, where you sit in vibrating seats and his a rocket taking off. Harry spent quite some time playing a reactions game, where you had to hit lights in sequence.
The Universe – This was the first exhibit we explored. Harry was particularly taken with light refractions. There was also a game where you could make atoms explode which the boys enjoyed. With black holes to climb through and the opportunity to spin ping-pong balls through a galaxy.
Our Solar System – Out of all the areas this one had a lot more detail. It would be great if the kids were learning about the solar system at school. There is so much information I am not sure if we even managed to get through half of it. Although a highlight for the boys was giving the Martian Rover a spin. It had a camera on the front so that you could see what the scientist would see.

and more…

Home Planet – This is an area which seems to be set up more for younger children. With an interactive floor, the section looks at our environment. With a focus on global warming, CO2 emissions and what we can do to protect our planet.
Space Oddities – A smaller display which tells the Apollo story. With lots of memorabilia from the Apollo missions and also a large interactive table where you can answer questions.
Live Space – This is an area where there are live talks throughout the day. On the front of the planetarium, there is a screen which shows the talks and subject. There were three talks when we visited. One Grossology and two Travelling to Space. It also lists any live demos. Best to try and get there ten minutes early to ensure you get a good view.

Rocket Tower

One of the other key points of interest is the 42m high Rocket Tower. Spread over four different decks you can either reach them via a lift or stairs. Each one contains a different narrative surrounding the space race and moon landing. Including the UK and involvement. There is also a full-size space rocket from which you can get a view from each deck.

The boys enjoyed trying their hand at launching a water rocket. Watching the first sci-fi film in a really small theatre. They enjoyed being transported back to 1969 to watch the moon landing. We also played a guess-who game with all the different famous astronauts. Harry also had a chance to design and launch his own rocket. This is probably the smaller area and was quite busy by the time we visited. In hindsight, it may be worth doing this part first. Since many of the areas are a lot larger.

Space Talk at Live Space

We stumbled upon one of the space talks. I would definitely add at least one of these to your itinerary if you can. The presenter was really entertaining, although entirely educational the boys had no idea they were learning. Our session focused on combustion and cause and effect. How rockets work and Sir Issac Newton. There was a good amount of crowd participation with children being called on to answer questions. The highlight was when all the lights went out and we saw combustion happening in a large water dispenser bottle. It elected a lot of ooos and ahhhhs. There is lots of seating however these sessions are very popular so get there early.

Tetrastar Spaceport

Another thing that you really should do on your visit is visit the Tetrastar Spaceport. Don’t let the queues put you off, we headed here straight after our Planetarium experience and did not have to queue for very long. It was a lot of fun. An immersive experience which I will not spoil but you end up going through a series of small rooms.

The main story line is being on a transporter trying to save some important research from the red planet. With a 4D cinema experience, escape room activities in mission control and elaborate story and props the boys loved it.

The immersive theatre takes around 25 minutes with the story starting as you are waiting to board the transporter. So make sure you pay attention to the TV screens.

Top tips for a visit – National Space Centre Review

If you are planning a visit to the National Space Centre then these tips should help you plan your day.

The gift shop is amazing. Although not cheap! Harry fell in love with a play set that was £60. It has now gone on his birthday list! There are various pocket money souvenirs such as pencils, key rings and magnets. There was also the chance to buy some space ice cream which we could not pass by. It tasted fruitier than I expected it to!
It is an extremely popular attraction, especially during the February half term and school holidays. Since it is all inside it is perfect for a rainy day. So bear this in mind and book your tickets in advance for busy days. Remember it is likely that lots of people will have an annual pass. If you do then you can still book your return visit online to ensure you get the dates you want.
There is Boosters cafe which is located by the entrance area. It gets really busy from lunchtime onwards. They sell a selection of hot food including hot dogs and cold snacks such as wraps and sandwiches. As well as cold and hot drinks. You may want to consider bringing your own food at busy times to make your day flow smoother. Or go for an early lunch.

And more tips…

If you can arrive early in the day when it opens. By lunchtime, it was very busy and although we could easily get to the exhibits it was better when it was quiet. For this reason, you may also want to consider booking your planetarium show in advance for the afternoon.
There are some activity leaflets which you can pick up at the ‘Why Leicester’ stand which give the kids something to fill in as you go around.
The attraction is inside and we ended up taking our coats back to the car.

How long to spend in the National Space Centre Leicester?

You could easily spend the whole day. We were there for over five hours and I do not think we saw everything. We didn’t stop for food during our visit having stocked up on breakfast and had dinner booked. Instead, the boys had some snacks and we brought some water with us. It is so interactive that time flies by.

What age is it suitable for?

One of the things that I really like about Leicester Space Centre is that it is designed for all different ages. With things for young children to do and lots for older kids. many of the interactive elements appealed to both boys despite the four-year age gap. Even the big kids are hard-pushed not to fund something.

National Space Centre Review Conclusions

We had a great day at the award-winning National Space Centre. I can see why it is so popular, the boys tried so many new things. I would definitely consider annual membership if we lived closer. With a large range of activities throughout the year, there is always something different to do.

During our time in Leicester we also tried out the Treetop Adventure Mini Golf which is another inside activity you may want to consider.