Life Science Centre

About Life Science Centre

The Life Science Centre opened in May 2000 and sits at the heart of the Centre for Life, the science village between Central Station and Scotswood Road. It is a registered charity governed by a board of trustees and receives no public funding, which is why it charges admission where the city's council-run museums do not. Alongside the visitor attraction the same site houses the Newcastle Fertility Centre and the Northern Genetics Service, so working scientists and clinicians are genuinely on the premises rather than being a theme.

Inside, the draw for families is the planetarium and the Science Theatre, plus interactive zones covering the brain, hands-on experiments including DNA extraction, and a run of mechanical exhibits. It also takes major touring exhibitions, and its Times Square forecourt becomes an outdoor ice rink over the winter. There is an after-hours programme through the year, including a Halloween evening opening. Check current admission prices and timed-entry arrangements before travelling, and note that a ticket often covers repeat visits for a period, which changes the maths if you are local.

Featured in These Guides

Blog posts and guides that feature Life Science Centre.

Christmas in Newcastle 2026

A guide to Christmas in Newcastle city centre for 2026: the lights switch-on, the Christmas Market, Fenwick's window, pantos, Santa, ice skating, carols, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve on the Quayside and how to get in.

Summer Holiday Activities in Newcastle

What reliably runs in Newcastle city centre every summer holiday, from museum programmes and the library reading scheme to holiday camps, free outdoor festivals and the free HAF clubs, plus where to check each year's dates.

Family Activities in Newcastle City Centre

A practical, family-focused guide to things to do with children in Newcastle city centre, from the free council museums and galleries to hands-on science, indoor rainy-day venues and nearby green space.

Museums in Newcastle: A Guide to the City's Collections and Galleries

From free natural history and art galleries to the castle keep and the Ouseburn's tunnels and children's books, here is where to find Newcastle's museums and what each one suits.

Rainy Day: Indoor Things to Do in Newcastle City Centre

A round-up of the best indoor attractions in Newcastle city centre for a wet day, from four free museums and galleries to bowling, crazy golf and the shops. Plenty to do without a coat.

Corporate Christmas Party Venues in Newcastle

Newcastle city centre sells a Christmas party two ways: a table at a shared party night, or exclusive hire of a whole room. A guide to the venues, who handles twenty and who handles three hundred, and how everybody gets home.

Lost Buildings of Newcastle: What Stood Where

A Georgian shopping arcade under a roundabout, two-thirds of a Dobson square under a shopping centre, a panopticon prison under an office block. Twelve buildings Newcastle no longer has, and the exact spot to stand to see where each one was.

Things to Do in Newcastle City Centre

A complete guide to the city centre: how it fits together, what to do with two hours or a full day, and where to go for museums, the Quayside, food, shopping, children, sport and the seasonal calendar.

Halloween in Newcastle City Centre

Halloween 2026 falls on the Saturday at the end of half-term. A free augmented-reality quest at the Great North Museum, ghost tours at Newcastle Castle, a spooky night at the Discovery Museum, the Tyneside's horror all-nighter and a full prom night at the Star and Shadow.

Upcoming Events

Events that feature or are connected to Life Science Centre.

Past Events

Recent events connected to Life Science Centre.