Get inspired with our 2023 list of must have places to visit as a STEM enthusiast. 2022 has been an incredible year for STEM inspiration, and we want to ensure 2023 tops this. From museums to observatory’s, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Spaceport Cornwall
The ambition of Spaceport Cornwall is to provide a safe, dedicated and responsible way to access space, capable of supporting small satellite launches and connecting people, businesses and ideas.
Earlier this year, Spaceport Cornwall was awarded its Spaceport Licence from the UK Civil Aviation Authority, setting a global benchmark for future spaceports.
The UK is a step closer to blasting its first rocket into space, and you could be part of history in 2023.
Spaceport Cornwall also offers work experience placements and internships
National Space Centre
At the National Space Centre, you can discover the history and future of space exploration. Located in Leicester, the National Space Centre has six interactive galleries, the UK’s largest planetarium and a 42m high Rocket Tower.
Don’t forget to show your student status for a discount on your ticket!
Bletchley Park
Once the top-secret home of the WWII Codebreakers, Bletchley Park is now a heritage attraction in Milton Keynes. Its mission is to attract, engage and educate people from all over the world to inspire them with its crucial role in WWII.
After the war, it became home to a variety of training schools, for teachers, air traffic control engineers and Post Office workers.
Royal Observatory Greenwich
The Royal Observatory Greenwich is situated in Greenwich Park overlooking the river Thames. Europeans took to the seas to explore the world and trade with other countries, astronomical information of sufficient quantity and accuracy to aid navigation, cartography and timekeeping was needed, including working out how to measure longitude. This conundrum led to the founding of the Royal Observatory Greenwich.
It became apparent as far back as the 19th century that the Royal Observatory would need to move away from Greenwich due to problems with air and light pollution from London and vibrations and interference from train lines
A move was planned but delayed by the Second World War. Finally, the Royal Observatory was resettled at Herstmonceaux Castle, and in 1953 the Greenwich site became part of the National Maritime Museum.
The Science Museum
Possibly the most obvious attraction to visit, The Science Museum is the home of human ingenuity. Visit award-winning exhibitions, iconic objects and stories of incredible scientific achievement, all for free.
It aims to inspire visitors with its enduring record of scientific, technical and medical advancement from across the globe.
Jodrell Bank
Humans have long been fascinated by space in an attempt to gain a sense of our place and purpose on Earth. Jodrell Bank has been at the forefront of discoveries. Jodrell Bank Observatory, located in Cheshire, hosts a number of radio relescopes as part of the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Manchester.
RAF Air Defence Radar Museum Neatishead
Visiting RAF Air Defence Radar Museum Neatishead will allow you to experience the country’s only original Cold War Operations Room. It will give you a comprehensive insight into how Cold War air defence operations were carried out as the RAF faced the might of the Soviet Air Force and the threat of nuclear war.
House entirely in RAF buildings the museaum provides a window into the history of radar covering the period of WWII to the Cold War.
The Spaceguard Centre
The national Spaceguard Centre is a working observatory and the main source of information about near Earth objects in the UK. The centre runs conducted tours covering the hazard posed by asteroids and comets, the structure of the solar system and what can be done about it.
