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Roar and Explore Summer

Roar into summer at the National Space Centre with a brand-new Outer Solar System experience, dinosaurs on the loose, hands‑on science and unforgettable family adventures.
  • 18th Jul - 6th Sep 2026
  • Brand-new experience
  • Dinosaurs meet space
  • Hands‑on science
  • Free Annual Pass

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Family with two small children in the LIVE Space talks area
National Space Centre

This summer, the National Space Centre invites families to celebrate our 25th birthday with an adventure that’s bigger, bolder and more exciting than ever before. Be among the first to explore our brand-new Outer Solar System experience, taking you to icy moons, distant planets and the cutting‑edge science shaping the future of space exploration. Alongside the launch, Roar and Explore brings the Centre to life with full‑size dinosaurs, surprise encounters and hands‑on activities led by the Dinosaur Space Agency. Discover how life survives in extreme environments on Earth and beyond, and enjoy a full day of unforgettable family fun. With more to see and do than ever before — plus an automatic FREE Annual Pass — there’s never been a better time to plan your visit.

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BRAND-NEW Experience

Launching Summer 2026 – be among the first to explore our brand-new Outer Solar System Experience! Our full Solar System gallery is open, now packed with exciting new things to see and do. Venture beyond the asteroid belt into an all-new zone—visit comet 67P, create your own extremophile, uncover the secrets of the gas giants, and take your own giant leap in our immersive space experience!

Dino 1

Meet the Dinosaurs

Thanks to our friends at W5 in Belfast, come face-to-face with giant dinosaurs (just maybe avoid mentioning space and asteroids!). Meet the fearsome Carnotaurus, the mighty Spinosaurus, and even a hunting pack of Velociraptors.

Talks and Activities

Included in your visit will be a number of drop-in talks, meet and greet sessions, craft workshops, and activities (please note not all of these will run each day)

  1. Dino 3

    Dino Meet-and-Greet

    • Throughout the Centre

    Meet some prehistoric visitors from Belfast (via the Cretaceous Period!). Thanks to W5, come face-to-face with a Dilophosaurus or a T-Rex in our thrilling meet-and-greet sessions—don’t worry, each one has a trained handler close by!

  2. Eros Near Earth Asteroid Humans To Mars

    R.O.A.R - The Dinosaur Space Agency

    • Talk = LIVE Space

    Join the Reptilian Observation and Astronomical Research team to find out more about the potential threat from Near Earth Objects. What are we doing right now on Earth to protect us from the threat of things from space?

  3. Night Sky Image with Trees
    NASA

    Dinostronomers

    • Talk = LIVE Space

    What would the night sky have looked like in the time of the dinosaurs? Would we have looked up in the Mesozoic Era (often called the Age of Dinosaurs) and seen anything different?

  4. Illustration of a tardigrade in both active state and tun state Image caption, describing the image.
    © Scarlett Li-Williams (Sky Plum Studios)

    Life Finds a Way

    • Talk = LIVE Space

    How does life start and survive in extreme conditions? What does it take to create life, and could life on our planet help us understand how it could exist on other planets?

  5. Child in IGNITE programme in a library with a Discovery team member looking at a meteorite under a microscope
    Na

    Asteroid Impact Investigators

    Take a closer look at a replica core sample from the Chicxulub crater, on loan from Dr Sarah Casewell, and uncover how it reveals the story of the asteroid that ended the age of dinosaurs.

  6. Young boy happily interacting in the Rocket Tower
    National Space Centre

    Fossil Discovery Zone

    Grab your tools and join the Dino Space Agency for a hands-on fossil hunt—who knows what prehistoric treasures you’ll find?

Roar and Explore Film Club

Why not add an early morning family screening to your Roar and Explore summer?

  1. JP

    Jurassic Park - 02 August (09:00)

    During a preview tour, a theme park suffers a major power breakdown that allows its cloned dinosaur exhibits to run amok. Celebrated for its revolutionary visual effects, unforgettable score by John Williams, and thrilling storytelling, Jurassic Park won three Academy Awards and remains one of the most beloved blockbusters of all time.
  2. DINOSAUR Publicity Sheet (II)

    Dinosaur - 09 August (09:00)

    Set 65 million years ago, DINOSAUR tells the compelling story of Aladar, an iguanodon who is separated from his own kind and raised by a clan of lemurs, including the wisecracking Zini and the compassionate Plio.
  3. THE LAND BEFORE TIME Publicity Sheet (II)

    The Land Before Time - 16 August (09:00)

    The Land Before Time, presented by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. Join Littlefoot, Cera, Spike, Ducky and Petrie on their first journey together: an exciting quest to find the lush, legendary Great Valley. Along the way, the prehistoric pals overcome many challenges and learn the value of teamwork and friendship.

Funders

The National Space Centre would like to thank the following funders for their support in making the Outer Solar System Experience a reality.