51³Ô¹ÏÍø

Thousands enjoyed arts and science activities at the largest and most ambitious Great Exhibition Road Festival to date!

Across last weekend, on 6 and 7 June 2026, around 57,000 visitors attended the annual Great Exhibition Road Festival, hosted at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø's South Kensington campus and surrounding areas. 

It doesn’t matter how old you are, there’s interest for everybody. [It has] everything from science to dance to technology to mechanics – it’s been great! Festival visitor

Marking a significant anniversary this year, (175 years from the original Great Exhibition of 1851) the Festival's programme was its most ambitious yet – with events taking place across more of South Kensington than ever before, from the Science Museum and V&A to the East Albert Lawn in Kensington Gardens.  

Over 100 teams from 51³Ô¹ÏÍø took part in the Festival, sharing their work with the public through talks, interactive exhibits, workshops and demonstrations. The Festival offers an incredible opportunity to break down barriers between scientific institutions and the public, creating connections and starting conversations around the scientific research impacting people's lives. 

Alongside engaging with groundbreaking scientific ideas, visitors enjoyed a varied programme of music and dance performances, as well as creative workshops, tours of South Kensington and its iconic buildings (like the Royal Albert Hall), immersive installations and a live demo kitchen! 

Mark your calendars, the Great Exhibition Road Festival returns on 19-20 June 2027 for another free celebration of science and art.

Watch this year's Festival highlights video to hear first-hand what people thought:

Sign up to the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø events emails to get updates about the Festival and other public events, or follow @ExRdFestival on ,  and  for updates on next year's Great Exhibition Road Festival.