Accessibility
The Space Centre is a visitor attraction for all. There is lots to see and do, all to aid you in having fun and teach you about space! Many people like to visit the Space Centre, and sometimes, often due to circumstances out of our control, there may be a long queue to get in. School groups do not have to wait in an entry queue; once they are greeted by a member of Space Crew, they will help you until you get into the centre.
Sometimes, for some people, the Space Centre can be a bit overwhelming. Don't worry! You do not have to stay in Centre the whole time; you can go outside and come back in again when you are ready!
Things to help you at The Space Centre
The main staff you will see around the Centre are called Space Crew, and they tend to wear red shirts and jackets. They are here to keep you safe and make sure you have fun! If you need help, or have a question, just ask!
The Space Crew wear a uniform like this:
Alt text: Two members of Space Crew, both wearing a red jacket/shirt with the word 'Space Crew' across the back in white text.
When you get to the Space Centre
Outside you might see
- Cars or Coaches coming into the Car Park
- People walking
- Birds fluttering around Trees
- Bushes blowing in the wind
- Picnic Tables
- Lots of Statues to look at
- The Space Centre Rocket tower and Main sliding doors
Outside you might hear
- Car horns, Children shouting/Laughing/Crying, Sirens
- Our Rocket 'launching'
- Space Centre team members doing announcements
- Birds tweeting in the trees
Outside you might smell
- Grass and Flowers
- Food smells from the Café
- Factory Fumes, car Fumes
- The river (at the back of the space centre)
Outside you might feel
- Grass, Leaves, Plants
- Stones/Gravel
- Metal
- Concrete
- Rocks
When you go inside the Space Centre
Inside you might hear:
- Many people talking, shouting, laughing, shrieking.
- The drone of our background noise.
- The groans, whirs and clanks of machines.
- The launch rocket that goes off in our seating area.
- The whistles and beeps of the computers.
- A member of staff making an announcement over the loud speaker.
- The music from our exhibits.
Inside you Might see:
- Many people moving and rushing about.
- Models of different parts of an astronaut suit.
- Lots of shapes and patterns on the floors and walls.
- Lots of different colours, textures, and computer screens.
- Many different buttons to press.
- Many bright and coloured lights flashing and moving on the floors and walls.
- You might see lots of things happening and going on all at once, and all happening at the same time. Inside the Space Centre, there are many things to touch and press!
Inside you might feel:
- People pushing past you to get by and the rush of air as they hurry past.
- The music, machines vibrating through the floor & Walls.
- Different textures on the floor through your shoes.
- Different textures as you press the different buttons.
- In some of the galleries, you will be able to put your hands into different holes, where you might feel different shapes, textures. Some are smooth, rough; some can be hot or cold.
- Feeling things for the first time that you cannot see can be surprising, but fun too!
Inside you might smell:
- Food and drink from the café
- Other people
- Smoke from our launching rocket
- Chlorine from our water rockets
Eating at the Space Centre
There is a café at the space centre where you can buy food.
- You can choose on the day what you might like to eat when you get here, or;
- You can bring your own packed lunch if you want to!
- There are many places to eat your own lunch, these are:
- In our seating area (If it’s a quiet day)
- In our designated picnic area
- In our Main Galleries (please tidy up before you go)
- If it is a nice day, you can eat outside on our picnic tables or the grass bank.
Health and Safety
Our building, by law, must have a fire alarm. The start of our fire alarm is a woman’s voice saying, "Astronauts, mission status is green".
This is nothing to worry about; it is just telling the space crew that there is a problem, and to prepare for potential evacuation.
If we must leave the building, a woman’s voice will be heard over the loudspeaker and will say "There's an emergency in the building, please leave by the nearest exit or follow the instructions of a member of staff". The person who is with you will tell you what to do, along with the members of Space Crew.
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![Our Planetarium seats, seen from the side on. The screen is also brightly lit up, with a blue hue.]()
The Planetarium
During a visit at the space centre, you may get the chance to see a show in our Planetarium. This is a big cinema with lots of seats and a big dome-shaped screen that covers the whole ceiling!
Sometimes, it can be quite loud, with some fast-moving scenes. This can make some people feel motion sick, but do not worry! We recommend covering your eyes and ears until the feeling passes.
You are able to leave the planetarium at any point, however re-entry is not possible to the same show.
Finally, the most important thing about the Space Centre is to… Enjoy your day!
