Crowds flock to South Kensington as weekend of science and arts adventures kicks off!
Despite some spells of rain, day one of the 2025 Great Exhibition Road Festival brought plenty of excitement to Imperial College London's campus and surrounding areas, with thousands turning up to enjoy hands-on exhibits, inspiring talks, and unforgettable experiences.
With a packed programme designed for all ages, adults, young people, and children had plenty to do—from exploring the Quantum Jungle, an interactive art installation sparking wonder and curiosity, trying out intriguing insect ingredients at Future Food Live, and seeing incredible works of art inspired by science created before their very eyes.
Collaboration in full swing
As in previous years, the Great Exhibition Road Festival is led by Imperial in collaboration with its iconic neighbours, like the Science Museum, Natural History Museum, Royal College of Art, and V&A—joining forces to put together this vibrant weekend of creativity and discovery!
The curator and designers of the V&A's new 'Design and Disability' exhibition took to the stage of the Art of Science talk series (hosted in the V&A's beautiful The Lydia and Manfred Gorvy Lecture Theatre) to explore how disabled people are hacking, redesigning and subverting design.
The Natural History Museum's learning team and scientists helped visitors discover the different creatures and other forms of life flourishing in their gardens and pond. And students from the Royal College of Art explored the future of collaborative storytelling and connective puzzle-solving, inviting visitors to take part in an experimental treasure hunt inspired by Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.
Partners also contributed to the programming of the three Festival stages, like It Takes Guts on the Family Stage—a squirm-inducing show about the workings of the human digestive system with the Science Museum Explainer Team!
The streets are alive (with festival magic)
While many Imperial spaces were transformed to host the Festival Zones—including the Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Flowers Building, Queen's Tower Rooms and Beit Quadrangle—lots of activity spilled out into the streets, which the public enjoyed despite a few showers typical of the great British summer!
Visitors braved the rain and soaked up the festival atmosphere, dancing away to the likes of STROMA folk band at the Bandstand. Roaming acts like Ocho that giant Octopus and the Climate Change Mythbuster machine made their way down Exhibition and Imperial College Roads, and the Butterfly Carnival Parade filled the streets with a beautiful display of colour and joy.
Visitors showed off their handmade butterfly wings, created in workshops hosted earlier in the day by Mahogany Carnival Designs and butterfly researcher Mahika K Dixit. The parade spread awareness of how small creatures can teach us big lessons about climate change, led by a dazzling butterfly wing performer and accompanied by the uplifting rhythms of Nostalgia Steelpan Band.
One day to go
We're back again tomorrow for one more day of the Great Exhibition Road Festival (until it returns in June 2026)!
Sunday highlights include Britain's first astronaut, Dr Helen Sharman leading a panel discussion on the engineering marvels that could power humanity to new worlds, Biology Ballerina Eleonora Moratto and the Chelsea Ballet Group exploring humanity's impact on the natural world through pliés and pirouettes, and Lit Laboratory's fun 'Science and Sip' session where visitors can make rainbow drinks, colourful eruptions and discover how colour affect our moods!
Sign up to the Imperial events emails to get updates about the Festival and other public events or follow us @ExRdFestival on Instagram, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) for the latest Festival news and events.
