Discover, Build, and Explore: Exciting Home Education Days at Catalyst

Home Education Days at Catalyst

Our Home Education Days are designed to give home-educated young people the chance to get hands-on with science, technology and discovery, while meeting others who share their curiosity. Our next Home Education Day is Wednesday 17th December 2025.

Created especially for learners aged 6–14, these days offer access to our curriculum-linked workshops and shows, where children and adults can learn side by side, exploring topics in ways that best suit their interests and learning goals.

Alongside the scheduled activities, you’ll also have time to explore our Interactive Gallery and the rest of the brilliant discovery centre at your own pace. While Catalyst remains open to the public during Home Education Days, we don’t take school bookings on these dates, helping to create a calmer, more relaxed atmosphere for exploration and learning.

Useful Information

  • Every visitor needs a ticket, including accompanying adults and siblings.
  • Museum Admissions tickets for Home Education Days cost £5. Workshops are £2.75pp.
  • All children must be supervised by their grown-ups at all times.
  • Our workshops are generally best suited to ages 6-14. Children under 6 may not be able to join in all sessions.
  • Bookings will be taken in person, by email (click the link below) or over the phone ☎ 0151 420 1121

Workshops

11am – 12pm Big Bridges – Find out about the different types of bridges in our local area, then put on your high-vis vest and hard hat as you work together to build a giant 13-metre cable-stayed bridge! After a safety assessment, you’ll even have the chance to walk across your creation. Participants will be lifting wooden decks and attaching steel cables, so this workshop is not suitable for children under 6. Personal protective equipment must be worn at all times.

1pm – 2pm Origins – Journey through the birth of the universe and explore the wonders of the Periodic Table of Elements in this cosmic, hands-on workshop about the origins of stars! Discover what happened after the Big Bang using balloons, washing-up liquid, CDs and food colouring in a variety of experiments and hands-on activities, and create your very own supernova explosion on a plate.