What is Explorathon?

Explorathon is a Scotland-wide festival run by a partnership of Scottish universities that celebrates the research happening in our universities through a dynamic programme of free public events focusing on ‘Making Research Real’ as well as an exciting series of activities in local schools.

Explorathon sees researchers from across Scotland take to the streets, visit local schools, pop-up at shopping centres, museums and cinemas, to showcase the latest research. It's an opportunity to get up close to cutting-edge research, find out who works in universities, what they do and how you can be part of it.

The aim is to demonstrate the diversity of the research community, emphasising that research is open to all. The mission is to show that no matter who you are – regardless of age, gender, or ethnicity – you can be a researcher and change people’s lives for the better. In short, our activities and researchers “Make Research Real!”

Explorathon 2024

Riverside Museum - Friday 27th September

This year's Strathclyde Explorathon event will be held at the Riverside Museum on September 27th, from 12-4 pm.

Explorathon 2024 will feature a range of interactive table-top activities designed for all ages, with a special focus on families. These activities offer a unique opportunity to glimpse behind the scenes of cutting-edge research at Strathclyde and celebrate the innovative work being done. Engage with live research, bringing science to life for the public.

Discover the connection between food and nature by growing and brewing your own herbal tea. Learn how animals are cared for in research, challenge stereotypes about dementia and technology, and play the healthcare journey board game. From building with jellybeans, creating your own light-up postcard, to exploring the densities and hardness of various objects, there’s something for everyone at this year’s Explorathon!

Stay updated with Explorathon and future activities by following us on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn at @EngageStrath.

Explorathon 2023

Last year, Strathclyde’s Explorathon took place at the Riverside Museum on Saturday the 30^th of September. Throughout the day there were interactive table-top activities designed to give a peek behind the research curtain. From making slime to controlling a robot dog and getting hands on with a collage to celebrate the NHS, there really was something for everyone and we received amazing feedback comments and drawings on our comment wall. 

Over the course of a busy afternoon, over 3,290 people came through the doors of the Riverside Museum, and the majority engaged in some way with our researchers and volunteers. Across our table-top activities, there were 26 Activity Presenters from 10 departments within the University including academics, researchers, students, and professional services all showcasing and demonstrating their research throughout the day.