Exhibition areas
The exhibition areas at STEAM Northants are free to everyone and are open 9.30am – 4pm.
There are also many pre-bookable shows and activities taking place across the campus. Dates and details of how to book will be communicated to visitors in April.
Experiences Zone
New to STEAM Northants! Rise to new heights with the Molly Mae Hot Air Balloon experience. Sit in the ballooning basket, learn about the materials involved in ballooning, have more of an insight into how a balloon works and feel the heat of the burner. This drop in activity will be interesting and a great addition to the day. Note: Balloon inflation is weather dependent. Situated on Electric Green.
Taking over the Sports Dome, Immersive Experiences bring three of their fantastic 3D immersive domes.
Experience one of these breathtaking shows:
- Astronaut (all ages)
- Oceans and Reefs (all ages)
Drop-in to the Experiences Zone and you can also have-a-go with virtual reality and augmented reality headsets!
In the Experiences Zone Marquee you will find the show SCIENCE BOFFINS.
Be amazed with live science experiments in this STEM show. Watch as your Science Boffin scientifically conjures up an ancient scientist from a bottle, much like Aladdin did. The smoke rises out of the bottle as his spirit joins us for the show. Are you naughty or nice? Let’s find out with an experiment testing your observation skills and more importantly your morals! As water disappears from a cup one willing victim risks getting wet as the audience decides their fate.
We welcome back Nene Rivers Trust, who will be bringing their interactive Rivers van, Roxanne, with have a go activities themed on the environment, sustainability and helping young people understand more about our rivers and waterways. Have a go in the SandLab and make a river!
Outside the Sports Dome, visit LemonPop graphic art: Imagination and ‘creative exploration’ plays an important role in STEAM, from planning to preparation to understanding processes, it is often overlooked as an art or skill however we would not be where we are in human development without it. Discover, Define, Develop and Express who you are through creative arts so you can live a fulfilling lifestyle focused on your wellbeing, happiness and success.
Have a go in our sports labs, try out our fitness testing equipment and understand more about careers in sports rehabilitation and conditioning. A great experience for those interested in sports, physiology, biology or working in healthcare careers. Bookable workshops available all day.
Book in for a session in Football Coaching or Rugby Skills with the UON sports team and Northampton Saints coaches.
Meet our STEAM rapper, Dreadlock Alien. He’ll be out and about the university rapping poetry and you can get involved!
Discovery Zone
Our outdoor exhibition is situated outside the Creative Hub and Waterside Place through to the Experiences Zone up near the Sports Dome – and all spaces in-between!
It features:
- The Performing Room will be taking over the STEAM Marquee. There will be have-a-go music instruments, karaoke, gaming multimedia and sing and play music with different instruments.
- Explore being a police officer and see the inside of a police car with Northants Police
- Climb aboard a lorry cab and learn more about the transport industry with AIT Worldwide and Wincanton.
- Visit the Army and test your resilience! Test your speed at the Batak sports wall.
- Get hands on with a range of vehicles from VW Volkswagen
- Drive your career forward with Stagecoach, visit the double decker bus on site and find out about the range of opportunities available in passenger transportation.
- Visit the TeePee and have fun with our Forest Schools team
- Science Stilt Walkers! Do you look up to scientists? Well now you really can! Science on Stilts is a walkabout performance where real-life scientists – who are also accomplished stilt walkers – do simple science experiments with you!
- Have a good in our HGV driving simulator with RHA.
- Visit the STEM Pitstop van, from Silverstone Museum and experience hands on STEAM activities, using real F1 motorsport technology and artefacts to inspire the next generation of engineers and scientists.
Learning Hub and Creative Hub
The inside exhibitions take over the ground floor, with specialist rooms and drop-in activities taking place on floors 1, 2 and 3 of both buildings.
Visit over 70 different companies and UON subjects exhibiting at STEAM Northants; meet Apprentices and trainees, find out more about volunteering, be curious about the skills needed, be inspired with a career and find out how to get that dream job! The exhibition areas are hands on and interactive to spark your imagination and leave you buzzing with ideas for different jobs and careers.
Many different subject areas from the University of Northampton will be represented on the day, with hands on activities and specialist rooms open for you to visit. Find out about the range of subjects you could study in higher education.
