Wonderlab: The Bramall Gallery

Take part in facilitated sessions for children and their adults with our team of Explainers to think like engineers as you design, build, test and improve your creations in an open and active way.

Sessions run on a first come first served basis and may be subject to change at short notice. Please note, these sessions are only available on weekends and school holidays.

10.00–10.40 Open Play
11.00–11.30 Groups with children aged 3 – 6
11.30–12.00 Groups with children aged 7+
12.00–13.40 Open Play
14.00–14.30 Groups with children aged 3-6
14.30–15.00 Groups with children aged 7+
15.00–16.00 Open Play

Children must be accompanied by an adult in all sessions.

We may occasionally need to close Play Revolution during busy times to ensure the rest of the gallery is running safely.

Ready to refuel? Head to the Wonderlab Café in Great Hall for hot drinks, ice cream and other tasty treats.

There's also the Wonderlab Shop, where you'll find a brilliant range of science-focused books, toys and gifts.

Inside Wonderlab there's a buggy park and toilets. All of your essential visit-planning info is on the Visit page, though facilities and accessibility may also be of interest.

Annual pass holders must book both a free museum admission ticket as well as a Wonderlab timeslot entry ticket.

Steps to plan your next visit to Wonderlab: 

• Log in to your account. If you are an existing Annual Pass holder and you originally bought your passes in the museum rather than online, please phone our call centre on 033 0058 0058. They will help you create a login and attach your existing passes to your new account. Please don’t create a new account yourself as your passes won’t appear automatically.
• Book your free museum admission ticket and choose your arrival timeslot.
• Book your Wonderlab timeslot entry ticket.

Wonderlab offers a 50% discount to entry tickets for a party of up to four people with the presentation of a Max Card. 

Steps to plan your next visit to Wonderlab using a Max Card: 

• Visit the Max Card website offer here, where you can enter your Max Card number and receive a discount code. 
• Log in to your account and book your free museum admission ticket and choose your arrival timeslot.
• Book your Wonderlab timeslot entry ticket. Your discount will be automatically applied at the checkout when you add the discount code.

Some exhibits in Wonderlab use magnets that may affect pacemakers or other medical devices. Warning signs are displayed next to these exhibits.
Please download the gallery map to assist with your visit. You may also ask an Explainer for guidance upon arrival.

For more information on accessibility throughout the museum, please visit our facilities and accessibility page.

Wonderlab: The Bramall Gallery encourages visitors to interact with the exhibits through vision, sound and cognitive skills. Disabled visitors receive concessionary prices for the gallery.

Most of these areas are staffed by Explainers—our professional science communicators who provide personal guidance, explanations and demonstrations on gallery.

Accessibility aids including ear defenders are available from the front desk to support visitors who may benefit from them. Ear defenders are also available from the Wonderlab ticket desk.

For visitors who prefer a quieter environment, the best times are after 16.00 or between 12.00–14.00.

Live shows can include sudden, loud noises. These will be highlighted in Wonderlab on the day of your visit. If a member of your group has sensory processing or access requirements and would like more information, you can speak to a staff member when you visit, or in advance by calling our Contact Centre on 033 0058 0058.

For more information on accessibility across the museum visit our facilities and accessibility page.

Title Funder

The Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation

The Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation supports—through awarding grants—charitable organisations which promote arts. the advance of education for the public benefit, Christian faith in accordance with the beliefs of the Church of England and urban or rural regeneration in areas of social/economic deprivation for the benefit of the public.

Principal Funder

Garfield Weston Foundation

The Garfield Weston Foundation is a family-founded, grant-making charity which supports causes across the UK and gave over £88 million last year. It has donated more than £1 billion to charities since it was established in 1958.

From small community organisations to large national institutions, the Foundation supports a broad range of charities and activities that make a positive impact in the communities in which they work. Around 2,000 charities across the UK benefit each year from the Foundation's grants.

Major Sponsor

Eversholt UK Rails Group

Eversholt Rail owns UK passenger and freight rolling stock and has more than 25 years’ experience in the rail industry. Eversholt Rail has invested more than £3bn in new trains since privatisation and continually invests in existing fleets to maintain quality and reliability to deliver a better passenger experience.

Eversholt Rail has a proud history of innovation and plays an integral role in the growth and modernisation of the UK rail sector by introducing new products and technologies into the market.

Major Funder

Friends of the National Railway Museum

The Friends of the National Railway Museum was formed in 1977 to support the National Railway Museum. An independent member-based charity, FNRM (or 'the Friends') help to fund the restoration of exhibits in the National Collection, the acquisition of new artefacts, and other projects that would otherwise not be possible.

The charity also undertakes and supports research and educational projects relating to the history and development of railways.

Major Funder

Michael Wallace MBE

Michael Wallace joined the Friends of the National Railway Museum (the Friends) as a life member at its inception in 1977. He joined Ripon Grammar School as a physics teacher in 1958, becoming Head of Physics and Deputy Head. Immediately following retirement in 1992, Michael became active as a volunteer with the Friends serving the charity and the museum for over a quarter of a century, firstly as assistant secretary, and then secretary. He was also editor of Review, the Friends’ quarterly journal, and was still in office at the time of his death in 2018. Michael was made a Member of the British Empire (MBE) in 2011 for his services volunteering on behalf of the National Railway Museum and the Friends. He left a generous legacy to the Friends, which has enabled the ‘Wallace Learning Space’ to be funded in his memory.

Associate Funder

Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851

The Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 was established to organise the Great Exhibition. The Exhibition made a significant surplus which the Commission, under the guidance of Prince Albert, used to purchase an estate in South Kensington. This estate has developed to become a unique centre of scientific, cultural and educational excellence which now houses the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the V&A Museum; Imperial College London; the Royal Colleges of Art and Music and the Royal Albert Hall, all of which the Commission continues to support in their work in education, research, science and the arts.

Today, it is focused predominantly on awarding postgraduate fellowships and scholarships, for advanced study and research in science, engineering, the built environment and design. It also awards grants to support projects consistent with its overall aims, many of which are focused on raising the awareness of the young to the opportunities presented by science and engineering.

Associate Funder

Holbeck Charitable Trust

The Holbeck Charitable Trust is a grant-making charity which supports charitable organisations on a wide variety of charitable aims for the benefit of the public.

Since it was established in 2006, it has supported hundreds of charities and projects undertaken by community and voluntary organisations.