London Zoo is getting a Horrible Science makeover this summer
Science gets silly
Summer holidays and London Zoo already make for a pretty solid day out. Throw in slime, gruesome experiments, time-travelling scientists, plenty of animal poo, and you've got one of the city's most entertaining family events.
From the 18th of July until the 2nd of September, Horrible Science will be taking over London Zoo, transforming the Regent's Park attraction into a giant interactive adventure packed with live comedy, hands-on experiments and plenty of the wonderfully disgusting facts that have made the bestselling books a favourite with kids for decades.
Included with standard zoo admission, the event has been created as part of ZSL's 200th anniversary celebrations and promises to blend real conservation science with the wonderful world of Nick Arnold's Horrible Science series.
Leading the action is Back from the Brink, a brand-new live comedy show where a scientific experiment goes spectacularly wrong, opening a time vortex that brings some of ZSL's greatest scientific minds crashing into the present day. Their mission? To save a species from extinction before it's too late. Expect fast-paced sketches, audience participation and plenty of laugh-out-loud science along the way.
The fun doesn't stop there. Families can also tackle a Horrible Science Trail that winds through the zoo, hunting for clues left behind by six famous ZSL scientists. Armed with a Horrible Science Fact File, children will solve puzzles, uncover hidden words and learn about pioneering figures including Charles Darwin, reptile expert Joan Procter, entomologist Evelyn Cheesman and conservationist Christine Hawkey. Finish the trail and you'll even earn your own Horrible Scientist badge to take home.
Naturally, this is Horrible Science, so things get a little messy. Visitors can expect everything from investigating the surprising science behind vampire bat saliva to digging through fake blood, spider webs, slime and, yes, plenty of poo-inspired activities, all designed to make learning about wildlife as entertaining as possible.
The event also shines a spotlight on the work ZSL carries out around the world, with interactive demonstrations showcasing how conservationists help protect endangered species. It's the perfect mix of gross-out humour and genuine science, making it every bit as educational as it is entertaining.
Away from the special activities, visitors can still enjoy everything London Zoo has to offer, including more than 8,500 animals ranging from Asiatic lions and Sumatran tigers to playful penguins, curious capybaras and one of the UK's largest collections of reptiles and insects. Those looking to upgrade their visit can also book animal encounters or even spend the night at the zoo's unique lodges.
The Horrible Science takeover also runs alongside London Zoo's 200th anniversary celebrations, including a new heritage exhibition, a historical plaques trail and a limited-time exhibition inspired by Disney's The Lion King. Throughout August, visitors can also take part in special Lion King-themed workshops featuring puppetry and dance sessions.
Running throughout the school holidays until the 2nd of September, Horrible Science at London Zoo is included with standard admission, with family tickets offering savings of up to £39 this summer, alongside a free return visit during the holidays. It's a pretty convincing excuse to spend a day getting gloriously gross in the name of science.
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