The Science Museum hosts a festive late-night takeover this December

The Science Museum is giving Londoners an early Christmas present this year: a one-night-only late opening on Friday 12 December, turning the entire building into a festive playground for adults who still get excited about experiments, space shows and stocking fillers that glow in the dark.

Running from 5.15pm until 10pm (with the last entry at 8.45pm), the Christmas Late Opening is free to attend; you just need to book in advance, and it’s shaping up to be the sort of cosy-nerdy night out December was invented for. Think galleries after dark, a bit of science-themed chaos, and plenty of chances to finish your Christmas shopping somewhere more interesting than a retail park.

First up: the shop. It’s getting a supersized seasonal makeover, with everything from science-themed ornaments and space-print Christmas jumpers to the museum’s cult favourite slime. There’s even a board-game lounge where you can try titles before you buy, think of it as due diligence for gifting. Of course, there will be seasonal discounts floating around, so consider this your permission to panic-buy.

If your idea of a good time involves things fizzing, sparking or exploding (safely), head to The Space Show, which is getting a rare after-hours slot for the night. Or wander into the new Space gallery for Space on a Sphere, a hypnotic, room-filling journey across the solar system that counts as both entertainment and education, depending on how stretched you’re feeling this December.

To keep the energy levels up, the Space Café and Energy Café will both be serving festive food, mince pies, hot snacks, and enough caffeine to carry you through the final stretch of holiday prep. Meanwhile, the museum is teasing surprise product demos, special offers and extra happenings across social media, so it’s worth a follow before you go.

Bookable exhibitions will also stay open throughout the evening, though levels 2 and 3 will be closed, consider it a gentle reminder that even museums deserve a Christmas break.

If you’re after an unusual December night out, one where you can shop, snack, learn something unexpected and wander a national museum with far fewer people than usual, the Science Museum’s Late Christmas Opening feels like a gift worth unwrapping.

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