Bring the Family to Campus in the City – A Free Day of Discovery in Morecambe
Lancaster University is bringing its popular Campus in the City festival back to Morecambe this Easter, offering a full day of free, hands-on activities for families. The event takes place on Friday 10 April, from 10.30am to 4pm at More Music in Morecambe.
Families can explore 16 different activities, all designed and delivered by Lancaster University researchers. Meet the people behind the work and dive into hands-on activities, games, experiments, colouring, virtual-reality adventures, crafts and much more. Children and adults can try everything from meeting a humanoid robot to taking part in health-themed activities at the Teddy Bear Hospital, experiencing the Northern Lights through virtual reality or exploring Wordsworth’s Lake District in Minecraft.
Campus in the City has become one of Lancaster University’s most popular community events, offering families the chance to get hands-on with real research in a relaxed, friendly setting. It’s part of a commitment to being an active civic university, bringing its work into the heart of the community and making research accessible, enjoyable and relevant for everyone.
Exciting Activities for All Ages
The festival features a diverse range of activities designed to engage curious minds of all ages. Here’s what you can expect:
- Teddy Bear Hospital – Bring your teddy for a check-up, treat bumps and scrapes with toy stethoscopes and bandages, and for older children shrink to cell-size in a virtual reality journey through the heart, lungs and bloodstream.
- Meet a real humanoid robot – Interact with friendly robots QT and Miko and chat to researchers about the tech behind them.
- Minecraft Wordsworth Adventure – Roam a custom Lake District world built from the poet’s writing.
- Penny-power batteries – Stack everyday materials to create a working mini-battery and see electricity in action.
- AI face-spotting challenge – Test your detective skills by deciding which faces are real and which have been created by artificial intelligence.
- Morecambe then-and-now seaside cinema – Enjoy a short film mixing rare historic footage with modern stories, then get hands-on with creative seaside activities.
- 3D-printed snake fangs – Explore the Snake Lab, try bite-testing with fake blood, meet a robot snake and uncover surprising snake facts.
- Pipe-cleaner brain cells – Craft colourful neurons and learn how babies’ and children’s brains make sense of the world.
- Quick-fire coding experiments – Take on simple digital challenges inspired by the award-winning micro:bit project.
- Northern Lights virtual reality – Step into an immersive aurora above Lake Windermere and learn the science behind the colours and movement.
- Physics fun – Try hands-on physics experiments, build mini electric racers, explore gravity wells and watch live demonstrations.
- Space size explorer – Try mini experiments to see how scientists measure stars, galaxies and the expanding universe.
- Coastal quest game – Work together on a giant tabletop adventure to tackle future coastal challenges and see how your decisions shape the coast.
- Move, make and feel great – Fold calming origami, build healthy eating plates, place organs on a giant body poster and explore pretend medical scanners.
- Muscle exploration – Test your own muscles, build model skeletons with playdough muscles and take on the Muscle Trivia Challenge.
- Future family imagination – Draw or write the people, pets and special things that matter to you, and explore how families change over time.
Plan Your Visit
All activities are free and suitable for a wide range of ages, with a few best suited to children aged seven and over. No need to book, just drop in at any time and stay as long as you like.
Find out more and read the full programme here: Campus in the City Event Page
Follow Campus in the City on social media:
Facebook: CampusintheCity.LU
Instagram: @campusinthecity
Sign up to the Connect Community Newsletter for updates on Campus in the City and other Lancaster University events throughout the year.
Why Campus in the City Matters
This event represents Lancaster University’s commitment to community engagement and making research accessible to everyone. By bringing university expertise into Morecambe, the festival creates opportunities for families to learn together, ask questions, and discover the fascinating work happening right on their doorstep.
The hands-on approach means children can touch, build, experiment and play while learning about science, technology, health, and the environment. It’s education through experience, making complex topics understandable and exciting for young minds.
For parents and carers, it’s a chance to see how university research connects to everyday life and to spark conversations with their children about future possibilities. The festival also showcases the university as a welcoming, community-focused institution rather than something distant or intimidating.
Whether you’re a local family looking for Easter holiday activities or simply curious about what happens at a university, Campus in the City offers something for everyone. Come along, explore, play and discover – you might be surprised at what you learn!
Event Details:
Date: Friday 10 April 2026
Time: 10.30am – 4.00pm
Location: More Music, Morecambe
Cost: Free – no booking required
Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the excitement of discovery with your family. We look forward to seeing you there!
