16 May 2025 - 22 February 2026, entry from 10.00-16.30 daily
Space: Could Life Exist Beyond Earth?
Find out in our latest exhibition! Snap a selfie with a piece of Mars, touch a fragment of the Moon and lay your hands on a meteorite older than our planet.
Opening 16 May
Adult off-peak tickets from £14. See ticket prices and visit information.
Waterhouse Gallery, South Kensington. Download a map.
You voted yes, life could exist beyond Earth. We’re on the cusp of making important discoveries when it comes to life beyond Earth, so could you be right? Find out more when you visit our exhibition.
You voted no, there isn’t life beyond Earth. Are you correct? Discover whether what appears to be science fiction could actually turn out to be science fact when you visit our new exhibition.
You voted that there maybe could be life beyond Earth. Well then, this is the exhibition for you! Come along and explore the latest discoveries when it comes to searching for other life in the universe.
Touch a piece of Mars, wrap your hands around a fragment of the Moon and snap a selfie with the Allende meteorite, which – at 4.567 billion years old – is even older than Earth!
Today, there’s more evidence than ever before to suggest that life could exist beyond Earth. Our newest exhibition explores the big question – are we alone in the universe?
Travel from Earth’s extreme environments out into space, stopping off at asteroids, Mars, the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn and planets beyond our solar system in the search for life.
Smell planets, touch parts of our solar system, design your own space mission and see what scientists believe could be out there in our out-of-this-world exhibition.
Suitable for all ages but recommended for life forms aged 8+.
Use code SPACEBIRD for 10% off your tickets
But be quick, early birds are only on offer before Sunday 13 April and there are a limited number available.
Free for members
Become a member to get unlimited free entry to Space: Could Life Exist Beyond Earth? Our members also get exclusive viewing hours, talks from our scientists, family mornings and great discounts. Plus, you'll get to skip all the queues!
Family membership from £6 a month.
Supported by
Lead Funder
Touch a piece of Mars, wrap your hands around a fragment of the Moon and snap a selfie with a meteorite that's older than our solar system.
Our newest exhibition transports you to distant worlds as you explore space in the search for life.
Travel from Earth’s extreme environments to the surface of asteroids, go back in time on Mars, dive under the surface of icy moons and venture far beyond our solar system.
Explore the latest science and get up close to the technology that’s bringing us nearer to discovering if anything is out there. Smell planets, touch parts of our solar system, design your own space mission and see what scientists believe could be out there in our out-of-this-world exhibition.
Suitable for all ages but recommended for life forms aged 8+.
Use code SPACEBIRD for 10% off your tickets
But be quick, early birds are only on offer before Sunday 13 April and there are a limited number available.
Free for members
Become a member to get unlimited free entry to Space: Could Life Exist Beyond Earth? Our members also get exclusive viewing hours, talks from our scientists, family mornings and great discounts. Plus, you'll get to skip all the queues!
Family membership from £6 a month.
Supported by
Lead Funder
Lead Corporate Sponsor
Today, there’s more evidence than ever before to suggest that there could be life beyond Earth. Visit the only exhibition to bring together everything scientists know so far.
Travel from Earth’s extreme environments out into space, stopping off at asteroids, Mars, the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn and planets beyond our solar system in the search for life.
Snap a selfie with a piece of Mars, touch a fragment of the Moon and lay your hands on the Allende meteorite, which – at 4.567 billion years old – is even older than Earth!
Smell planets, get hands-on with our solar system, design your own space mission and come face-to-face with the technology that’s bringing us nearer to discovering if anything is out there.
Drawing on our knowledgeable space experts, their cutting-edge planetary research and the renowned meteorite collection we care for, our new exhibition explores the big question – are we alone in the universe?
Suitable for all ages but recommended for life forms aged 8+.
Use code SPACEBIRD for 10% off your tickets
But be quick, early birds are only on offer before Sunday 13 April and there are a limited number available.
Free for members
Become a member to get unlimited free entry to Space: Could Life Exist Beyond Earth? Our members also get exclusive viewing hours, talks from our scientists, family mornings and great discounts. Plus, you'll get to skip all the queues!
Family membership from £6 a month.
Supported by
Lead Funder
Lead Corporate Sponsor
Ticket prices
Peak ticket prices
Weekends, school holidays and bank holidays.
Members: Free
Adult (17+): £16.50
Child (4–16): £8.25
Child (under 4): Free
Jobseeker: £13.20
Disabled adult (17+): £13.20
Disabled child (4–16): £6.60
Disabled child (under 4): Free
Disabled person companion: Free
Art Fund adult (16+): £8.25
Art Fund child (under 16): £4.10
School pupil: £4.00
School adult: Free
Extra-Terrestrials: Free
Off-peak ticket prices
Monday to Friday, excluding school holidays and bank holidays.
Members: Free
Adult (17+): £14
Child (4–16): £7
Child (under 4): Free
Jobseeker: £11.20
Disabled adult (17+): £11.20
Disabled child (4-16): £5.60
Disabled child (under 4): Free
Disabled person companion: Free
Art Fund adult (16+): £7
Art Fund child (under 16): £3.50
School pupil: £4.00
School adult: Free
Extra-Terrestrials: Free
Accessibility and visiting information
Accessibility
We aim to provide the widest possible access to our exhibition Space: Could Life Exist Beyond Earth?. This will include:
- a large print gallery guide
- a visual guide
- audio recordings
- seating
- various touch objects including a piece of the Moon and a piece of Mars
- smell specimens including what we think early Earth may have smelt like
- interactive touchscreen and tactile games
- relaxed morning views
For more information, visit Access at South Kensington.
Visitor information
Members, Patrons and Corporate Supporters don’t need to book and can visit the exhibition for free.
Tickets include Museum entry after you've visited the exhibition.
Make sure you book the correct date, as your ticket can't be refunded or exchanged.
Visitors tend to spend around 40 minutes to one hour in the exhibition.
We offer reciprocal free admission Monday to Friday to our temporary exhibitions for partner organisations as well as Museums Association and NMDC members. Admission is on a first come, first serve basis when spaces are available, so you may need to wait during busy times.
Relaxed Exhibition Viewing: Space
Experience our out-of-this-world exhibition away from busy daytime crowds at one of our relaxed exhibition viewings, designed specifically for disabled and neurodiverse visitors.
10.00–11.00, first Wednesday and Saturday of every month from 4 June 2025 to 7 February 2026
Continue the odyssey
Don't let your mission to Mars end here, we have a whole host of events, articles and activities to keep you on your journey to discovering if there is anything out there.
Explore Space after hours
From out-of-this-world tours to a sleepover with the stars, experience our blockbuster exhibition as part of an exciting event.
How did the ingredients for life reach Earth?
Samples taken from the asteroid Bennu have revealed some of the ingredients needed for life to develop.
Discover what this tells us about how life evolved on Earth.
Naturally Curious: Rocks in Space
Explore the mysteries of meteorites, asteroids, and cosmic rocks in this online course.
Experience the incredible wonders of Space at one of our unique events
Dino Snores for Kids: Space Special
After setting up camp in our galleries, you’ll be treated to an evening jammed-packed with fun, space-themed activities and lots of opportunities to learn and discover.
Saturday 17 May, 18.30–10.00
Adult: £100, Child: £100, Member: £90
Space Night at the Museum
Blast off to the Natural History Museum for an after-hours event full of space-age activities!
Friday 25 July, 18.45–21.30
Adult: £27, Child: £27, Member: £24.30
Space: Could Life Exist Beyond Earth? Tour
Are we on the brink of finding signs of life beyond Earth? Discover why scientists are more optimistic than ever that conditions for life could exist beyond our planet. In this special out-of-hours tour, you’ll explore our amazing planet, the possibilities of life on Mars and much more.
Friday 6 June, Sunday 15 June, Friday 20 June and Saturday 28 June, 09.00–09.45
Adult: £25, Child: £17, Adult member: £21, Child member: £14
Space Odyssey at the Museum for Families
Embark on a journey into space to explore what’s beyond our world in this immersive planetarium show for all the family.
Saturday 31 May and Sunday 1 June, 10.30–11.15, 11.30–12.15, 12.45–13.30, 14.00–14.45 and 15.30–16.15
Adult: £12, Child: £12, Member: £10.80
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