Making a visit

Opening times

We are open 7 days a week from 26th January – 30th November 2008
Also open the weekends of January 12th / 13th, 19th / 20th and December 6th / 7th

Hours

10 am - 6pm (April - September)
10 am - 5 pm (January / February/ March, October / November / December)
Last admission 2 hours before closing time

Entrance fees

The Observatory Science Centre reserves the right to alter entrance fees without prior notice.
During the local school holidays there are regular telescope tours and fantastic science shows at NO EXTRA cost!

Gift Aid

We are a registered educational charity and if you are a UK tax payer you can help support this centre through Gift Aid by paying the Entrance fee which includes a 10% donation. The government will then give us an extra 28% on top of the total you have paid which makes a massive difference to us.

Please click here for information about Gift Aid

If you would like to make a Gift Aid donation, download and complete your Gift Aid Declaration Form

Group Visits

Pre-booked daytime groups only (not schools) of 15+

Adults £6.50
Children £4.75
Seniors £5

Pre-booked School groups only

Children £4.50
Children including telescope tour or science show £5.25
Accompanying adults Free of charge

Facilities

•  Free parking for all vehicles. There is a large grass field adjacent to the science centre with ample space for cars etc. Coaches / minibuses / heavy vehicles can use the hard standing coach park area which is just a 2 minute walk from the science centre entrance. 
•  Parking for drivers requiring the disabled entrance is at the rear of the science centre – please follow the signs on arrival.
• The science centre has ramps around the site and a chair lift to one upstairs telescope dome. The café and disabled toilet facilities are both easily accessed on the ground floor (plus baby changing and first aid) The shop is accessed at the main entrance. For open evenings some of the telescopes, not open to the public during the day, are located in domes which are only accessible via narrow, steep stairs – please contact the centre for further details.
•  Ample picnic spaces are available around the grassed areas of the site and at the picnic tables beside our beautiful pond. There is usually an indoor space available in the geodesic domes for inclement weather.
• Our café is open all day serving drinks, sandwiches, light snacks and ice creams etc. The café has seating for 36 people.
• The gift shop is located at our entrance reception and has a wide range of unique and unusual gifts, pocket money science toys, books and astronomy related items. We offer a wide range of items between 15 pence - £2 which are especially suitable for party bags etc.
  
  As the shop is located at the entrance it can be used without paying to enter the science centre.

Herstmonceux Castle Gardens

The Observatory Science Centre is located within the beautiful Herstmonceux Castle estate,  home of the International Study Centre of Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada. Admission to the castle gardens and grounds is via a separate entry ticket purchased from the castle entrance kiosk, and castle tours can be pre –booked. If you wish to visit both the science centre and the castle gardens & grounds, please purchase a combined ticket from the castle entrance kiosk before visiting the science centre.    

Health & Safety

The Observatory Science Centre is an historic site and visitors must take care at all times.

•  No unaccompanied children are admitted to the centre and children under 16 years of age must be supervised by an adult at all times.
•  No dogs admitted except assistance dogs.
•  In accordance with 2007 legislation changes, The Observatory Science Centre is a completely non-smoking establishment. Visitors are requested to return to the car park areas if they need to smoke.
•  CCTV system is recording throughout the site.
•  No ‘roller type’ footwear, skateboards etc are permitted.
•  The outdoor equipment areas are weather dependent.
•  We cannot guarantee that everything mentioned will be available on the day of your visit.
•  Please contact us if you wish to check any particular details.

How to find us

GPS users please DO NOT use our postcode in your GPS as this will take you to the closed back entrance of the Herstmonceux Castle Estate and will result in a 15 minute re-route. The correct front entrance is at the junction of Wartling Road and Halley Road (Private)

The Observatory Science Centre is within the Herstmonceux Castle Estate in East Sussex. It is 2 miles east of the village of Herstmonceux on the Boreham Street to Pevensey Road, near Wartling. Look for the brown signs to 'Herstmonceux Castle and Science Centre'.

There is a shortage of these brown directional tourist signs and unfortunately the Highways Agency does not permit us to add any more.  As you near the centre, if you can spot the green, copper clad domes – or the grey, steel Isaac Newton Dome, then you are almost there!

From the north it is now more direct to continue south on the A22 to the large roundabout north of Eastbourne, then proceed as below.

From the west travel along the A27 to Polegate, then follow the A22 / A27 eastbound to Pevensey. At the ‘Esso’ roundabout, take the 1st exit and follow the sign for Herstmonceux Castle, 3 miles along the Wartling Road

From the east travel along the A259 to the ‘Esso’ roundabout at Pevensey. Take the 4th exit and follow the sign for Herstmonceux Castle, 3 miles along the Wartling Road.

Cyclists can travel across the picturesque Pevensey Levels from Pevensey railway station. The route is very flat with only 1 hill at Wartling – journey time varies from 25 – 45 minutes depending on pedal power and wind direction!

The estate cannot be readily accessed by public transport.

The nearest mainline train station is Polegate where taxis are always available (approx £12 one way).

The nearest main buses will stop in Hailsham and a taxi is then required (approx £10 one way).