Techniquest

Techniquest

Techniquest
4.5
Science MuseumsObservatories & Planetariums
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Interactive, hands-on exhibits make this science discovery centre the perfect destination for visitors of all ages.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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  • B D
    Bristol, United Kingdom64 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great and interactive
    Went in not knowing what to expect. Parking was smooth and plentiful opposite the building. They try to push the Q car park on the website with a 15% discount, I understand this is a lot further and probably pricier than parking outside. There are 2 floors with lots of activities. We went during Half Term with a 5 and 2 year old expecting it to be heaving. There were plenty of kids about, but there is so much space that we were never waiting for too long. Personal highlights: rocket launcher, hurricane simulator and the big screen with dinosaurs walking among us! This was truly a great day out, we didn't get a chance to do the planetarium as it was all booked out, so will take the kids when they are a bit older.
    Hi, thank you so much for your detailed review and I'm so glad you had a great time with us. I hope we see you back again before too long!
    Written March 4, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written February 16, 2024
  • Daniel
    Caerphilly, United Kingdom152 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Day out
    The kids absolutely loved the various activities inside the museum. They were fascinated by many of the exhibits. Although, a few things went over their head as there is something for all ages. We spent around 3 hours here and the kids were disappointed when it was time to leave.
    Hi Daniel! Thank you so much for your positive review. I hope we can welcome you back again very soon!
    Written April 15, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written April 8, 2024
  • aer197
    Salisbury, United Kingdom173 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Good on a rainy day with the kids.
    Both our kids really enjoyed this (aged 6 and 4). I also had fun and joined in! Good for a rainy day. Prebook and look for a family ticket if applies. We got the bus down from the city centre to the bay and the train back up.
    Hi! Thanks so much for your review. I'm so glad to hear you all enjoyed. I hope we can welcome you all back again soon!
    Written April 15, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written April 11, 2024
  • Funda06
    Bristol, United Kingdom31 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lovely family day out
    Came to Cardiff Bay with my 5yr old daughter over half term, and spent a really great few hours at Techniquest. We had the best time going around all the exhibits, with lots of interaction and exciting things for her to explore and do. Whilst it was busy, it never felt that she couldn’t get onto any of the things she wanted to investigate. There was a huge variety and she loved learning about all the different information on each of the displays. We also did the Bubble Blast which was a favourite part of her day, with the exploding fire ones a massive talking point on the way home. Everyone one who worked there was really friendly and helpful, and it made for a really special day out for the 2 of us, and will definitely return with her 3 year old brother as well next time.
    Hi! Thank you so much for taking the time to review your visit. I'm so glad you enjoyed and we look forward to welcoming you back in future! Don't hesitate to check out our 'Toddler Days' for the little one, too.
    Written June 10, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written May 31, 2024
  • Dave H
    57 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    GOID FAMILY FUN
    Great place for children to interact. Lots of hands on experiments. Good entrance with a chance to upgrade to a bubble show and the planetarium at £2.50pp so not to much more. The only dark spot is that the screens are to easy to open up into netflix roblox etc so maybe they should cover the home screen buttons. I did mention this to a maintainance man on duty and point this out. A good day out lots to do as long as you dive in and have ago
    Hi! Thank you so much for your 5* review. We have relayed your feedback about screens back to the team to get this issue resolved. I hope we can welcome you back again soon!
    Written June 18, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written June 6, 2024
  • Suee
    8 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great fun!
    This was incredible! There was so much to do! We spent a good, 2/3 hours here! Only downside was trying to do all of it, some kids were just "hogging" it, which is fine, they are kids at the end of the day, but honestly it was great fun, the only thing I would suggest is maybe more floor staff? To just make sure all the things are working or just show demonstrations on the activities.
    Hi Sue! Thanks so much for taking the time to review your visit. I have fed your comments back to the team to consider. I hope we can welcome you back again very soon!
    Written June 18, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written June 11, 2024
  • J B
    18 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Science learning through fun
    Excellent way of introducing children to science without them realising they’re learning. Went with a 6 year old and 9 year old, both girls. We spent 3 hours there. Including the Science show ‘Skybound’ which was very good indeed. So many ‘hands on’ activities. Cafe good for ‘half time’ break.
    Hi, I'm glad you and your family enjoyed your visit with us. Thank you for the kind review, we hope to see you again soon!
    Written August 19, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written August 9, 2024
  • Chloe P
    Whitstable, United Kingdom121 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A fantastic, interactive place to visit with children (or without!)
    I visited Techniquest with my partner, brother and 5 year old son yesterday and we all had an amazing time. My son loved all the interactive exhibits (as did the adults!). It’s rare that you visit somewhere with so much for children to do and to learn from whilst playing. When we visited the Science Museum in London we were disappointed by the lack of interactive exhibits but Techniquest was the total opposite. We easily spent 2.5 hours in there but could have spent longer if we’d had more time. Would really recommend a visit.
    Hi Chloe, thank you for your lovely review! I’m so glad you all enjoyed your visit with us. Hopefully we can welcome you back again soon!
    Written August 19, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written August 11, 2024
  • Leanne C
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great family fun!
    Great fun for the family. We went with our 9 year old. So many hands on activities to do to keep him, and Mum and Dad entertained! We did the lab add on too which was great value for money and really enjoyed by us all. Would really recommend, we spent most of the day there.
    Hi, thank you for the kind words — I’m so glad you enjoyed your day with us! Fab to hear you enjoyed the Lab workshop too, we’ll pass that on to the team. Hopefully see you again soon!
    Written August 19, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written August 13, 2024
  • Grace j
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Tom E (the planet man)!
    Went in at the end of the day and decided to do the stars tours planetarium. Had Tom E as our host and have to say, he was fantastic. He was really enthusiastic, knowledgeable and friendly, he definitely the made the experience memorable. Just want to add that we think he is a real asset to your team. From Tom.D, Garyn, Grace & Lili (the guys from Go Ape) we hope to see you soon!
    Hi, thank you for the lovely review! I’m so glad you enjoyed your visit with us and the Planetarium show. We’ll make sure Tom sees your kind words!
    Written August 19, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written August 18, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles1,167 reviews
Excellent
647
Very good
345
Average
106
Poor
38
Terrible
31

Daphne M
Cardiff, UK257 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022 • Family
We spent a very enjoyable afternoon at Techniquest with our 3 grandchildren aged 8,7 & 3. There was something for everyone!The water play area and various musical ‘instruments’ for smaller children were great fun and the ant world feature and the wind machine were big hits with everyone. We appreciated being able to purchase tickets online in advance to cap the number of visitors in the building at any one time. So although it was busy, as is often the case in school holidays, it did not feel overcrowded and the kids could run around excitedly exploring.
The new extension and recently added exhibits are excellent alongside some old favourites like the pirates treasure chest. The kids loved it and are eager to return. Our granddaughter mislaid her mobile phone during our visit and the staff could not have been more helpful. Their kindness led to its safe return the following day.
Written August 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Rosie, Thank you for your kind words, we’re grateful for your feedback. It’s our pleasure to provide the best possible service to our guests, and we’re glad that this commitment was reflected in your visit. We look forward to the next time we’re able to serve you again. Have a wonderful day!
Written August 17, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Sally W
Montrose, UK377 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2024 • Family
Parking almost directly opposite, so no problem shepherding small children into this amazing venue. Packed full of buttons to press, knowledge freely avaialble, walls to build, countries to find, even a hot air balloon. There is a cafe but also am very handy picnic space inside for those who prefer to come prepared. We didn't linger long in the shoppie..... small fingers anxious to grip and grasp. It was half term when we visited so very busy but still ample opportunity to appreciate everything. The star of the show? Undoubtedly the wind tunnel. Being blown off your feet is, apparently, great fun.
Written November 10, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HI! Thank you very much for your review. I hope we can welcome you back again soon!
Written November 19, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

emma louise G
South Wales, UK15 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Family
Booked my tickets online with no fuss or problems. Parked in the car park opposite so not too far to walk. Plenty to do for children. It was educational but in a fun way. Loads to do there. In fact we were given 3hrs not sure if that’s a given time or just through COVID but it wasn’t enough time to get through everything so we will be going back at a later date. One or two of the things weren’t working I did notify staff so I hope that they are sorted by the next time we go. There is a thing called tag (I think) which you can’t purchase online but can once you get there to save your videos and things that you do there. Apparently it is available to purchase once you are there but we were never notified about this until the end. Staff was very friendly however and helpful. We booked into see the dinosaur show and if you get a chance to see the show I would highly recommend paying the £2 pp extra. I think Steph was the name of the person taking the talk and she was amazing! It wasn’t your average show her energy shone through and had all children AND parents engaged. There was a mixture of science and hysterical facts. Again well impressed! I would recommend to everyone
Written August 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

holidayfromhellx22x
Cardiff, UK22 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2023 • Family
Think it’s very expensive for a 3 hour time slot, no floor staff on busy Saturday (half term week) , didn’t see one. So no one to assist in any of the activities, we were stuck on one and even tried to ring 3 times to find out where we were going wrong and no reply. Busy with no queue system if you do wait your turn someone will jump in before you as lots of kids wondering and doing as please , which is what it’s for just be aware. The good activities are same as were 10/20 years ago , the new things are touch screen, which are only suitable for the older child think 8+ with help and were boring but educational, the fun educational activities are all the old one.

No where to have coffee there unless the cafe at front which you need to leave and go through shop to get too. We did sit for a bit in the picnic area but we had to clean it up ourselves as all tables had been left dirty and as said no staff, but this was more an issue with other customers cause who wouldn’t pick up after themselves?

I think tickets should be open ended and have a cafe to go to in the centre to sit have food/coffee etc and then continue. You can go out and get coffee but when only 3hour slot and that expensive not really an option , as want to make most.

I do know it’s a charity but tickets still need to be cheaper to allow for all families and not just the well off. £35.50 for 2 adults and 1 child (£32.35 without donations)or close to £50 if you have 2 children means locals aren’t able to make the most of the educational activities and it’s a once in a blue moon treat , where as to learn you need to repeat. Maybe more funding needed from other sources lottery, government etc if ticket prices aren’t covering the cost and that’s why no staff available?

Did keep the little one busy for the 3 hours but improvements needed.
Written February 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Many thanks for taking the time to write a review. Techniquest is a not-for-profit charity, so all of our running costs have to be met by our ticket sales and other commercial activity. We do keep our prices as low as we can, so that as many people can visit us as possible, including having a Family Ticket available for groups of 4 or 5 that helps to reduce the overall cost for a larger family. We will also be introducing an Off-Peak Pass very soon that we hope will make it a little more affordable for those who want to make more frequent visits to us throughout the year. We’re pleased to hear you found plenty of activities to fill your 3 hour visit. Our Science Capital project, launched in full in 2021 saw a large expansion which brought in over 50 new high-tech exhibits which were aimed at an older demographic. We were sure to keep our visitors ‘favourites’ on the exhibition as part of this transformation project to meet the needs of all age groups that visit us. From April, we will be lifting the 3-hour visit restriction enabling guests to extend their visit to suit their own pace. Our picnic area which is located within the exhibition space is available throughout your visit, and with your wristband you are able to pop in and out to the coffee shop just through the shop for anything else you might need during your visit. We hope to welcome you back soon, and this time for the full day!
Written March 3, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Holly D
27 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2021
This isn't a cheap place to visit in the first place but was made worse when the person behind the till added on the discretionary donation without asking and didn't charge the family ticket price and instead charged for everyone individually. This meant we were £12+ out of pocket for the group. We didn't realise until we were handed the receipt and then I challenged this and he shrugged and said he didn't know how to change it. I held firm and he tried to call a manager, after a few minutes of him being on hold and a queue forming behind us we decided to swallow the extra cost.

Inside some of the attractions are pretty good but we were really disappointed that many were out of order or with pieces missing. At over £90 for our group of 8 (inc two children) it was an expensive way to spend a couple of hours.
Written September 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Holly, I'm really sorry that this was your experience with us. As standard, whenever a group of visitors qualify for a family ticket we will put their order through as such, even if the ticket hasn't specifically been requested - apologies that this didn't happen in your case. We have been providing all of our front of house team with refresher training on this point. In terms of the exhibits, we do try to fix any that break as quickly as possible. I'm sorry that on your visit several of them were unavailable. If you would like to discuss this further, please drop us an email at info@techniquest.org. Kind regards, Dan
Written October 22, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Ryan D
2 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021
I must say that I am not happy with Techniquest as online I saw advertised that tickets were £10.50 per adult. Even when I arrived at Techniquest, behind the cashier the prices were stated as £10.50 per adult ticket, and £12.00 per adult ticket with donation. When I asked to purchase a ticket she put it through the till and asked for £12.00. I pointed out that the ticket price says £10.50 and that the price she just asked for was with the donation included. Her reply was "We just add it on every time, most people don't comment on it". I thought a donation was mandatory. I don't know if its just me but I see that as being dirty, its practically like a scam.
Written October 18, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Ryan, I'm really sorry that this was your experience with us. Our policy is to ask all visitors whether they are happy to pay the donation price, every time. We have been providing all of our front of house team with refresher training on this point as a result of your feedback. If you would like to discuss this further, please drop us an email at info@techniquest.org. Kind regards, Dan
Written October 22, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Chery C
12 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Family
We visited techniquest for the second time in 2 weeks. The first time we came, unfortunately the planetarium wasn’t open, as it was during term time. It was a shame as our kids are home educated, but it is what it is.

We enjoyed ourselves so much that we decided to come back and take the 3 hour drive today, purely to get to see the star tours, now that the planetarium was open.

The gentleman that ran the show was wonderful. He was very informative and the show had the potential to be great. Unfortunately it seems that a number of people didn’t take notice of the fact the show was supposed to be for children 7+. There were a number of very young children and their parents talking through the entire show.

I’m not referring to the interactive segments where the gentleman was asking if anyone knew the name of the planets or the galaxy we are in. I’m referring to talking over the entire show! We missed quite a bit what was said and a young child was banging their feet against the seating the entire time.

A bit of feedback- if you do keep allowing young children to join in the presentation, it may be worth putting up a sign or even mentioning at the beginning of the show kindly asking that if children aren’t able to sit and listen to the show, to please take them outside so others can enjoy the show.

It’s a real shame that everyone else that was trying to pay attention to the show, weren’t able to hear above the constant talking. It was a real let down.
Written March 24, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Chery! Please see our response this afternoon to your Google review for more details. Thank you.
Written March 27, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Millie
Cwmbran, UK1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Business
I Went With My School To Techniquest And I Really Enjoyed It . We Played On the Slide / The bar Where You Have To Hold Onto The Bar Until You Fall And It Times You I Got 36.54 Seconds . The Hurricane Room Was My Favourite . Something Techniquest Could Do Better Is Add An Era For Little Kids Like 4 And Younger For Them To Play . I Learned How Hard A hurricane Is . I'd Love To Go Back There I Had A Lush Time . Id Rate It 10/10 Well done Techniquest .
Written September 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi! Thank you so much for such a lovely review! I'm so glad to hear you had such a great visit to Techniquest. I hope we can welcome you back again soon!
Written September 27, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Lisa
2 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2023 • Family
The kids enjoyed the day and we felt it was very educational and lots of fun.

I feel though that the entry price was a little high and that a family of 4 was almost £50. This was a treat. Surely the councils would re think this for less off families considering its all for education purposes???
Written January 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, I'm glad you enjoyed your day with us. We are a not-for-profit charity and we don't receive any council funding towards operating as a visitor attraction, so all of our running costs have to be met by our ticket sales. We do keep our prices as low as we can, so that as many people can visit us as possible. We hope to welcome you back at some point in the future.
Written January 24, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Freckles77
15 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022 • Family
We visited this as a family with kids aged 10, 13 and nearly 16. We have been to a number of really fantastic science museums and planetariums here and abroad and this is up there with them! There was plenty for us to see and do, with only one machine we found out of action in the day of our visit. I had left 3 hours but it wasn’t long enough!

The Extreme Earth talk was really excellent, engaging, interactive and educational (not in a boring way!) The Stars Tour in the planetarium was also magical and jam packed with information - and there was the opportunity at the end to ask questions or request seeing things in the night sky.

Thanks for a memorable visit!
Written August 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi! Thank you for the great review! We’re so happy to hear you had a great experience at Techniquest. Your review made our day! I will pass this on to the presenters, who aim to put on a great Live Theatre Show and Planetarium Show for our visitors. Our whole team works very hard to keep our customers happy, but we can only do it thanks to amazing customers like you. Thanks again, and we hope to see you again soon.
Written August 17, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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Techniquest - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2025)

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