Terms and conditions | Wonderseekers

We want to make your experience with Wonderseekers and Winchester Science Centre safe and fun. Please take a moment to read the terms and conditions that apply to your booking and your website visit.

Winchester Science Centre

When we say “WSC”, “us” or “our” we mean Winchester Science Centre. We are a company number 2014929 and a registered charity number 294582. When we say our “Centre” we mean the whole site including the building, grounds and car park.

1. Terms and conditions for visiting Winchester Science Centre

1.1. General admission

Buying tickets

Tickets can only be bought online. When using our online booking form please ensure you enter the right information and pick the correct date and time for entry. We will issue a confirmation with a booking reference number to the email address you give us. Your ticket will be issued on arrival at the Centre.

Children under 3 are admitted free of charge but you still need to book online and obtain a ticket for them on arrival.

If you're a visitor with a disability and you need a carer, personal assistant or essential companion to help you with access during your visit, you can bring them free of charge when you buy a ticket. You will need to present ID when you arrive – we'll ask for just one of these:

A Gateway Card, Max Card, Yellow Card, Access card, Hynt Card or the CEA Card.
A Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance award letter.
Personal Independence Payment letter.
A letter from GP or consultant confirming the need for a carer, personal assistant or essential companion.
War Disablement Pension or Armed Forces Independence Payment.
Blue Badge or a photocopy orscan of your Blue Badge.

If you need more than one carer, personal assistant or essential companion, or if you don't have any of these documents please talk to us and we can work with you individually.

All general admission and event tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable.

We may apply promotional discounts and deals. These are given at our discretion and may be applied or removed at any time without notice.

You can book our Science and Planetarium Shows when you arrive but if you would like to ensure a space then you should book when you buy your tickets online. We cannot guarantee there will be availability for these shows if you do not pre-book.

There may be a minimum age requirement for some special events, for example the minimum age for “After Dark” is 18 years. Age restrictions will be made clear on the booking page. ID may be requested upon arrival.

Arriving at Winchester Science Centre

Please arrive on the date and time stated on your booking confirmation. If you are early or late you may have to wait some time before you can enter. Please supply your booking reference number.

If you are attending one of our special events for adults only then proof of age may be required.

No animals other than registered assistance dogs are permitted in the Centre. We do not have any facilities for kennelling animals.

We may wish to search your belongings to ensure that items which could compromise the safety or security of our Centre, visitors or staff are not brought into the Centre. If you refuse then we may refuse you entry to the site.

During your visit

Our staff work hard to make your visit fun and safe. You must follow all their instructions as they will be made with your safety and enjoyment in mind.

All children age 14 or under must be accompanied and supervised by an adult and remain within their sight and control at all times whilst at our Centre.

Buggies and pushchairs are permitted but remain your responsibility at all times, even when left in a designated area. If they or other baggage items such as coats or lunchboxes are left unattended they may be removed for reasons of security and safety. We keep all lost property for one month, unless it is perishable or we believe it presents a risk to health and safety.

You are welcome to photograph the children you have brought with you but please do not take photos of other children. All commercial photography, audio or visual recording is prohibited without our prior written authorisation.

We may take photographs and film for archive and marketing purposes. On these occasions a notice will be displayed at the entrance. Permission will be sought from individuals when they are the main subject.

No smoking, vaping or e-cigarettes are allowed within our Centre.

Our exhibition

We work hard to ensure that all our exhibits and shows run well and provide a great experience. However there may be times when exhibits have to be removed, altered or closed. We will try to give notice of this but in some circumstances it may be unavoidable. We can not guarantee that any particular exhibit will be available on the date of your visit.

Our science shows

Science shows are free but if you want to ensure a space then you should book in advance when you buy your tickets. You can also book our Science and Planetarium Shows when you arrive. Due to limits on the number of people attending these shows if you book a show and do not arrive on time you may not be able to attend an alternative show.

Occasionally for health and safety or operational reasons we have to allocate seating for Science and Planetarium Shows. This means it may not be possible to accommodate you at the show you have booked. In addition sometimes we may have to cancel or rearrange a show. If we are unable to seat you at or have to cancel the Planetarium Show you booked, and we can not offer you an alternative on the same date, we will refund the cost of the show ticket to you.

Your safety

It is important to us to ensure that all our visitors have a safe and enjoyable visit. We reserve the right to refuse entry or to remove from the Centre any person (and if such person is age 14 or under any person supervising them) who doesn’t comply with these terms or whose behaviour we believe is or will have a detrimental effect on the enjoyment or safety of our visitors and staff.

We expect you to closely supervise all children age 14 and under to ensure their and other visitors safety and enjoyment of our facilities.

If we refuse you entry or remove you from our Centre due to your behaviour, or the behaviour of a person you are supervising, you will not be entitled to a refund.

1.2. Annual membership

Annual membership entitles to you to book a ticket for entry to the Centre on any day that it is open to the public at no additional cost. It does not include entrance to the Planetarium however, the member can buy a ticket at a discounted price.

It does not entitle you to enter the Centre if you have not booked or other than at the specific date and time you have booked or on days or times that the Centre is not open to the Public.

If you book to visit using your annual membership and do not attend more than three times in any three-month period, then we may suspend your membership for 30 days. If we do this then you will not be entitled to a refund or extension of your membership.

Annual membership is valid for 12 months from the date of first use. Membership can only be used by the named annual member. We may remove or withdraw any annual membership if we reasonably believe it is being misused. Annual membership is not automatically renewed.

We will issue one parking permit per family or group. The permit must be displayed on your windscreen. The permit does not guarantee a parking space.

If you lose your annual membership card or car parking permit we may charge you to replace it.

1.3. Schools and groups terms and conditions:

This section of these Terms and Conditions apply to school visits to Winchester Science Centre, in-school experiences delivered by Winchester Science Centre and Wonderseekers and hire of our Mobile Planetarium.

1.3.1. Book with Confidence

We understand the need for flexibility due to the unpredictability of COVID-19, so to help you to book with confidence we are pleased to say:

if your booking is unable to go ahead due to COVID-19 you can rearrange your booking once within six months free of charge
to amend your booking before your visit please email education@winchestersciencecentre.org

1.3.2. School trips: educational visit

Before you book, please familiarise yourself with the following information and requirements:

Winchester Science Centre will be open exclusively to schools and groups on the day of your visit. Unless your school has booked exclusive use of the Science Centre, please expect to be sharing the space with other school groups.
The minimum group size is 15 students. If you wish to bring a smaller group, you can, but minimum charges (based on 15 students) will apply. However, if you are a SEND school and wish to bring a small group, this minimum charge may be waivered. Please contact education@winchestersciencecentre.org to discuss your booking.
The first activity will start at 10.30am. Please allow extra time to park your vehicle, make your way to the building, deposit coats and packed lunches in the allocated tubs, and for all members of your group to sanitise hands. The Science Centre opens at 9.45am.
Car parking is provided for educational groups free of charge. However, we do not accept responsibility for any damage/theft to/of/from vehicles whilst parked at our Centre.
We work hard to ensure that all our exhibits and shows run well and provide a great experience. However, there may be times when exhibits, shows or experiences have to be removed, altered or closed. If we are unable to provide your booked activity we will try to provide an equivalent experience for you.

On the day of your visit, information and requirements:

Make sure you know how many people are in your group.
To ensure your day runs as planned please arrive at your workshop, Planetarium Show and exploration sessions at your allocated time. If you arrive late, we may have to shorten or cancel the session.
Students will need to follow all instructions given by our members of staff. Instructions are there to ensure safety and enjoyment.
All children age 14 or under must be accompanied and supervised by an adult and remain within their sight at all times whilst at the Science Centre.
We reserve the right to refuse entry or to remove any person whose behaviour we believe is having, or will have, a detrimental effect on the enjoyment or safety of other visitors and staff. If such person is age 14 or under, this will apply to their responsible adult.
Students' belongings remain their responsibility, including those that are kept in open storage tubs, on the exhibition floor. Lost property is kept for one month, unless it is perishable or we believe it presents a risk to health and safety.

1.3.3. Payment and booking

We will invoice your school within ten working days of your visit. Payment is due within 30 days of the date of invoice.

You will be invoiced for the number of confirmed students and adults and any other relevant charges.

1.3.4. Amendments and cancellations

Amendments to the number of students or adults booked

Amendments to the numbers of students or adults on your booking less than two months in advance of your visit will incur a £25 administration fee to cover the costs associated with revising timetables and staffing allocations. There is no charge for changes made over two months in advance.

We understand that some changes are unavoidable so if you arrive on the day with fewer students than confirmed, we will issue general admission vouchers for each student unable to attend to allow them to still experience the Science Centre. The vouchers will be valid for 90 days from the date of your visit. There will be no amendment fee charged in these circumstances.

If you wish to bring more students or adults than originally booked you must let us know at least 24 hours in advance to ensure we can accommodate them and confirm your revised booking. You will e invoiced for any additional students.

Amending your visit date or cancelling a booking

If you need to cancel or amend your booking date for any reason the following charges will apply in addition to any charge for a new booking.

Two weeks or less from date of visit:

Cancellation is 100% of original booking value.
Amendment is 50% of original booking value, plus new booking value

Less than one month and greater than two weeks from date of visit:

Cancellation is 75% of original booking value.
Amendment is 35% of original booking, plus new booking value

Less than two months and greater than one month from date of visit:

Cancellation is 50% of original booking value.
Amendment is 25% of original booking, plus new booking value

Over two months from date of visit:

Cancellation is free of charge.
Amendment is free of charge.

The charges detailed above will not apply if you have to cancel for reasons outside of your control including, without limitation: bad weather preventing travel, significant transport delays.

1.3.5. Save 10% on a second school activity when you book an educational visit

To qualify for a 10% discount the second booking must be made and taken within the same academic school year. Any booking not made will not be carried over and will be lost.
School groups where an activity covers multiple days due to number of students will be seen as one booking. To qualify for a 10% saving a second booking will need to be made at a later date.
Offer is subject to availability and can be withdrawn by Winchester Science Centre and Wonderseekers at any point.
Summer celebration events are available on selected dates in July only. Please contact the education team to find out availability.
Wonderseekers school trip and outreach standard terms and conditions apply.

2. Terms and conditions for in-school experiences and Mobile Planetarium bookings

2.1. Book with Confidence

We understand the need for flexibility due to the unpredictability of COVID-19, so to help you to book with confidence we are pleased to say:

if your booking is unable to go ahead due to COVID-19 you can rearrange your booking once within six months free of charge
to amend your booking before your visit please email education@winchestersciencecentre.org

2.2. In-school experiences

Before you book, please familiarise yourself with the following information and requirements:

Before we visit:

Digital resources for your school to take part in before and after our visit will be made available to you. These activities are not compulsory, but will deepen and enhance the learning experience of your students on the day.
Risk assessments of the workshops and assembly will be provided digitally ahead of our arrival.
Please let us know about any policy or procedures that our staff need to know before they visit.

About our visit:

A workshop is designed for a single class of up to 40 students.
Your workshop/programme will be confirmed in advance and cannot be changed on the day.
Each workshop has a unique pre-prepared resources kit. Our staff member will only bring the kits that are required for the booked workshops.

During our visit:

On the day, one of our staff members will attend your school at the agreed arrival time to deliver the experience you have booked. They will need:

A reserved parking space as close to the school building as possible, to support the easy transport of our science kit.
Step-free access to the venue in order to transport the workshop kits by trolley. If the rooms are not on ground level, they will need either access to a mechanical lift or support from school staff to help transport the kit to the venue.
Exclusive access to the venue allocated for the workshop/s one hour before the first session is due to start to set up for the day.
A dedicated storage area roughly 3m x 3m, away from students (this could be a spare room or corner of your school hall), to store kit. Please ensure kit storage is communicated with your staff.
Easy access to a sink with running water where we can dispose of simple chemicals and wash hands.
Students will need to follow all instructions given by our member of staff. Instructions are there to ensure safety and enjoyment.
Teachers and school support staff will be required to remain with the students at all times to support behaviour management and share in the experience. If there is any dangerous behaviour we reserve the right to ask any student to leave the room, with the support of your school staff.

2.3. Mobile Planetarium

Requirements on the day:

We need a clear area of at least 8m x 8m with minimum 4m vertical clearance (taking light fixtures and similar into account) with flat, solid and clean (dust-free) floor.
The Planetarium must be set up in a safe environment protected from the elements (wind, rain etc) and also protected from curious passers-by. Children must not have access to the outside of the dome without supervision by responsible adults.
Nearby access to a mains power socket (preferably two but one will do) is required.
Unloading and parking facilities (also see next item ref unloading). If parking charges apply, please discuss in advance to ensure the Science Centre staff are aware and ready to pay on the day. Any parking charges will be added to travel costs for invoice.
Access is required to unload and move heavy equipment by trolley via a flat route. This route can include ramps/lifts (with prior agreement) but not steps. Please discuss any potential issues in advance of booking confirmation to ensure access will be possible. Potential issues may include (but are not restricted to) narrow corridors and tight corners.
We will need safe, secure storage for equipment to be stored when unattended (e.g. overnight for multi-day bookings). This area must be protected from the elements. The hirer is liable for any theft/damage while the equipment is in storage on site.
Venue staff are responsible for and must accompany all children not otherwise supervised by an adult guardian (e.g. in schools all classes must be accompanied by a teacher or other appropriate adult).
For public events where children are supervised by guardians not associated with the venue, venue staff must be within vocal calling distance unless otherwise agreed in advance of the event (for most events it is possible to agree contact by telephone). The Science Centre must be made aware prior to booking confirmation if venue staff will not be accompanying each group into the planetarium.
The Mobile Planetarium has limited throughput of air and so temperatures will rise while people are inside. If the room itself is hot, then this can cause difficulties. If internal temperatures rise above 30ºC, shows will be adapted so that the presenter spends no more than 25min at one time inside the dome followed by at least 5min in a location under 28ºC. At temperatures over 33ºC, shows will be halted until cooled to 26ºC or lower, with an option of Q&A in classrooms or other spaces as an alternative activity. Where showings are cancelled by Winchester Science Centre for this reason, a relative percentage of the booking charge will be waived (e.g. if half the shows are cancelled, only half the normal charge would be invoiced). The calculation of this reduction is entirely at the discretion of Winchester Science Centre.

2.4. Payment and booking

We will invoice your school within ten working days of your visit. Payment is due within 30 days of the date of invoice.

You will be invoiced for the number of confirmed students and adults and any other relevant charges.

2.5. Amendments and cancellations

Amendments to the number of students or adults booked

Amending your visit date or cancelling a booking

If you need to cancel or amend your booking date for any reason the following charges will apply in addition to any charge for a new booking.

Two weeks or less from date of visit:

Cancellation is 100% of original booking value.
Amendment is 50% of original booking value, plus new booking value

Less than one month and greater than two weeks from date of visit:

Cancellation is 75% of original booking value.
Amendment is 35% of original booking, plus new booking value

Less than two months and greater than one month from date of visit:

Cancellation is 50% of original booking value.
Amendment is 25% of original booking, plus new booking value

Over two months from date of visit:

Cancellation is free of charge.
Amendment is free of charge.

The charges detailed above will not apply if you have to cancel for reasons outside of your control including, without limitation: bad weather preventing travel, significant transport delays.

3. Our liability

Except for fraudulent misrepresentation, personal injury or death caused by our negligence, for which our liability is unlimited, our liability to you is limited to the price you paid for your ticket.

We have no liability for any loss of or damage to your belongings or your vehicle whilst visiting our Centre.

Except as we have set out here we will not have any liability for delay or failure to comply with these terms where the delay or failure is due to causes beyond our reasonable control.

4. General

These terms set out the entire agreement between you and us in relation to your purchase of tickets and your visit to our Centre. It overrides any previous communications, electronic, verbal or in writing between you and us.

Nothing in these terms gives anyone other than you, the purchaser of the tickets, a right against us.

If it is decided by law that any of these terms are invalid, void or unenforceable then that term will be removed and its removal will not affect the validity of the other terms. It will be replaced by a term that is a valid provision that closely matches the intent of the original and the rest of the terms shall continue to be enforceable.

If you break any of these terms and we decide to take no action at that time, that does not mean we will be unable to take action at a later date for that or any other breach of these terms.

These terms are governed by and shall be construed in accordance with English law and subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.

5. Website

Welcome to our website. If you continue to browse and use this website, you are agreeing to comply with and be bound by the following terms and conditions of use, which together with our privacy policy govern the Wonderseekers relationship with you in relation to this website. If you disagree with any part of these terms and conditions, please do not use our website.

The term ‘Wonderseekers', ’the Charity' or ‘us’ or ‘we’ refers to the owner of the website whose registered office is Wonderseekers, Telegraph Way, Winchester, SO21 1HZ United Kingdom. The term ‘you’ refers to the user or viewer of our website.

The content of the pages of this website is for your general information and use only. It is subject to change without notice.

This website uses cookies. For further information and to read our cookie policy please click here.

Our privacy policy can also be found here.

Neither we nor any third parties provide any warranty or guarantee as to the accuracy, timeliness, performance, completeness or suitability of the information and materials found or offered on this website for any particular purpose. You acknowledge that such information and materials may contain inaccuracies or errors and we expressly exclude liability for any such inaccuracies or errors to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Your use of any information or materials on this website is entirely at your own risk, for which we shall not be liable. It shall be your own responsibility to ensure that any products, services or information available through this website meet your specific requirements.

This website contains material which is owned by or licensed to us. This material includes, but is not limited to, the design, layout, look, appearance and graphics. Reproduction is prohibited other than in accordance with the copyright notice, which forms part of these terms and conditions.

All trademarks reproduced in this website, which are not the property of, or licensed to the operator, are acknowledged on the website.

Unauthorised use of this website may give rise to a claim for damages and/or be a criminal offence.

From time to time, this website may also include links to other websites. These links are provided for your convenience to provide further information. They do not signify that we endorse the website(s). We have no responsibility for the content of the linked website(s).

Your use of this website and any dispute arising out of such use of the website is subject to the laws of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.