Save money and spark imaginations

Bristol’s educational charity and science centre, We The Curious, will be taking part in the Great British Summer Savings scheme this summer. With the Government’s temporary reduction on VAT on admission tickets from 20% to 5%, combined with a discount for booking ahead, it means visitors will be able to make considerable savings this summer. 

We The Curious will be passing the VAT saving on to visitors, meaning reduced prices across admission tickets including late entry, from 25 June to 1 Sept. 

In addition to this, next Wednesday We The Curious will also be launching a 20% off promotion for their summer holidays programme ‘Summer of Imagination’. Any tickets booked before 22 July for a visit during the summer holidays (23 July – 1 September), will benefit from an additional 20% off.  

With the VAT reduction and the 20% off book ahead promotion combined, the standard price for a family of four (two adults and two children) will come to £50, which is a saving of £21. For visitors who require an open concession ticket, the same group size would cost £37, a saving of £16. This is a combined saving of 30% off standard normal prices.

Donna Speed, Chief Executive Officer for We The Curious said: “We’re really pleased that we’re eligible for this scheme and that our visitors can benefit from these savings. We know that days out and time together are precious, so this is a really great opportunity to be able to welcome both new and returning visitors over the summer months, giving more people the chance to visit us. 

Our ‘Summer of Imagination’ is the perfect opportunity to visit, and to enjoy a whole day out together that’s packed with fun, creativity and discovery. You can fly through the rings of Saturn, explore illusions and magic tricks, find rainbows, make fruit sorbets – and you’ll also be able to get hands on with a brand-new interactive exhibit.”  

This Government scheme also lines up with a bus travel initiative, with free bus travel for children aged five to 15. 

We The Curious is an educational charity and doesn’t receive any direct central government funding so relies on ongoing, valuable support from visitors, members, trustees, grant makers, corporate partners and volunteers. 

Ticket prices have now been updated to reflect the VAT reduction, which begins on 25 June and ends on 1 September 2026. Advance tickets for the ‘Summer of Imagination’ school holidays programme will be available to book with 20% off from next week. 

To buy tickets, visit www.wethecurious.org. 

Editor’s Notes:

For more information, images, interviews or to arrange a press trip, please contact the Jen Forster, Communications Lead - jen.forster@wethecurious.org or 07967 334152. 

You can also follow We The Curious on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and TikTok. 

Key dates: 
Great British Summer Savings – 25 June – 1 September
We The Curious summer promotion – running from 17 June – 22 July, save 20% off any tickets booked for the summer holidays 
Summer holiday dates - 23 July – 1 September 


VAT reduction Ts&Cs: 
The VAT reduction applies to the following ticket types:

• day tickets, late entry, home educators, childminders, leisure groups
• standard and concession
• Gift Aid and non-Gift Aid

It excludes: Planetarium, Plano Nights, Dark Side of the Moon

 

About We The Curious: 
We The Curious is an educational charity and a leading science centre based in the South West of England. We produce experiences that bring people together to play, get creative with science and explore different ideas. We work with partners locally and nationally, supporting people to be inquisitive, develop new skills and improve their wellbeing. 

Our vision asks ‘what if everyone is included, curious and inspired by science to build a better world together?’ 


About Great British Summer Savings: 
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/great-british-summer-savings-vat-slashed-to-save-families-money-on-days-out 

• The reduced rate applies to children’s meals defined as meals served from a children’s menu and marketed, presented and priced as children’s meals.
• The scheme begins on 25 June to coincide with the start of the Scottish school summer holidays and runs until 1 September 2026, covering the school holiday period across all nations of the UK.
• If a ticket permits repeat entries outside the dates 25 June to 1 September, such as a season ticket, it will not qualify for the relief unless it is priced the same as a standard single-entry ticket. Repeat entry tickets solely for use within the relief period will qualify for the relief.
• Activities where no VAT is charged (e.g. because these benefit from exemptions or zero-rating) aren’t in scope, including activities under the cultural exemption, such as admission to not-for-profit museums, zoos or theatres.
• Please find further information on the bus announcement here
• A technical fact sheet is available here.

About free bus travel: 
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cost-of-living-boost-with-free-bus-travel-for-children-and-targeted-food-tariff-cuts