Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos

13 February 2026 – 3 January 2027

Client
Science + Industry Museum

Location
Manchester

Collaborators/Creative partners
Creative partners: LionTV, BBC, Scholastic
Exhibition design: Drinkall Dean
Lighting design: DHA Designs
Interactive design: Aivaf
Production and printing: Hadley Interiors

Photography
SMG Group, Drinkall Dean, David Sudlow Designers

Context

The major exhibition for 2026 at the Science + Industry Museum in Manchester. This is a madcap adventure through space for the whole family. Use your science skills to make sense of the Solar System or instead help the evil supervillian Dr Big Brain conquer it. This is the first time the BBC hit show Horrible Science has been brought to life. Dr Big Brain is joined by the Moon, Sun, Einstein, Isaac Newton and others to inform, provoke and entertain. Find out what the moon smells like, rummage through space junk and see what happens when you get sucked into a black hole.

Design

The design is a fully integrated 3d-2d interactive environment arranged as a series of different sets to support the narrative journey through the Solar System. The graphic design encompassed large format photographic and painted backgrounds with bespoke illustrated annotation and photo montage overlay. Visitors are completely immersed in each environment. The project established a visual brand language for Horrible Science, combining multiple assets with new original art. Following its run in Manchester the exhibition will be dismantled and move to Science Museum in London for 2027. 

Type: Exhibition
Size: 725sqm
Project duration: 15 months