Weekend van de Wetenschap to open research centres and museums across Dutch cities on 3 and 4 October

Overview of the national science weekend

The nationwide Weekend van de Wetenschap will take place across the Netherlands on Saturday 3 October and Sunday 4 October 2026. The annual initiative is designed to offer the public a direct look behind the scenes at a wide variety of scientific institutions, educational facilities, and cultural centres. During the two-day programme, participating venues will open doors to spaces that normally remain inaccessible to general visitors. The event provides an educational alternative to standard weekend activities like cycling, walking, or visiting local playgrounds. Organizers have prepared interactive activities across multiple Dutch municipalities for audiences of all ages.

Free access at universities and discovery centres

A significant portion of participating institutions will welcome visitors free of charge across several Dutch provinces. In Enschede, Hogeschool Saxion at M.H. Tromplaan 28 will open on Saturday 3 October from 11.00 to 16.00 with free admission for all guests. Universiteit Leiden will similarly offer free admission on Saturday 3 October at its Steenschuur 25 location, welcoming the public between 11.00 and 13.00. In Eindhoven, technology discovery centre De Ontdekfabriek at Torenallee 2 will host open sessions across both days of the weekend, running on Saturday from 11.00 to 12.30 and on Sunday from 10.00 to 11.30 with zero admission cost. In Tilburg, Natuurmuseum Brabant at Burgemeester Brokxlaan 6 will welcome guests on both Saturday and Sunday between 13.30 and 17.00 with completely free entry.

Museum exhibitions and scientific centres

Several academic centres, observatories, and museums across the country will open with specialized admission rates during the weekend. In Delft, the TU Delft Science Centre at Van der Burghweg 1 will receive visitors on both Saturday and Sunday from 10.00 to 16.30, with tickets available at 17.50 euros. In Dordrecht, Sterrenwacht Mercurius at Baanhoekweg 75 will open its doors on both weekend days from 12.00 to 17.00 for an entry fee of five euros. In Utrecht, Museum Speelklok at Steenweg 6 will provide dedicated visiting slots on both days from 14.00 to 15.00. These institutions will grant public access to specialised exhibits and scientific collections during the designated opening hours.

Ticketing structure and youth admission

Pricing policies for the Weekend van de Wetenschap vary substantially across institutions, with several venues offering tiered rates or youth discounts. Utrecht's Museum Speelklok has set standard tickets at 18.50 euros, while youth up to 17 years pay 13.50 euros and children between 4 and 12 years pay 10 euros. In Apeldoorn, cultural organisation CODA at Vosselmanstraat 299 will open on Saturday 3 October from 13.00 to 16.00, charging 12.50 euros for adult admission. CODA will grant free entry to visitors aged 17 and under during its Saturday session. Across the country, visitors seeking additional scientific excursions will be able to consult the centralized national schedule to review all participating locations throughout the Netherlands.