Exhibitions currently running:

Dan Dare & the Birth of Hi-tech Britain - Dan Dare’s rocket fleet roars high over Venus to trounce his arch foe – the power-mad Mekon. Meanwhile, back on Earth, another extraordinary future is unfolding – one which laid the foundation for Britain’s hi-tech consumer society. After 1945, though war-weary and broke, Britain found huge pride in wartime advances such as radar, penicillin and the jet engine. Discoveries like these were now tipped to kick-start world-beating industries, bring prosperity and bankroll the emerging welfare state. In an age before globalisation, products from rockets to radios sprang from local roots. Together they reveal a fascinating ‘lost world’ of British design and invention – a glimpse of a time when the TV in the corner was a Murphy, not a Sony. This exciting new temporary exhibition explores the role played by technology in creating post-war Britain. Until 1 November.

Plasticity - 100 years of making plastics - Since Leo Baekeland invented Bakelite, the first truly man-made material, in 1907, we have taken to plastics in a big way. They are in our lives, our homes, our bodies. While scientists are worrying about our plastic waste, others are still inventing plastics and imagining where we could take them next. 100 years on... are plastics still fantastic? Until 1 December.

Cosmos & Culture: how astronomy has shaped our world - Explore how astronomy has changed the way we see our universe - and ourselves - through this object-rich exhibition. From ancient heritage to cutting edge technology, trace the history of people and the stars through different stories drawn from around the world. Cosmos & Culture uses a new multimedia display environment that allows you to explore objects in depth and find out about key scientific concepts. See how different instruments work, discover the stories of the people who made and used them, and enjoy beautiful models, illustrations and photographs. Until 30 December.

Measuring Time - Time is precious. Before mechanical clocks, people used sundials, water clocks and sandglasses to keep track of time. But once clockwork was invented, it spread with remarkable speed. Accurate timekeeping was highly prized, attracting the finest craftsmen. Clock and watchmakers pioneered precision in manufacture and an understanding of materials that underpinned engineering. Early craftsmen, labouring in small domestic workshops, learned to subdivide production into separate specialised tasks – inventing mass production before the factory system. Today, digital timekeepers are embedded in countless everyday gadgets, but clocks and watches are still objects of desire. ‘It runs like clockwork’ remains a byword for mechanical perfection. From sand-glasses to sundials, water clocks to the wristwatches that we take for granted today, this rich collection of more than 500 timepieces illustrates the ingenuity and skills of their makers. Permanent.

Making the Modern world - A gallery charting the development of technology from 1750 onwards.

Welcome Wing - The museum`s new wing houses six galleries showcasing developments in contemporary science, medicine and technology. www.sciencemuseum.org.uk