The Royal Society is looking for reliable volunteers to be part of the 2026 Summer Science Exhibition, taking place from 30 June to 5 July in London.
Summer Science Exhibition
The Summer Science Exhibition is the Society’s flagship event, attracting thousands of visitors over six days. It showcases the most exciting cutting-edge science and technology research from across the UK, giving the public a unique opportunity to chat with scientists and ask questions about their work. This year, we will feature 13 flagship exhibits covering topics from gut health to lightning to supercomputing, alongside a wide range of talks, panels, and drop-in activities. This free event attracts a diverse audience of all ages, giving everyone a chance to engage hands-on with groundbreaking research.
With so much going on, we rely on our dedicated volunteers to ensure the success of this event. We’d like to invite you to become a part of the Summer Science Exhibition and its long history.
Role Description
Volunteers are essential to keeping this event free, engaging, and accessible. Main responsibilities centre around assisting and interacting with our visitors.
Volunteers will have the opportunity to support a wide range of tasks during their shifts, including:
* Interacting with the public, greeting visitors and responding to queries.
* Briefing school groups and teachers visiting the exhibition.
* Managing queues, directing crowds, and supporting ticketing.
* Collecting visitor feedback.
We are looking for people who have good teamworking skills, are comfortable talking to the public, have an interest in science and, above all, are enthusiastic.
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experience levels. We will provide comprehensive training, as well as support throughout the exhibition.
We will cover travel expenses for both the training day and the exhibition days and provide meals and refreshments during exhibition opening times.
Why Volunteer
This volunteering opportunity offers ideal experience for anyone looking to get involved in science public engagement or events management. We are also keen to hear from those who are simply passionate about science. Common reasons people choose to volunteer with us include:
* An opportunity to develop your CV with event management, customer service, and public engagement skills, supported by a one-day training course.
* The chance to meet top scientists and see behind the scenes at the Royal Society.
* The ability to share passion for science, education, and history with others.
Requirements
Volunteers will receive a full day of training prior to the exhibition, scheduled for 11 June at the Royal Society in London. You will need to be available to attend this training session to qualify as a volunteer for the Exhibition.
Working hours are flexible, although we would usually expect volunteers to commit to at least 8 hours across one or more days of the exhibition.
Volunteers must be aged 18 or over and no longer in full time secondary education.
All selected volunteers will complete a DBS check, paid for by the Royal Society.
Next Steps
If you are interested, please submit a CV and complete the short questionnaire by Friday, 27 February 2026, 23:59.
We will arrange short video calls with applicants over the following weeks to discuss your availability and interests.
For more information, please email exhibition@royalsociety.org.
Questionnaire: