Bucharest Science Festival returns between September 23 and 27, 2026, bringing five days of experiments, exhibitions, laboratory visits, conferences, debates and hands-on science experiences to locations across the Romanian capital.
Romania’s first major science festival reaches a new edition with 21 events taking place across 18 locations, inviting children, families, students and anyone curious about the world around us to discover science outside textbooks and classrooms.
From artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to earthquakes, astronomy, chemistry, robotics, aviation and the science behind popular movies, Bucharest Science Festival 2026 turns the city into a large science laboratory.
Bucharest Science Festival 2026 Highlights
The programme combines major public events with activities dedicated to students and schools.
Visitors can explore university laboratories, discover emergency-response technology, meet scientists, attend talks with international specialists and participate in activities covering astronomy, chemistry, physics, archaeology, biology and technology.
Among the main public events are a debate about artificial intelligence and cyber warfare, an exhibition of emergency-response technology in Revolution Square, an evening dedicated to earthquakes with Italian seismologist Alessandro Amato, astronomy events, a guided bat-watching experience in Cișmigiu and exhibitions featuring helicopters, robots and rescue equipment.
Wednesday, September 23
Schools’ Science Fair – 14th Edition
10:00–13:00
Bucharest Mall – Vitan
The Schools’ Science Fair brings together teams of students who demonstrate experiments and scientific projects for other young visitors.
Expect chemistry experiments, robotics, educational technology and other practical demonstrations designed to make science easier to understand through direct experience.
University Laboratory Visits
Several institutions open their laboratories to students during the first days of the festival.
The programme includes visits to:
- University of Bucharest archaeology laboratories
- Ferdinand I Military Technical Academy laboratories
- University of Bucharest Faculty of Physics
- Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Information Technology
Most laboratory visits take place between 10:00 and 13:00.
Marine Life and Natural Phenomena
11:30–12:30
Spiru Haret National College
Marine biologist Dr Răzvan Popescu-Mirceni meets students for a discussion about marine ecosystems, natural phenomena and the scientific world hidden beneath the surface of the sea.
Artificial Intelligence: A New Weapon in Cyber Warfare?
19:00–20:30
Humanitas Lipscani Bookstore
Artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming part of the cybersecurity landscape.
This Bucharest Science Festival debate explores how AI can be used in cyber conflicts, the risks created by increasingly capable systems and the implications for digital security.
Thursday, September 24
Science in Action: Emergency Forces Technology
09:00–14:00
Ministry of Internal Affairs – Revolution Square
One of the most visually impressive events of the festival brings emergency and intervention technology into the centre of Bucharest.
Visitors can see equipment used by Romanian emergency services, including robots designed to operate in dangerous environments, surveillance drones, fire engines, rescue vehicles and specialised intervention vehicles.
Kids’ Lab
10:00–13:00
Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies
Children aged 7 to 13 are invited to discover chemistry through practical experiments and interactive activities.
The workshops are designed to allow young participants to experience what it is like to work as a scientist rather than simply read about science.
Laboratory Visits
Laboratory visits continue at:
- University of Bucharest archaeology laboratories
- Ferdinand I Military Technical Academy
- University of Bucharest Faculty of Physics
- Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Information Technology
- University of Bucharest Faculty of Chemistry
Friday, September 25
Know. Verify. Decide. – SciLit.eu Launch
11:00–13:00
Impact Hub Bucharest Universitate
How do you decide what to believe when false information can look just as convincing as accurate information?
The event focuses on scientific literacy, critical thinking and the skills needed to evaluate claims and information in an increasingly complex digital environment.
University Laboratory Visits
Visits continue at:
- University of Bucharest archaeology laboratories
- Ferdinand I Military Technical Academy
- University of Bucharest Faculty of Physics
Visit the Bucharest of Bats
18:45–20:00
Meeting point: Humanitas Kretzulescu
The festival once again takes science into the city.
Participants will join an evening walk through Cișmigiu Park, using ultrasound detectors to identify the sounds bats use for echolocation.
It is one of the festival’s most unusual experiences, combining biology, urban exploration and practical field research.
When the Earth Shakes: From Myths to Plate Tectonics
19:00–20:30
Humanitas Cișmigiu Bookstore
One of the major international guests of Bucharest Science Festival 2026 is Professor Alessandro Amato from Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology.
A specialist in seismology, earthquake physics and tsunami warning systems, Amato will discuss how earthquakes actually happen, what science can tell us about seismic risk and how modern seismology separates evidence from myths.
Saturday, September 26
Visit to Băneasa Fire Station for Families
10:00–13:00
Băneasa Fire Department
Families can discover what happens inside a working fire station, see emergency vehicles up close and learn how firefighters respond to fires and other dangerous situations.
Missions, Robots and Rescuers
10:00–18:00
Bucharest Mall – Vitan
Military and emergency-response technology takes centre stage at this public exhibition.
Visitors can discover specialised equipment and vehicles while children can also participate in astronomy activities guided by specialists.
Facts & Fictions – The (Pseudo)Science Behind the Movies
11:00–13:00
Bucharest Metropolitan Library – Ion Creangă Library
Could dinosaurs really be brought back to life like in Jurassic Park?
Could humans survive a journey to Mars?
How scientifically accurate is the black hole in Interstellar?
This event examines the science and pseudoscience behind famous films, using popular cinema as a starting point for separating scientific fact from fiction.
Journey Through the Universe: From the Solar System to the Edge of Space and Time
17:00–18:30
Humanitas Cișmigiu Bookstore
A journey that begins with the Sun and the planets of our Solar System before moving towards stars, galaxies and some of the most distant regions of the Universe.
The event explores what astronomy can tell us about the formation and evolution of stars, planets and the Universe itself.
Sunday, September 27
The Helicopter: From Dream to Reality
10:00–13:00
General Aviation Inspectorate
Visitors have the opportunity to see aviation technology up close and discover how helicopters evolved from an idea imagined centuries ago into essential aircraft used in modern emergency and rescue operations.
The event takes place at the General Aviation Inspectorate facilities in Bucharest.
Dacians, Healers and Quantum Tunnels
17:00–18:30
Humanitas Cișmigiu Bookstore
The discussion explores the historical roots of conspiracy theories and pseudoscientific narratives in Romania, including ideas surrounding ancient Dacians and other claims that continue to circulate in contemporary culture.
The event looks at how such narratives developed and why pseudoscientific explanations can remain attractive even when scientific evidence points elsewhere.
BSF Debrief – Meet the Team
19:00–21:00
DeSoi Cișmigiu
Bucharest Science Festival ends with an informal meeting with the people behind the event.
Organisers, volunteers, guests and participants come together for a final evening dedicated to conversations about the festival, science and the community built around it.
Science for Schools
A major part of Bucharest Science Festival continues to be dedicated to students.
Between September 23 and 25, participating schools can take part in the Meet a Scientist programme, including sessions designed to help young people understand what a career in physics involves.
The festival also offers organised laboratory visits where students can see research facilities and speak directly with researchers, university professors and specialists.
These experiences cover fields ranging from physics and chemistry to electronics, archaeology and military technology.
Bucharest Science Festival 2026: Dates and Locations
Dates: September 23–27, 2026
Location: Multiple venues across Bucharest
Duration: 5 days
Programme: 21 events across 18 locations
Because activities take place at different venues across the city and some events are designed specifically for schools or require prior arrangements, visitors should check the official Bucharest Science Festival programme before attending.
Bucharest Science Festival remains one of the most accessible ways to experience science in Bucharest. Instead of keeping science inside universities and research institutes, the festival brings researchers, experiments, technology and scientific debate directly into the city, offering five days in which visitors can explore how science shapes the world around them.
