A Visitor’s Guide to Science in the City 2026
With two festival weekends this year, Science in the City brings science, culture and performance to Malta, with practical information on sustainable travel to an open-air space for curiosity and discovery.
Science in the City 2026 returns to Valletta in 2026 to spark meaningful conversation, hands-on activities, and scientific realisations for people of all walks of life. With sustainability and accessibility at its heart, visitors are encouraged to rethink their way of transportation to the festivals.
After 15 years of Science in the City, the Street and Performance Festivals will take place on separate dates this year, giving audiences more opportunities to experience both events. On Friday 25 and Saturday 26 September 2026, from 18:00 - 23:00, the Street Festival returns to the Triton Fountain in Valletta, transforming the area into a vibrant hub of discovery, creativity and exchange.
The Performance Festival will follow on Friday 6 and Saturday 7 November 2026, bringing science-inspired theatre, comedy, magic, music and workshops to Sala San Duminku in Valletta and other venues. Funded by Arts Council Malta’s Arts Support Scheme, the festival offers audiences a different way to explore science and research through live performance, connecting them with performers, researchers, ideas and the human experiences behind them.
“Science belongs to everyone. This is why the Science in the City events create a wonderful opportunity for people from all backgrounds to access and communicate about science,” said Logistics Manager Annalisa Schembri. “The events encourage curiosity and meaningful conversations, while being mindful of the physical reachability through the festival’s open spaces and the impact we have on our environment. From the way we travel to the way we organise the festival, sustainability is an important part of building a better future.”
Sustainability and environmental awareness are core values of the Science in the City festivals. By becoming more mindful of our ecological footprint, we can make more responsible choices and contribute to a healthier environment.
Festival-goers are encouraged by the Science in the City team, to rethink everyday habits and reduce their environmental impact by walking, cycling or using public transport when travelling to the festival. This year’s theme, Research, Resist, Reimagine, invites us to question unsustainable practices, challenge established habits and imagine more sustainable ways of living and engaging with our environment.
For guests travelling to the Street Festival from areas around Sliema or the Three Cities, the Valletta ferries offer a convenient public transport option. Those arriving at Xatt Lascaris, can take the lift to the Upper Barrakka Gardens to reach the Triton Fountain. Transport Malta will also be providing additional night bus services after 23:00 specifically for the Street Festival on 25 and 26 of September, making it easier for festival-goers to stay until the end of the event and return home by public transport. Nearby bus stops include Publiju or the Valletta Bus Terminal.
Entering through Valletta’s main City Gate, visitors are greeted by the first of two infopoints, where they can complete an audience survey for a chance to win prizes. In addition, both info points will be handing out loyalty cards.
With this card, children can explore different stands to earn themselves an explorers badge!. Near the main city gate is the Community and Culture zone, marked in purple on the festival programme, ranging from testing their human rights knowledge with Għaqda Studenti tal-Liġi to discovering simple ways to integrate plants into one’s home with Piscopo Gardens. The Science in the City stand will also be located in this area.
Around the Triton Fountain, stands in the green Hands-on zone invite guests to interact with science, by testing out life-saving skills through a CPR game with the Malta Resuscitation Council or follow a treasure map journey across an island to discover their unique cognitive strengths with the Malta Crown International Boarding School.
Also around the fountain, the blue Sport, Body & Health zone offers free dental check-ups by the Malta Association of Dental Students in their Mobile Dental Unit. Suitable for families, the Association of Emergency Physicians of Malta offers teddy-check ups and live-demonstrations in a child-friendly setting. Next to this zone, visitors can also find the sensory room, which provides a quieter and more accessible space for those who need a break from the bustle of the festival.
For astronomy enthusiasts, Pep Walls and Prof. Joseph Caruana have co created an installation that shows how light pollution affects the natural sky lighting in Malta through hidden constellations that appear only in darkness. Attendees also get the chance to see a real student-built rocket and speak with the team behind it.
The Environment & Food zone, marked in red, introduces attendees to the endemic honey bee through the Foundation for the Conservation of the Maltese Honey Bee. In line with the festival’s core values of sustainability The ‘Grow10Trees’ Project will also enable visitors to pot a free seed to take home.
The pink Brain and Forensic area invites attendees to solve mysteries using real investigative techniques with the European Forensic Institute. With Betapsi, attendees can step into the role of a psychologist through various interactive experiments.
In case of an emergency an ambulance will be stationed behind the Brain & Forensic zone. Public bathrooms are also available nearby.
The orange VR & Technology zone encourages visitors to engage with multiple interactive activities, such as building and coding a real LEGO robot with the European Institute for Emerging Technologies or experiencing aspects of Malta’s cultural heritage through VR.
Following the second main entrance near the Publiju bus stop, visitors enter another Sport, Body, and Health zone hosted by Jamrai. Their stand is organised in two sections: the first presents an arts exhibition, while the second is a three-part station exploring this year’s festival’s theme Research, Resist, Reimagine around antimicrobial resistance.
Further information on public transport and eco-friendly travel tips can be found online.
Furthermore, Science in the City doesn’t conclude this year after the 26 September, this year our Performance Festival takes place on the 6 and 7 November with tickets available to book for free online.
The Science in the City consortium is led by the University of Malta and the Malta Chamber of Scientists, in partnership with Institute for Methods Innovation, Arts Council Malta, Research Innovation and Development Trust (RIDT), Xjenza Malta, Esplora, JAMRAI Project, Ministry of Education and Sport, Malta Enterprise, Malta Digital Innovation Authority, APS Bank, Piscopo Gardens, Transport Malta, Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST), Servizzi Ewropej f'Malta, Digital Traffic Brain, ProHealth, Project Green, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry for Health, Embassy of Spain, European Institute for Emerging Technologies (EIET), Ministry for Justice, Research and Innovation, Ministry For Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights (Aquatic Resources), Ministry for Arts, Culture and National Heritage, Embassy Hotel Valletta, Storm Design, Heritage Malta, Public Broadcasting Services Limited, Ministry for Social Policy and The Family, Sala San Duminku, GreenPak, Tech.mt.
