What’s On This February Half-Term At The National Science And Media Museum In Bradford

The National Science and Media Museum has announced an exciting programme of activities for families during February half-term, celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Yorkshire Games Festival. 

Throughout half-term, the museum will host a packed programme of family friendly gaming activities for all ages to enjoy, offering families the opportunity to discover new interactive experiences and engage with the latest gaming technologies.  

As part of the Festival, Big Screen Gaming returns to Cubby Broccoli Cinema, giving visitors the opportunity to play together on the big screen. Playing with up to four people, festivalgoers can go head-to-head in Nintendo’s Super Mario Party Jamboree. 

Popular gaming comedy show Wifi Wars will also be returning to the festival on Thursday 19 February, following its success in previous years.  Audiences can play along and compete against one another in this interactive entertainment experience hosted by comedian, TV presenter and videogame pundit Steve McNeil. 

The Yorkshire Games Festival 2026 Showcase, created in partnership with Investigate Dot Games and York St. John University, will take place in the museum’s foyer. The Showcase provides a platform for developers at all levels to present their games to visitors, as well as offering visitors the experience the next generation of gaming talent. 

Boardgames distributor Hachette Boardgames UK will bring their catalogue of analogue games to the festival, showing that the logical thinking and problem-solving skills future games makers need can be developed non-digitally. 

Gaming charity YGAM and the National Videogame Museum will also attend this year’s festival, with drop-in sessions centred on gaming safely and the joy of gaming together. 

Big Screen Gaming returns to Pictureville Cinema, giving visitors the opportunity to take their favourite games to the next level. Playing with up to four people, festivalgoers can go head-to-head in Nintendo classics like Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros.  

Popular gaming comedy show Wifi Wars will also be returning to the festival on Thursday 19 February, following its success in previous years.  Audiences can play along and compete against one another in this interactive entertainment experience hosted by comedian, TV presenter and videogame pundit Steve McNeil. 

The Yorkshire Games Festival 2026 Showcase, created in partnership with Investigate Dot Games and York St. John University, will take place in the museum’s foyer. The Showcase provides a platform for developers at all levels to present their games, as well as offering visitors the chance to experience the next generation of gaming talent. 

Alongside the Yorkshire Games Festival, families can explore everything the National Science and Media Museum has to offer throughout half-term. Visitors can delve into the recently opened Sound and Vision galleries, spanning two floors and charting 200 years of innovation across photography, film, television, animation, videogaming and sound technologies. 

The Kodak Gallery offers a journey through the history of popular photography, while Wonderlab invites curious minds to get hands-on with interactive exhibits exploring the science of light and sound - perfect for families with younger children. 

Elsewhere in the museum, digital interactive experience YOU:MATTER created by renowned artist collective Marshmallow Laser Feast, invites guests to explore their connections to the universe, blending art, science and creative technologies. Gaming fans can also step into Power Up, the museum’s permanent retro gaming arcade, where visitors can play their way through decades of videogame history  from the 1970s arcade boom to today. 

Pictureville Cinema will host regular Kids Club screenings throughout half-term.  Yorkshire Games Festival themed screenings include Detective Pikachu (2019) and The Lego Batman Movie (2017), with tickets at a reduced price of £3.