Featured Events in Bletchley in September 2025 (July Updated)

Join us for a Relaxed Opening of The National Museum of Computing for families and individuals who require a quieter and calmer environment to experience our Museum. This sensory-friendly event provides a way to explore and enjoy TNMOC outside of general opening hours. The event is suitable for individuals or families with members who have sensory processing differences, autistic spectrum conditions or other sensory needs. The recommended time to see the exhibitions is approximately two hours, but this varies from visitor to visitor. Special adjustments will include: Fewer tickets are available, so the galleries will be less busy than usual A small Quiet Room will be available in our Library, near the Museum exit You can download a Sensory Map from our Accesibility webpage A print copy of the Sensory Map will be available onsite during the Relaxed Opening. Please ask a member of staff at the ticketing desk for a copy What visitors say about our Relaxed Openings: "A huge thank you for organising the relaxed session. It makes a huge difference to families like mine to be able to get out.” Our boys both loved it... Ordinarily, after a few hours one son is on edge, on the verge of overload. They say living with autism is like living life in a disco ... I want to comment about your staff, ... They were utterly brilliant. Patient, understanding, and tremendously knowledgeable, they explained things in such an accessible way, that there was always someone available." Activities on the day: Self-Guided Museum Explorations: Our ticketing desk give you all the important information about the self-guided explorations available at TNMOC. Some trails are digital (please bring your own device), and some are paper-based. Trails offered at the Museum are: Robot Rescue! (6-10 years) - Explore the Museum and find all our mini-bots before their batteries run out and they’re lost forever! Grab a worksheet to record all of the mini-bot locations and fill in the missing words to identify a secret message which can only be deciphered using our Enigma machine! Treasure Hunt (6+ years) - Become a geo-cacher using the Adventure Lab app and hunt for treasure boxes around the Museum. Decode our computer-related ding-bats to find the missing letters that form an anagram and win a small prize in our shop. Codename: Cipher [Enigma & The Bombe ] - The year is 1940 and you have been invited to Bletchley Park to assist in the war effort. Your first assignment is to catch the undercover spy operating out of the UK known only as Codename Cipher. Internet Explorers - Are you ready to become an Internet explorer? Delve into the evolution of networked communication and connect with the history of how the Internet revolutionised communication and interaction. Women in Computing - Discover the inspirational achievements of past and present women in computing and explore their impact on the industry. Information Source: tnmoc | eventbrite

What is a Home Educator day? Our bespoke Home Educator days are created for families with non-school learners, giving them the opportunity to explore the Museum together and take part in specially-designed workshops. Our Home Educator days are accessible to visitors with special educational needs, including autism. The Museum will be closed to the public with quiet areas set aside especially for you. What is The National Museum of Computing? Step into the living story of computing at TNMOC, where the world's largest collection of historic computers whirs, clicks, and comes alive. Your journey begins with the groundbreaking code-breaking machines that helped win WWII, winds through the age of mainframes, and traces the revolution of personal computing that put technology in every home and pocket. From the first flickers of electronic computing to today's digital world, every machine tells a chapter in our shared technical heritage. What to expect on the day: During your visit, you will also have access to a variety of specially-designed STEM-focused activities, including programming, robotics and engineering. Please see the schedule below for more details. All activities are offered as drop-in sessions so learners can self-direct without the pressure of a formal schedule. . The day will include options for every age. You can learn more about the available activities below. Should you wish to attend a more structured day, we have dedicated spaces for Home Educators on our Digital Future Days programme . The Museum will be open from 10:30am - 3:00pm, with workshops starting at 11am. What people say about our Home Educator Days: “My sons had a super time, the interactive activities were great and kept them both engaged. Your team were most helpful and great with the children." " Book it and Go... even 'Miss 13' was engaged!" "They obviously loved the gaming areas [...] The staff in the BBC area were lovely. In fact, the tips about getting children coding have already been implemented and they have been using the site that was recommended. My husband wants to come next time!" "It was very relaxed and all the staff and volunteers were so helpful! Really suited our children's way to learn and engage with people." "My seven-year-old and my friend's two boys had a wonderful time and I really appreciated the opportunity for them to enjoy something they would otherwise find quite challenging." What's on? Self-Guided Museum Explorations: Our trails hub (located in the Pop-Up Gallery) will give you all the important information about the self-guided explorations available at TNMOC. If you’re struggling or need pointers, our experts will be on hand to help! Some trails are digital (please bring your own device, limited iPads available), and some are paper-based. Trails offered at the Museum are: Robot Rescue! (6-10 years) - Explore the Museum and find all our mini-bots before their batteries run out and they’re lost forever! Grab a worksheet to record all of the mini-bot locations and fill in the missing words to identify a secret message which can only be deciphered using our Enigma machine! Treasure Hunt (6+ years) - Become a geo-cacher using the Adventure Lab app and hunt for treasure boxes around the Museum. Decode our computer-related ding-bats to find the missing letters that form an anagram and win a small prize in our shop. Codename: Cipher [Enigma & The Bombe ] - The year is 1940 and you have been invited to Bletchley Park to assist in the war effort. Your first assignment is to catch the undercover spy operating out of the UK known only as Codename Cipher. Internet Explorers - Are you ready to become an Internet explorer? Delve into the evolution of networked communication and connect with the history of how the Internet revolutionised communication and interaction. Women in Computing - Discover the inspirational achievements of past and present women in computing and explore their impact on the industry. Drop-In Workshops: Sphero BOLTs (BBC Classroom) - Explore the digital realm by guiding your robots through the physical world, fostering hands-on learning of coding. Develop problem-solving skills as you direct your robot through progressively intricate instructions. Unleash your imagination and enjoy the playful process of programming with Sphero. Beginner's Coding and OSMO (Innovation Hub) - Learn coding skills on our pocket-sized Micro:Bit computers to create LED images activated by buttons or ‘shake’ sensors. They can even communicate with each other! Freeform MTA Creation (Meeting Room) - In this activity, students will use the MTA Kit to design and build innovative engineering solutions, applying critical thinking and hands-on experimentation to real-world challenges. Through guided tasks and open-ended projects, learners will explore engineering concepts like mechanics, automation, and structural design. The MTA Kit empowers students to construct, test, and refine their creations, allowing them to see theory come to life. Career Advice for Young Adults (Meeting Room) 11:00am - 3:00pm Based in the beautiful Malvern hills, IASME work alongside a network of almost 300 expert organisations across the UK and Crown Dependencies to help advise and certify organisations of all sizes in cyber security. IASME is committed to helping businesses improve their cyber security, risk management and good governance through an effective and accessible range of certifications: As well as training unemployed Neurodivergent adults to fill roles in the cyber security industry the focus on support and protection for all also runs internally. With a culture of well-being and inclusion that makes IASME one of the most inclusive companies to work for in its sector. Accessibility We want every young learner to feel comfortable and supported during their visit. We have a dedicated quiet room that provides a calm, peaceful space for anyone who needs a break from activities. This sensory-friendly environment is available throughout the day and includes comfortable seating, soft lighting, and fidget toys. For easier navigation and comfort during your visit: Our single-story building has full wheelchair access with ramps throughout Ear defenders can be borrowed from our reception desk Seating areas are available throughout the Museum Assistance dogs are welcome, with water bowls available upon request Accessible toilets and baby changing facilities are located near the shop Free parking, including accessible bays, right outside our entrance To help prepare for your visit: Download our visual story guide to familiarise yourself with the Museum Try our TNMoC Mate virtual guide app for self-guided exploration For any queries or further information please contact education@tnmoc.org. Information Source: The National Museum of Computing | eventbrite

By popular demand! Join us for the second showing of "The Thing" at The National Museum of Computing - a captivating film that uncovers one of history's most astonishing espionage incidents. “The Thing” is a documentary film uncovering the amazing story behind the Great American Seal Bug. This complex story of spying and counter spying, genius, betrayal, political wrangling and espionage is told in detail by John Little. These incredible events span 90 years including the two World Wars, the Cold War and involve three great nations of the United Kingdom, United States of America and Russia (USSR). The film delves into the incredible story of the Great American Seal bug, starting with the birth of the inventor in 1886, his formative years during the Bolshevik Revolution, and his time in the USA. It explores the influence of the Cambridge Spies and the bug's discovery in 1952. In more contemporary times, "The Thing" also investigates the work of Peter Wright and Tony Sale, detailing their efforts to understand and counter this ingenious device. The film vividly portrays the story of one of the first passive covert listening devices against the backdrop of H Block, Bletchley Park, adding a unique dimension to this tale of technological espionage. Tickets also include day admission to view the world's largest collection of functional historic computers, including the Bombe and Colossus - the world's first electronic, digital computer. Event Schedule: Refreshments on arrival Screening of "The Thing" Q&A with John Little, compered by John Carter About the Speaker: John Little's connection to Bletchley Park and counter-surveillance is truly unique. His first visit to Bletchley Park was in 1962 as a Post Office Telephone Engineer. He later joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, working in Hut 3, Bletchley Park (Diplomatic Wireless Service). In 1978, he left the FCO to start a company specialising in counter surveillance – de-bugging. His office was moved to H Block approximately 20 years ago, and later to E Block. Image credit: Shearwater TSCM Information Source: The National Museum of Computing | eventbrite