Brain Awareness Week at the MAC 2026

On Saturday 21 March 2026, join the University of Birmingham for a full day of hands‑on science, creativity and conversation as part of Brain Awareness Week 2026. This unique free family‑friendly event brings cutting‑edge brain research out of the lab and into the MAC.

Put together by researchers and health professionals from the University of Birmingham’s Centre for Human Brain Health (CHBH), Birimingham Centre for Neurogenetics, Birmingham Drosophila Labs, Department of Inflammation and Ageing, Department of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University Hospitals Birmingham and Medical Neuroscience.

Drop in at any time during the day to explore, experiment and connect with scientists working at the forefront of brain research.

What to expect

Explore the wonders of the human brain through interactive stations, live demos and craft activities designed for all ages:

🔬 See the brain in action

Demonstrations of brain imaging techniques and opportunities to speak with researchers about how patterns of brain activity relate to behaviour and decision‑making. 

🧠 Hands‑on neuroscience

Learn how scientists measure and interpret signals from the brain. Build your own model brain using clay and craft materials. Play interactive games packed with fascinating brain facts.

💭 Meet the minds working to transform brain tumour care

Meet brain surgeons and the team of medical professionals treating people with brain tumours and the researchers working towards making treatment kinder, quicker and more effective.

See how translational research is embedded into the patient journey, from hospital bedside care to university laboratory bench and back again, and the fantastic work being done at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham and University of Birmingham.

🪰 Big brain questions, tiny flies

How does the brain decide what to do, and what happens when it goes wrong? Join researchers from the University of Birmingham’s fruit fly (Drosophila) labs to discover how brains control behaviour, change with age, recover from injury, and fail in disease.

Visitors will be able to see flies up close, learn how genetics helps us study the brain, and observe simple fly behaviours to understand how brain activity is turned into action.