The FUTURES Festival event is the Southwest of England’s free festival of discovery, hosted in venues across Bath, Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Exeter, and Plymouth. It’s aimed at encouraging new audiences to hear about the research being undertaken on their doorstep. At the University of Exeter, this year’s Pop-Up Curiosity Shop was at the centre of the festival, welcoming hundreds of visitors to explore the offerings from researchers from many different university departments.

There were activities for all ages and a very diverse range of topics, including quantum navigation with Dr Luke Smith, investigating the secret behind plant shapes, and learning how light can help diagnose disease.

For those interested in cultural themes, the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum and the Women’s Screen Work in the Archives project highlighted forgotten stories in the history of cinema, while Professor Jane Whittle shared insights into the realities of the past, found in her new book, The Experience of Work in Early Modern England. The SHArD 3D Laboratory also explored how technology can feed into our understanding of archaeology, showcasing examples from their collections.

Making the most of the festival’s location at Exeter Phoenix, which is also the city centre’s hub for cinema and culture, FUTURES 2025 also included a mix of films and musical performances. Each of these took different areas of research and brought them to life in new and creative ways, inviting new perspectives on this work.  To find out more about Exeter’s FUTURES festival programme of events, follow the link here: Exeter FUTURES festival

All photos courtesy of Ben Knight