National Space Centre to Present COSMIC CRIME & DINE Murder Mystery

The National Space Centre is reinventing the traditional murder mystery night with Cosmic Crime & Dine, an immersive after-hours experience that invites guests to become investigators beneath its towering rockets on Friday 30 October 2026.

Taking the familiar appeal of a whodunnit beyond the dinner table and into the galleries, the adults-only evening combines hands-on forensic challenges alongside a themed three-course dinner in an experience that puts them well and truly at the heart of the investigation.

Guests do more than watch a mystery unfold and guess who did it. They explore a crime scene, examine evidence and try investigative techniques for themselves, working together as the story develops around them. Dining becomes part of the investigation, with clues to discuss and theories to test over dinner.

Guided by a retired Scotland Yard investigator, guests will discover techniques used in real criminal investigations and put their own powers of observation to the test. Challenges include analysing fingerprints, exploring how witness descriptions become Photofit images and searching a crime scene for evidence.

For anyone who enjoys a quiz, an escape room or a good detective story, the evening offers an opportunity to put that curiosity into practice. Friends, colleagues and couples can pool their ideas and debate the evidence over dinner, with each discovery bringing them closer to the answer.

Malika Andress, Head of Marketing at the National Space Centre, said: “We're taking the traditional murder mystery night and giving guests a much more hands-on role. You become an scientific investigator, searching for evidence and trying forensic techniques for yourself, with a retired Scotland Yard investigator to guide you.

It's an evening for curious minds, whether you love true crime podcasts, escape rooms or detective stories. The mystery and dinner are all part of one experience, and exploring the galleries after hours with rockets and spacecraft above you gives you a setting unlike any ordinary night out.”

The themed three-course meal forms part of the evening's unfolding story, giving guests time to share their findings before their deductions are tested as the investigation reaches its conclusion.

Individual and small-group bookings can share tables with fellow investigators, making the evening an option for guests coming on their own as well as those bringing company. Groups can also reserve dedicated tables for eight or 12 investigators.

Event Details

Cosmic Crime & Dine takes place at the National Space Centre, Leicester, on Friday 30 October 2026 for guests aged 18 and over.

Tickets cost £70 per person and include the immersive investigation, a welcome drink and a themed three-course meal.

About the National Space Centre

The National Space Centre is the UK's largest visitor attraction dedicated to space.

The National Space Centre opened to the public in June 2001 and has welcomed almost six million visitors, including more than 1.5 million schoolchildren.

The National Space Centre is the Millennium Commission landmark project for the East Midlands. It was co-founded by the University of Leicester and Leicester City Council. Its other founding partners are BT and East Midlands Development Agency.