COTO (Curious on the Outside, Thinking on the Inside) is a museum programme for 10–13-year-olds who want to explore science in a fun, informal, and welcoming space. Running at selected points through the year, often during school holidays, COTO gives young people the chance to experience the museum a little more independently, build confidence, meet others their age, and discover that science can be creative, playful, and exciting.

COTO is designed especially for younger participants who are curious about the natural world but may not yet be ready for more in-depth programmes. Sessions are light in tone, hands-on in style, and big on exploration. Young people might investigate fossils, observe specimens, follow discovery trails through the galleries, ask questions like scientists, or turn ideas from nature into drawings, inventions, and creative designs.

Recent COTO sessions have included fossil-inspired activities connected to the museum’s Breaking Ground exhibition, as well as workshops where participants built their own simple research tools, explored the galleries using evidence from real specimens, and created imaginative responses to what they saw. Activities are designed to balance curiosity, creativity, and confidence-building in a supportive setting.

For many young people, COTO is also a first step into the museum’s wider youth community. Participants often go on to join programmes such as Natural History Investigators or Youth Forum as they get older.

COTO is for young people only, with sessions planned to help them enjoy the museum independently in a safe and supportive environment. Booking is usually required when sessions are announced.

To find out more about future COTO events, email education@oum.ox.ac.uk.