| Dates | 17–19 Apr 2026 |
|---|---|
| Hours | 10:00–18:00 (KTO); some booths closed earlier, e.g. the KARI 4D space booth was scheduled to 16:00 and extended an hour on demand |
| Weather | April average 19/7 °C (67/44 °F), 82 mm of rainMonthly averages, not a forecast: Korea Meteorological Administration climate normals, 1991–2020, Daejeon station. |
| Venue | Daejeon Convention Center (DCC) Exhibition Hall 2 and Expo Science Park대전광역시 유성구 엑스포로 87 (도룡동) |
| Admission | General admission: Free |
| Previous edition | 2025: 16–20 Apr 2025 |
| Next edition | 2027: Either mid-April 2027, if Daejeon again pairs the festival with the national Korea Science Festival as in 2025 and 2026, or mid/late October, its slot until 2024. The 2026 national festival is touring Busan, Daejeon, Gyeonggi and Jeonbuk, and no 2027 host or dates have been announced; Daejeon released its 2026 plan about two weeks before the event (5 April). |
Program
- 17 Apropening ceremony on a temporary stage at Expo Science Park, with an AI-based performance by illusionist Lee Eun-gyeol
- World Science Culture Forum in DCC Hall 2 (theme: coexistence of AI and humans) with psychologist Kim Kyung-il, Bartosz Grzybowski (director of the IBS Center for Algorithmic and Robotized Synthesis), chef Lim Hee-won and science YouTuber Gwedo
- DCC Hall 2AI station, cutting-edge technology exhibition, VR and robot experiences; KAIST foldable lunar-rover wheel, ETRI digital heritage
- Expo Citizen PlazaRC-car racing, paper-airplane challenge, scientist quiz, autonomous-vehicle rides
- Korea Institute of Fusion Energy escape room — free, booked on Naver at 09:00, sold out immediately
- 19 AprKISTI Golden Bell quiz with prizes
Prices
| Item | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| General admission | Free | All exhibitions and booths free; a few booths need a free Naver reservation |
Notes on the 2026 edition
Daejeon leg of the first nationwide Korea Science Festival (Busan 11–12 Apr, Gyeonggi 24–26 Apr, Jeonbuk in October). Sold-out notices at DCC on the afternoon of 17 April.
About the festival
The Daejeon Science Festival is a free science fair run by Daejeon city with the Ministry of Science and ICT at Daejeon Convention Center and Expo Science Park, about an hour from Seoul by KTX. The 2026 edition ran 17–19 April, 10:00–18:00, together with the national Korea Science Festival; 2027 dates are not set. Admission is free. Go for hands-on booths from Korea's government research institutes.
Transport, booking, crowd and accessibility details are on the main Daejeon Science Festival page, which covers every edition.
Source
Facts checked
16 October 2026, against the sources listed below.