Beginning on September 6 and running for the whole month, the festival will host more than 400 events and is being sponsored by the British Association for the Advancement of Science.

All of the major educational attractions, including the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Victoria and Albert, the Royal Geographical Society and many more, will all be taking part.

The festival promises something for everyone, from interactive experiments to short term memory tests and performances and talks from leading luminaries from the world of science.

One talk which promises to be out of this world takes place at the Royal Geographical Society on September 8. Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin will toward the new developments in space travel and reflecting on one of the greatest and most inspirational achievements in the recent history of science: the day the world watched him walk on the moon.

Back on earth a major breakthrough in the world of cloning was the birth of Dolly the sheep. This heralded an entirely new approach to the treatment of many degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and diabetes.

Dr Ian Wilmut, of the Roslyn Institute, will explain how one day it will be possible to take a healthy cell from a patient with one of these diseases, treat it and obtain the type of cell needed to repair the damaged tissue.

The festival will also be looking at the relationship between the arts and science. On September 7 actor Andrew Sachs - best-known as Manuel in Fawlty Towers but also the voice behind many a BBC wildlife feature - will read from Beryl Bainbridge's book, The Birthday Boys, about Captain Scott's ill fated Antarctic expedition.

Broadcaster Peter Evans will be in discussion with Chris Rapley, Director of the British Antarctic Survey and Beryl Bainbridge.

Ever since movies began, the scientist as saint and sinner has been centre stage. Usually as the sinner - Docters Jekyll, Franken

stein and Strangelove all spring to mind.

Conversely real life scientists have been portrayed as impossibly virtuous saints and this is looked at in an event, Images of the Scientist in Movies - Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.

Other highlights include Wildlife In The City which looks at the changing face of animal life in urban areas, how the internet was born, herbal medicines and the sticky subject of glue.

And as an added incentive to go on Sunday, September 10, the traffic of Exhibition Road will be replaced with a carnival of street theatre, dance, music and circus with free admission to all three of South Kensington's museums.

For more details and to book tickets ring the hotline on 0906 402 0022 or visit www.creatingsparks.co.uk