A major new exhibition celebrating the history of the Eurovision Song Contest will open this May at the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford, United Kingdom, titled “Setting the Stage: 70 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest.”
Celebrating 70 Years of Eurovision
The exhibition is scheduled to open on 8 May 2026 and will run until February 2027, coinciding with the contest’s 70th anniversary year. Visitors will be guided through the evolution of Eurovision from its early post-war broadcasts to the global spectacle it is today.
Displays will focus on the technical breakthroughs behind the show, including developments in staging, lighting, broadcasting and audience participation
Technology behind the spectacle
Interactive installations will allow visitors to engage directly with the technologies that transformed live television. Highlights include a “Zero Points” voting experience that explores how televoting works and how results have influenced the contest’s legacy.
The exhibition will also showcase historic broadcast equipment, performance technology and iconic costumes, illustrating how production techniques have evolved over the decades.
Step onto the Eurovision stage
A dedicated performance area will invite visitors to take part themselves by performing classic Eurovision songs, recreating the atmosphere of the contest’s stage. Alongside the main displays, a wider programme of events will examine Eurovision’s cultural impact, including themes such as music, stagecraft and careers in broadcasting.
Eurovision’s Global Influence
Jo Quinton-Tulloch, Director of the National Science and Media Museum, commented:
“We are delighted to be opening our new temporary exhibition, ‘Setting the Stage: 70 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest’, later this year. For seven decades, the Contest has consistently pushed the boundaries of what live television can achieve by embracing the most advanced technologies. As one of the biggest live broadcast events in the world, reaching 166 million global television viewers in 2025, the science and innovation behind the Contest has underpinned its growth from a post-war experiment into a global brand, helping to shape modern broadcasting as we know it today. We can’t wait to welcome visitors behind the scenes of this extraordinary Contest and see how technology brings the party to millions of homes worldwide.”
Martin Green CBE, Director of the Eurovision Song Contest, said:
“As we mark 70 years of the Eurovision Song Contest, we’re excited to support the National Science and Media Museum with this special exhibition. ‘Setting the Stage’ beautifully captures not only the music and magic audiences see on screen, but also the extraordinary innovation, creativity and collaboration behind the scenes. The Eurovision Song Contest has always been about bringing people together – across borders, generations and cultures – and this exhibition offers a unique opportunity to explore how technology and talent have combined to make that possible. We hope it inspires visitors to see the Contest in a new light and to celebrate the many people who continue to make it such a powerful global event, United by Music.”
Are you excited to see the new Eurovision exhibition? As always, let us know what you think by commenting below. Also, be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, TikTok and Bluesky as we prepare for Eurovision 2026
News Source: Eurovision
Photo Credit: Corine Cumming / EBU
That Eurovision Site