Sydney Science Trail: Community Day
Join us for a free one-day science bonanza, jam-packed with workshops, science shows and activities for kids of all ages!
When: Saturday 9 August
- Morning Session: 10am - 1.30pm
- Afternoon Session: 1.30pm - 5pm
Location: Museum-wide
Cost: Free general admission (registrations are essential)
To kick off National Science Week, join Sydney Science Trail for a family-friendly science community day at the Australian Museum, hosted by the Surfing Scientist, Ruben Meerman.
The Museum will be bursting with activity and it’s all completely free! See spectacular science demonstrations, ask Dr Karl your curliest science question and giggle along to silly science humour. Chat to scientists and discover the latest innovations in their research at our Science Expo. Dinosaur enthusiast in the family? Watch a T.rex Autopsy show, learn about megafauna, and keep your eyes peeled for Winny the Muttaburrasaurus, our roving puppet dinosaur.
Free general admission includes Expo entry, plus all drop-in shows and interactive activities throughout the Museum. Please choose from either the Morning (10am - 1.30pm) or Afternoon (1.30pm - 5pm) session when registering.
Ruben Meerman appears by arrangement with Claxton Speakers International.
Dr Karl is the Julius Sumner Miller Fellow at the University of Sydney, and appears courtesy of University of Sydney and the Faculty of Science.
Drop-in Activities
Your General Admission session ticket includes unlimited access to all the free family-friendly activities throughout the Museum.
Time: 3.45pm
Duration: 30 min
Location: Hintze Hall, Level UG
Age recommendation: All ages
Why do we close our eyes when we sneeze? Are dogs really colour blind? Hosted by Ruben Meerman, have your weird and wonderful science questions answered by Dr Karl and be amazed as you learn the science all around us.
Image Credit: © Ross Coffey
Time: All day
Duration: Drop-in from 10.30am - 1pm, or 1.30pm - 4.30pm
Location: Patricia McDonald Education Rooms, Level LG
Age recommendation: All ages
Get up close to leaf litter bugs, play hide and seek with stick insects, race an isopod and much more! Drop-in to the Education Rooms to discover more about the fascinating insect world.
Time: Throughout the day
Duration: 30 min
Location: Meet in Wild Planet at entry to Garrigarang, Level UG
Age recommendation: 8+ years
Expand your understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures on this unique tour of objects from the Australia Museum's collections, led by a First Nations guide.
Time: All day
Duration: Drop-in from 10am
Location: Burra, Level 2
Age recommendation: All ages
Learn all about the grey-headed flying fox and its important role in keeping Country healthy. Create your very own flying fox glider to take home!
Time: 11.15am, 12.15pm, 1.15pm, 2.15pm & 3.15pm
Duration: 30 min
Location: Theatre, Level UG
Age recommendation: All ages
Things are not always what they seem in this eye-opening show featuring improbable biology, fascinating physics tricks, staggering space science, and incredible chemical reactions. This fun-filled show is jam-packed with laughs and audience participation!
Time: All day
Duration: Drop-in from 10.30am
Location: Wansolmoana, Level 2
Age recommendation: All ages
Get creative with the traditional Māori art of tukutuku weaving! In this fun, hands-on session, you’ll explore the beautiful patterns of tukutuku panels—decorative latticework found in wharenui (meeting houses). Using colourful paper, learn weaving techniques to make your own mini masterpiece.
Perfect for kids and families. All ages welcome—just bring your curiosity and a little patience!
Time: 11am, 11.45am, 2.15pm & 3pm
Duration: 30 min
Location: Hintze Hall, Level UG
Age recommendation: All ages
No time to check out the Science Expo? Join us for a showcase of our stall holders with a live Q&A hosted by Ruben Meerman and learn about the exciting STEM work of our Partner Universities and other stall holders.
Time: All day
Duration: Drop-in from 10am
Location: Westpac Long Gallery, Level G
Age recommendation:
Interactive hands-on experiments that transform everyday materials into exciting scientific explorations. Explore the Möbius strip, experiment with slime, each activity will spark curiosity and maybe even a deeper understanding of scientific principles!
Image Credit: Children's Discovery Museum
Time: 11.30am & 2.45pm
Duration: 20 min
Location: Dinosaurs, Level 2
Age recommendation: All ages
Join us for T.rex Autopsy where we peel back the skin and dive deep inside one of the Earth's most mysterious creatures. Combining biology with palaeontology we examine how these massive 66-million-year-old lizard monsters may have lived.... and how the T.rex in the Museum's gallery died.
Time: All day
Duration: Drop-in from 10am
Location: Crystal Hall, Ground Level
Age recommendation: All ages
Get up close to record breaking solar car, Violet, and talk to the UNSW Sunswift solar car team about the challenges of designing a family-oriented solar vehicle.
Time: 10.30am, 12.30pm & 1.45pm
Duration: 20 min
Location: Hintze Hall, Level UG
Age recommendation: All ages
Meet Winny, the AM's life-sized Muttaburrasaurus puppet, in his live action show that will entertain and leave you with some unexpected science facts!
Time: All day
Location: Museum-wide
Age recommendation: All ages
Celebrate science throughout the whole museum! Find scientists, researchers and specialists from a range of fields around every corner of the museum. Ask questions and learn more about what they do.
Science Expo
Time: 10am - 1pm (Morning Session) & 1.45pm - 5pm (Afternoon Session)
Date: Saturday 9 August
Location: Upper Ground Exhibition Hall
Age recommendation: All ages
Meet the experts from over 20 research organisations and universities including Sydney Science Trail partners: the University of Technology Sydney and the University of New England. Wander through the stalls at the Science Expo and chat citizen science, frogs, fossils, medical research and more! Ignite your child's love for science by giving them the rare opportunity to touch base with real-life scientists, undertake experiments and get hands-on with cutting-edge innovations.
Community Day at the Botanic Gardens of Sydney
Botanic Gardens of Sydney will be hosting their Community Day on Saturday 16 August at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan. Stay tuned for further details.
