Creativity, science, and fun collide: autumn extravaganza brings learning to life
Join us for school holiday fun with Museums Victoria from 30 March
Build a home for an underwater creature, LOL at hilariously gross gags and discover some super cool stories behind the objects in a back-of-house tour of the Scienceworks Collection Store when autumn school holidays kick off at Museums Victoria.
A world of fun and learning await at Melbourne Museum: delve into the tragic tale of the Titanic, roam around the remarkable 67-million-year-old Triceratops, Horridus, drive home in your very own cardboard car built in Road to Zero, and find inspiration when Jane Goodall beams into IMAX.
In the world of Scienceworks, whoosh, swirl, squish and float while learning about aerodynamics in Air Playground, enjoy exciting new shows at the Melbourne Planetarium and sniff out some stinky stories in the popular Pumping Station Tours.
As the leaves turn golden on the trees outside, stay warm and entertained these autumn holidays with this variety of free and affordable activities designed for families.
Melbourne Museum
Titanic: The Artefact Exhibition
30 March 2024 – 21 April 2024 | Daily | Adult $32.50, Child $18, Concession $22.50, Member $14, Flexible ticket $39 | Includes Melbourne Museum entry
Don’t miss your chance to be a part of history – grab your boarding pass and embark on a journey to explore the powerful stories of those who travelled and worked onboard the legendary ship in Titanic: The Artefact Exhibition, before it closes on 21 April.
See more than 200 real artefacts recovered directly from the wreck site and be captivated by the compelling human stories behind each one as you journey through the events on that fateful night.
One of the most famous tragedies in modern history, the story of the Titanic and its ill-fated maiden voyage continues to enthral, educate and break hearts more than 110 years since it sank to the bottom of the ocean.
Triceratops: Fate of the Dinosaurs
Daily | Included with Melbourne Museum entry
Come face to face with one of the most awe-inspiring creatures ever to walk the Earth and the most complete real dinosaur in Australia: 67-million-year-old Horridus the Triceratops, only at the Home of Dinosaurs; Melbourne Museum. Triceratops: Fate of the Dinosaurs is an immersive voyage into a lost world, where visitors will explore the landscapes of the Cretaceous and get to know the creatures that thrived there.
Gandel Gondwana Garden
Daily | Included with Melbourne Museum entry
Melbourne Museum, the Home of Dinosaurs, welcomes visitors to explore Victoria’s ancient landscapes and learn about creatures that once walked this land, from dinosaurs and megafauna to the ancestors of today’s iconic Australian species in Melbourne’s newest living outdoor gallery. This autumn, families are welcome to step into the ecosystems of the past to touch replicas of the bones, teeth and claws of ancient creatures. This multi-level experience allows visitors to experience First Peoples' knowledge passed through thousands of generations, and uncover traces of Gondwana, the supercontinent that once connected Australia to the world.
Creative Lab
30 March 2024 – 14 April 2024 | Daily | Child $10, Member Child $8
In this fun, creative and crafty watercolour workshop about underwater animals, children learn through play and imagination to build a habitat for a Victorian animal and will take home digital photographs to remember their creation.
Grown-ups are welcome to join in or you can drop the kids off and explore the Museum.
Comedy Festival Family Fun
30 March 2024 – 14 April 2024 | Daily | $19 – $32
Embark on a journey of exploration, creativity, laughter and education with engaging activities tailored for the entire family. Enjoy hilarious comedy shows curated by the prestigious Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
Experience a captivating showcase of handcrafted bubbles—some soaring like rockets, others transforming into futuristic space helmets. Engage in an epic bubble lightsaber battle and embark on a shadow-filled bubble space adventure.
Get ready for some holiday hilarity as Comedy Club for Kids delivers cheeky fun and laughter for kids aged six to 12. This unique variety showcase guarantees bucket-loads of laughs, boasting a stellar cast that includes stand-up comedians, sketch artists, musical comedy acts, and even circus performers.
Dive into the fascinating world of nasal secretions as we unravel the science of snot. Brace yourself for exciting and gooey experiments that will surely elicit ‘ewwws’ from participants. Join in the laughter with hilariously gross gags in this slimy and silly sci-fi adventure tailor-made for kids aged six and up.
The First Nations comedy star weaves a blend of traditional dance, didgeridoo, storytelling and humour, captivating audiences while encouraging all to dance, sing, laugh and get involved.
Get ready for uproarious slapstick comedy, thrilling acrobatics and skilful juggling that elevates the ordinary household wheelie bin to astonishing new heights.
Road to Zero
1 April 2024 – 13 April 2024 | 10:00am – 3:00pm | Daily excluding Sundays | Included with Melbourne Museum entry
Build and customise a cardboard car to take home and find out what it needs to achieve a five-star safety rating.
Grown-ups can visit https://howsafeisyourcar.com.au, where they can check the crash protection and safety features of their current vehicle, or if they’re considering a new or used car.
By upgrading our cars to the safest options in their respective classes, we can reduce serious trauma by a third.
Scienceworks
Air Playground
30 March 2024 – 6 October 2024 | Daily | 10:00am – 4:30pm | Adult $25, Senior $20, Child $10, Concession $10, Member $8 | Includes Scienceworks entry
Play with air, the amazing invisible elemental force, and experience the science of aerodynamics. Whoosh, swirl, gust, squish, flow, float and more at Air Playground. Float objects in mid-air, place material in fast moving air-jets, squish a giant inflatable tentacle sculpture with your body, launch balls sky-high with compressed air, craft paper planes to soar and more.
Air-Palooza
30 March 2024 – 14 April 2024 | Daily | 12:00pm and 2:00pm | Included with Scienceworks entry
Immerse yourself in the wonders of air in our free 20-minute live science show. Unveil the secrets of invisible forces, witness levitation demonstrations and explore the power of air pressure through experiments.
FlushBack
30 March 2024 – 14 April 2024 | Daily | 1:00pm & 2:00pm | $3, $2 Museum Members
FlushBack – Scienceworks’ award-winning AR adventure – brings to life the heritage-listed Spotswood Pumping Station. Collect your iPad from the Information Desk.
Planetarium Shows
30 March 2024 – 14 April 2024 | Daily | $10 child and concession / $8 Museum Members
Book into the Planetarium and enjoy an out-of-this-world show exclusive to Scienceworks.
11:00am – Tycho Goes to Mars
12:00pm – Tilt
1:00pm – Solar System Adventures: Where’s the Water?
2:00pm – Starlight
3:00pm – Solar System Adventures: Where’s the Water?
4:00pm – Dark Side of the Moon
The Glow Show
30 March 2024 – 14 April 2024 | Daily | 11:00am, 12:00pm, 1:00pm and 2:00pm | $10 child and concession / $8 Museum Members | Includes Scienceworks entry
Take a seat in our Lightning Theatre and be mesmerised by this visually stunning 30-minute live show exploring the fascinating science behind luminosity and the many ways a glow can be produced.
Pumping Station Tours
30 March 2024 – 14 April 2024 | Daily | 11:00am | Included with Scienceworks entry
Sniff out some of the smelly stories from the pumping station straining well and explore the magnificent engine room, marvelling at the engineering feat that helped overcome the stench of 19th century Melbourne in our daily Pumping Station tours.
Please note, tours run subject to guide availability and weather conditions.
Collection Store Tours
30 March 2024 – 14 April 2024 | Daily | 12:00pm and 2:00pm | Included with Scienceworks entry
Take an exclusive look behind-the-scenes with a tour of the Scienceworks Collection Store. Get a glimpse of some of the rare 40,000 collection items stored at Scienceworks, and hear the amazing stories behind them.
Please note, tours run subject to guide availability and weather conditions.
IMAX
Jane Goodall: Reasons for Hope
Opens 23 March 2024 | Daily | $10 – $25
This autumn school holiday season at IMAX, embark on a global journey with Jane Goodall in her documentary Jane Goodall: Reasons for Hope. Experience inspiring tales, including the Northern Bald Ibis' migration over the Alps, the American Bison reintroduction by the Blackfeet Nation, the renowned Sudbury Regreening Story, and the uplifting youth-led initiatives of Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots.
Jane Goodall: Reasons for Hope premieres on 23 March and will be shown daily throughout the school holidays. Tickets are available for purchase here, and joint tickets can be obtained with entry to Melbourne Museum.
