National Science Week 2026

27 July 2026

Curious minds wanted! National Science Week returns to Museums Victoria in 2026 with a jam-packed program of events. Between Saturday 15 and Sunday 23 August, science-lovers are invited behind-the-scenes at Melbourne Museum, Scienceworks and IMAX Melbourne for expert talks, hands-on workshops and eye-opening tours.

As part of this annual celebration of science and technology, Museums Victoria will showcase the work of its vital Research Institute, where scientists are actively decoding the natural world, from biodiversity and space science to deep-sea exploration.

With one of the nation’s largest museum-based scientific teams, the Museums Victoria Research Institute plays a crucial role in advancing discovery and shaping our understanding of life on Earth and beyond.

This year’s National Science Week education theme is Seeds of Science: Nurturing Knowledge for All, inviting students and the wider community to explore the power of curiosity and scientific inquiry. Melbourne Museum is sowing seeds and nurturing knowledge with two on-theme events: The Secret Life of Soil, an engaging panel talk about the microscopic organisms that shape healthy soil, featuring Gardening Australia’s Hannah Maloney; and Creative Lab: Seed Stories, a 45-minute workshop in which participants will investigate soil as a living system, select native seeds, and plant something meaningful to take home and continue caring for.

Science on Show is the place for visitors to ask any burning questions, as they meet the scientists behind the Museum. Through pop-up talks, displays, and rarely seen specimens, visitors will gain insight into how Museums Victoria Research Institute experts reveal hidden stories – from ancient fossils and deep-sea creatures to shimmering minerals and endangered species.

While every week is science week at Scienceworks, the focus turns to the stars with a special Galileo Planetarium experience in collaboration with the Italian Australian Foundation.

No visit to Scienceworks is complete without Colour: See the World in a New Light, an interactive science exhibition from Questacon, featuring 21 playful exhibits that explore how colour is created, changed and understood. Visitors of all ages can experiment with colour, optics and light in this immersive exhibition for the whole family.

Reflecting on another year of National Science Week, Lynley Crosswell, CEO & Director of Museums Victoria, said, ‘Through the Museums Victoria Research Institute, our researchers are continuing to make discoveries that transform our understanding of life, Earth and the universe. Whether investigating ancient fossils and meteorites or uncovering new insights into biodiversity and deep time, this work continues to propel us forward by revealing new perspectives of the world around us.

‘National Science Week is our chance to share and celebrate these discoveries with the wider community and put education at the centre of that conversation. Through exhibitions, events and hands-on experiences across our venues, Museums Victoria will come alive with opportunities for visitors to explore our research firsthand and to see the vital role it plays in driving discovery and deepening our connection with the natural world.’

‘National Science Week is a fantastic opportunity for families to explore, experiment and be inspired by the world-class scientists working right here in Victoria,’ said Minister for Creative Industries Vicki Ward MP.

‘Labor is proud to support Museums Victoria to deliver hands-on experiences that spark curiosity and inspire the next generation.’

Don’t miss out on this celebration of science and discovery – explore the program highlights below or visit the Museums Victoria website for the full schedule.

Melbourne Museum

Creative Lab: Seed Stories

22 & 23 August | Ticketed | Children 5+ and their families
10.30am, 11.30am and 1pm

Discover how something as small as a seed can spark big scientific ideas in this hands-on family workshop aligned with National Science Week’s theme Seeds of Science: Nurturing knowledge for all. 

This 45-minute workshop uncovers the hidden science within seeds and the vital role soil plays in supporting life.

Tiny Tours: Rainforest to Reef

Tuesday 18 August | Ticketed | Children 3-5 years and their families
10am

Designed especially for children and their adults, Tiny Tours makes Museum discovery exciting, and fun, inviting families with young children to dive into some of nature’s most fascinating stories together. Each tour offers hands-on, interactive experiences that bring learning to life, inspiring kids to see the world with curiosity and wonder.

Dino Days

Wednesday 19 August | Included with museum entry | Children 3-5 years and their families
10am to 2pm

Dino Days invites our youngest dinosaur enthusiasts to explore all things dinosaur.

From dino discos and dress-ups to story times and sensory soft play, it’s a dinosaur day out at Melbourne Museum.

The Secret Life of Soil

Thursday 20 August | Ticketed | Adults and teens 16+
7pm to 9pm

Delve into the microscopic organisms that shape healthy soils, support food systems, and lock away carbon. Learn more about how threads of fungi and microbes weave intricate relationships between what grows below and what thrives above.

In this conversation, host of Life Matters (ABC Radio National) Hilary Harper is joined by Gardening Australia’s Hannah Moloney and Museums Victoria’s Simon Hinkley.

Ticket includes entry to visit the multisensory Our Wonderous Planet gallery from 8 to 9pm, where guests are invited to discover our world's vibrant living systems, four billion years in the making.

Science on Show

Saturday 22 August | Included with museum entry | All ages
9am to 4pm

Behind every specimen is a story – come meet the scientists bringing them to life.

Step into the heart of scientific discovery at Science on Show – Melbourne Museum's annual celebration for National Science Week. For one special day, visitors can meet the minds behind the Museum as scientists, researchers and collection experts share fascinating stories, rare specimens and surprising discoveries.

Scienceworks

Science Studio: Taking Flight

15, 16, 22 & 23 August | Ticketed | Children 6-12 and their families
1.30 to 3pm

Looking for hands-on activities in Melbourne for the whole family? Join this STEM workshop at Scienceworks and discover the science of flight! Through six fun science experiments using everyday materials, kids and grown-ups explore the forces behind flight together, plus a take-home booklet for more discovery.

Galileo’s Sky: A Family Planetarium Adventure

Thursday 20 August | Ticketed | Children 8+ and their families
6 to 9pm

Guests will step into the Planetarium for an engaging one-hour session that introduces Galileo’s life and historical context, then explores his key discoveries—such as the moons of Jupiter, the phases of Venus, sunspots, and the rugged surface of the Moon.

Through immersive visuals and storytelling, discover how Galileo’s groundbreaking discoveries changed our understanding of the universe. Stick around for gelato, pop-up activities and telescope viewing on our Arena (weather permitting).

IMAX Melbourne

Phenomena

Friday 21 August | Ticketed | Children 8+ and their families
11am, 87 mins

When thinking about the world’s natural wonders, it’s likely the big stuff – the mountains, the canyons, the oceans – that first spring to mind. But what about those things you can’t see, such as light, gravity and quantum energy? Using a high-powered camera and absolutely no AI, Melbourne-based filmmaker Josef Gatti makes brilliantly manifest those intangible building blocks of our universe.

About Museums Victoria Research Institute

Established in 2022, the Museums Victoria Research Institute mobilises world-class collections and scientific expertise to address today’s most urgent and complex global challenges.

From climate change and biodiversity loss to migration, inequality and conflict, the Museums Victoria Research Institute utilises more than 170 years of museum-based research to better understand our rapidly changing world. The Institute redefines how research can inform and inspire change - connecting science, culture and community, to turn knowledge into action. Its work not only deepens public understanding but also helps shape a sustainable and equitable future through research.