Museums Victoria has temporarily closed all public sites. FAQs.
If you're feeling like a star without its galaxy at the moment, we can relate. While Scienceworks’ doors might be closed, there’s still a whole lot of magic (& science!) going on. We've curated our best online content for you to enjoy from the couch.
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Got a question? Ask our museum experts!
For the latest update from Museums Victoria in relation to COVID-19, check our FAQs.
The year was 1965 and the United States and Soviet Union were joined in a space race by a new player. It was not a rising superpower, however, but a group of Australian university students.
Unlikely as it may seem now, this team of self-described nerds, ham radio operators and astronomy buffs appeared destined to build Australia’s first satellite: Australis OSCAR 5.
It might seem a straightforward question—but it’s not always easy to answer.
The Victorian grassland earless dragon hasn’t been seen for decades, the plains it called home largely ploughed and paved. But the Museums Victoria herpetology curator holds out hope that it can not only be found—but saved.
We've done it so you don't have to - seriously, don't try this at home...
An evening with Alice Bowman, NASA New Horizons Mission Operations Manager...
Hope Macpherson was a woman used to breaking barriers. In an era where women were expected to run households, Hope ran off on expeditions.
Then, at the height of a trailblazing scientific career, Hope was compelled into a most stark and cruel choice: continue her life’s work and career’s upward trajectory—or start a family.
The Murchison meteorite is one of 16 meteorites known from Victoria, and is rare in that it was actually observed falling, rather than just being found on the ground, so it came to scientists fresh.
To date over 70 amino acids have been identified from the meteorite, only 19 of which are known from Earth. These, and the many other chemicals that have been identified, suggest there could be thousands of complex organic chemicals present.
Follow cameras on Google Maps throughout Scienceworks and the Pumping Station. Zero crowds guaranteed!
Where would you like to start?
The fascinating story of one of Australia's most important industrial heritage sites.
Learn about CSIRAC, the world's oldest intact first-generation electronic computer.
Since Australia's first steam train made the short journey from Flinders Street to Port Melbourne in 1854, railways have played a key role in Victorian transport. Railways have carried city commuters, farmers' produce, parcels and tourists.
Explore Victoria's rich railway history, drawing on over 1,000 historic images from the collections of Museums Victoria and the Public Record Office Victoria.
F–2 science
This collection of resources will assist early learners in exploring scientific concepts and developing an understanding of biology, physics and earth and space.
How is lightning formed? What about thunder? The answers to some favourite questions about Lightning.
Why is a black hole 'black'? The answers to some favourite questions about Black Holes.
According to this theory, the entire Universe and time began as a point of energy called a ‘singularity’ 15 billion years ago.
Evidence suggests that the Solar System formed almost five billion years ago.
There is no single ‘Australian Aboriginal Astronomy’. As with all other areas of Indigenous Australian culture, astronomical traditions vary largely across the country, especially between different language groups.
There are three main types of optical telescopes and these differ in the way that they collect light to form an image.
We are exceptionally grateful for your support as we navigate through this unprecedented time. As Members, you help us care for over 17 million objects in Victoria’s State Collection and support the research activities of a team of scientists and historians.
As always, we thank you for your support of Museums Victoria. Stay well, and we look forward to welcoming you back to our museums soon.
Keep little hands busy at home with museum puzzles, toys and activities.
Build a solar system, excavate for dinosaurs, learn about the human body, or discover the secrets of the natural world in your own backyard. And for the big kids, we’ve got everything from slow puzzles to conversation menus to keep brains busy.
While the dinosaurs doze, the learning never stops at Melbourne Museum!
Go behind the scenes with our experts and delve deeper into our exhibitions and galleries.
Did you know Victorians come from more than 200 countries, speak 260 languages and dialects and follow 135 religious faiths?
Explore the Immigration Museum virtually – read personal stories of migration, learn about the history of migration to Australia and discover your own origins.
At Museums Victoria, we have been building and researching our collections since 1854.
The collection is an invaluable record of Victoria's environmental and cultural history, and our amazing wealth of over 17 million items has been creating a sense of wonder and awe in visitors for generations.
Follow Scienceworks on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Got a question? Ask our museum experts!
Visit Museums Victoria's YouTube to see videos that inspire, entertain and educate with stories about everything from dinosaurs, space and the human body!
Hit play on specially curated Spotify playlists by our museum experts, from anywhere!