Electrifying, educational, entertaining!
Featuring spectacular demonstrations, high voltage equipment and charismatic presenters, there’s no better place to spark your curiosity.
Lightning Theatre
Highlighting each show is the giant Tesla Coil, capable of generating more than two million volts of electricity to produce three metre lightning bolts.
Other displays include an electromagnetic can crusher, a Jacob’s ladder, lightning safety strategies and a high voltage pickle onion that can really light up your day!
Public show
The Glow Show
Take a seat in our Lightning Theatre and be mesmerised by all that glows.
School programs
The Electricity, Magnets & Movement Show
Explore the relationships between electricity, magnets and movement and how they are applied in devices such as generators, electromagnets and electric motors.
What's with the Weather?
Discover how clouds are formed and how they make our most impressive weather phenomenon – lightning!
More about lightning
Accessibility
Please view our accessibility page for general information. Contact our team on 13 11 02 or email us at [email protected] to discuss how we can support your visit.
A social story for this experience can be found on our Autism Friendly Museum webpage.
Safety information
Due to the awesome sparks and loud noises that our high voltage demonstrations produce the Lightning Theatre is not recommended for young children or infants. we recommend this experience for ages five and up.
The Lightning Theatre is suitable for people who have medical devices including metal implants, pacemakers, cochlear implants and hearing aids however guests with electronic medical devices should keep a separation of 1.8 metres from the Van De Graaff generator. To ensure utmost safety is upheld please follow the instructions of our friendly Scienceworks staff at all times.
Supporters
The High Voltage equipment was kindly donated by Telstra, following the closure of its Lightning Lab at the Telstra Research Laboratories.
The Lightning Theatre was funded by Victoria University and Museums Victoria with the generous support of Telstra, AGL, Agility, SP AusNet, Olex Cables, Ed Bondarenko & Associates and the Department of Innovation Industry & Regional Development.