![two children lying in the giant tentacular inflatable structure, 'Squish'.](/media/otndogyj/air-playground-header-1.png?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133548987305030000&bgcolor:fff)
Air Playground
Whoosh, swirl, gust, squish, flow, float and more by bringing Air Playground to your venue!
Museums Victoria’s Air Playground gives curious kids of all ages the chance to play with air. Experience hands-on the science of aerodynamics and the amazing invisible elemental force of air.
Don’t miss the opportunity to embark on a journey of scientific exploration, discovery and fun – let science blow you away!
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Fly: experiment with air resistance by creating differently designed paper planes and throwing them to build up a mass display of planes over the course of the exhibition.
Hover: two colourful mounds hold beach balls hovering enticingly in mid-air. Balance balls and objects in the air flow and learn about the Bernoulli effect.
Float: float a ball in the air flow and manipulate the air stream to get the ball through a goal.
Whoosh: see how air pushes fabric through a tangle of tubes. Experiment with directing air flow and predicting where the fabric will eject and slowly land.
Lift: turn up the windspeed and test objects that may lift into the air and hover, spin or flutter when they fall, just like seeds do in nature.
Swirl: activate fans to direct a ball around obstacles and into a goal. Experience the chaotic way that air interacts with itself and physical items around it.
Squish: squash a giant inflatable sculpture with your body. Where does the air go? Feel the air displacing and shifting around beneath you.
Flow: stack pipes in different configurations and add fabric tubes and small objects to observe how diverting air flow changes air pressure. Try constructing a spinner or a launcher.
Puff: work collaboratively or work quickly individually to pump puffs of air in time to move a ball up a hill. Learn how air has mass and can push.
Gust: feel the wind in your hair from a large industrial fan generating a high-volume air flow environment. Learn the difference between natural and mechanically generated wind.
Gallery
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Exhibition specifications
- Available mid-2025.
- The exhibition can be scaled to suit spaces from 200 - 600 square metres (2,150 – 6,450 square feet).
- Ceiling height flexible, but minimum 4 metres (13 feet) recommended.
- Up to 10 interactive exhibits available.
- Minimum 12 week hire period.
Audience and outcomes
The exhibition is designed for families with children aged 6–10, however there are many exhibits with open-ended creativity which appeal to visitors of all ages. Outcomes for audiences include active and excited play, developing a tinkering mindset and having a shared experience through collaborative learning.
STEM Areas:
- Physical sciences
- Chemical sciences
- Design and technologies
- Capabilities: Critical and creative thinking, Personal and social
Tour itinerary
To be announced soon.