Destinations / The best places to visit in Canberra, Australia / Questacon

Questacon - the National Science and Technology Centre

  Questacon - the National Science and Technology Centre, is a really enjoyable and educational trip into the world of science, exploring how the world appear and why it has gained this particular form and not another.This all is exposed  through fascinating exhibitions and performances that will take your breath away. It is located on the southern shore of Lake Burley Griffin, and has some really picturesque surroundings.  This science centre aims to generate more understanding about science and technology and does it in an enjoyable and interactive way. It is a large centre with more than 200 interactive exhibits relating to science and technology. This Centre is very famous in Canberra, and its innovative exhibitions and programs, with their interactive and colorful galleries make this a top visit for everyone in the family.

The History of Questacon Centre

  Questacon – the National Science and Technology Centre was established in 1986, but this interactive science centre was opened on November 23rd 1988. The founding Director of Questacon was Professor Mike Gore, which was a physics lecturer from the Australian National University. The big construction was a gift to Australia from Japan for the 1988 Bicentenary. From the beginning this centre attracted people’s attention with its unbelievable exhibitions incredible galleries, which are the main features of the centre and was recommended for all people young and old alike. Right now it is mainly aimed at school aged children however people of all ages can learn things from the displays and have a good time while they are there as well. Because this place has a lot of mysteries about science and technology, every year this place is visited by almost 420 000 people.

The main exhibitions

The Questacon has got seven galleries on seven different floors and each of them can be reached by a spiraled pathway. The features and exhibits appeal to all ages from little kids to adults and the exhibits are changing constantly so there's always a good reason to return. So the seven galleries are: Terrorsaurus - with anamatronic dinosaurs, Measure Island - makes measurement adventurous and fun, Awesome Earth - natural disasters and geology, also features a Tesla coil and an earthquake simulator, Wonderworks - about light and sound, the main exhibitions features displays on Polarized light, Fresnel lenses, and holograms, MiniQ - an exhibition designed for children between the ages of 0 and 6 including exhibits like a water play area, a sensory space, and a quiet area, Sideshow. The Sideshow perhaps is the most popular exhibition. Here you can look at the science of the circus. There are several popular exhibits include Free Fall, a giant slide with a six meter and seventy centimeter drop, and Track Attack, a simulated roller coaster.

  Beside the main exhibition there are some other exhibitions that you will definitely like and enjoy namely: Perception Deception - hands-on exhibition which will let you explore the world inside your head like “change size before your eyes or be unable to speak because of your voice”, Going Places - an interactive science exhibition on loan from SciTech which will gives you the chance to be a pilot on an airship, ride on a hovercraft, or control traffic in a city.
So if you like science or high modern technology, this is the perfect place for you and for your family. You'll find at least one exhibition that will draw your attention.

 

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Maps of Questacon