KEY POINTS
- Questacon – Australia’s National Science and Technology Centre opened in 1988 and is prominently located beside Lake Burley Griffin and other cultural institutions, in the Parliamentary Zone in Canberra. Questacon is celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2008.
- Questacon is the national leader in presenting world class creative, interactive science exhibitions and programs. Hands-on exhibits, science shows and demonstrations by young scientists, trained science communicators and actors are developed by Questacon.
- Questacon interprets science and technology for visitors—from basic scientific principles, contemporary and popular science to controversial subjects. Questacon offers an informal learning environment which promotes a positive association with science and technology.
- Questacon’s annual audience reach, through this multi-faceted approach, is over four million people. For every visitor to the centre in Canberra, four visitors attend a Questacon programme or travelling exhibition elsewhere in Australia or overseas.
- Questacon’s aim is to foster understanding and engagement in science and technology and to highlight the importance of science, technology and innovation for Australia’s future prosperity. More directly, Questacon aims to tackle the skill shortage in science and technology by inspiring career choices to stimulate retention rates in science, maths, engineering, technology and innovation.
- In 2008, the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research initiated a Departmental review of the role and resourcing for Questacon. The Review report was submitted to the Minister in July 2008.
- In 2008, the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research initiated a Departmental review of the role and resourcing for Questacon. The Review report was submitted to the Minister in July 2008. The Minister publicly released the Review report on 18 September 2008.
FACTS AND FIGURES
- Over seven million visitors to Questacon in Canberra since opening in 1988.
- Over 15 million visitors to travelling exhibitions and outreach programs.
- Annually, over two million visitors to Questacon multi award winning, interactive website.
- Average increase in total visitors to programs and exhibitions of over 10% per annum, since 2002-03.
- Annually, nearly 15% of Australian school children encounter Questacon, either through a school visit to Canberra or through a Questacon outreach program in their community.
- Fully accredited member of the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) headquartered in Washington, DC.
- Winner of Australian and international awards for design, software and educational excellence for the online exhibition Burarra Gathering.
- Four-time winner of Canberra and Capital Region Tourism Awards.
- Finalist of the Special Award—Longevity in the Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Community Business Partnerships for the Shell Questacon Science Circus— the most extensive and longest running touring science centre outreach programme in the world.
- Winner of two 2006 International Council of Museums Australia Awards for International Relations in recognition of outstanding cooperative initiatives with science centres in the Asia-Pacific region.
- Winner of the 2007 National Tourism Award in the ‘Tourist Attractions’ Category.
- Host for the Asia Pacific launch of Project IGLO (International Action on GlobalWarming), a worldwide science centre project to engage local communities on climate change.
A visitor’s experience of Questacon may be through the centre in Canberra, a travelling exhibition at an urban or regional venue across Australia or overseas, an outreach program to regional, rural and remote Australia, or via the interactive website.
In Canberra, themed exhibition galleries have over 200 hands-on, interactive exhibits, with trained staff and volunteer explainers. The exhibits are designed to present scientific concepts in an entertaining way that stimulates visitors to interpret and experiment. Daily science shows, which provide further interpretation and exploration of the science behind the exhibits in the galleries, are performed at the centre by the Excited Particles, Questacon’s in-house performance troupe.
Questacon actively seeks to make its programs and exhibitions accessible to all. Each year Questacon makes it a priority to reach audiences in communities across Australia. Questacon is internationally acknowledged as the world leader in outreach programs to rural, remote and Indigenous communities. Outreach programs, target a range of audiences, and have been developed to support national education priorities in Indigenous education, mathematics, early childhood, primary science and teacher support.