Quick Facts

At Questacon, we strive to promote greater understanding and awareness of science and technology within the community. We're committed to making that experience fun, interactive, and relevant.

We opened our Centre in Canberra in 1988, with half of the initial $20 million construction cost paid for by a generous grant from Japan.

Today, our director, Professor Graham Durant, leads a team of over 200 staff members as well as an additional 150 or so volunteer Explainers.

Each year, we welcome 400 000 visitors to our Centre in Canberra, while another 700 000 see our exhibitions in other museums and centres around Australia and overseas. Our numerous Outreach Programs take to the roads each year, visiting an additional 300 000 in towns and communities across the country.

Between the generous support of our sponsors and other sources of revenue, we're able to do all this on an annual budget of approximately $20 million.

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Indigenous Reconciliation

We take the "National" in National Science and Technology Centre seriously. You'll find our exhibitions and outreach programs touring cities and towns across the country. But we go further - we also visit remote Indigenous communities, from the central deserts to Torres Strait. We do our best to be everyone's Questacon.

We've visited and worked with Indigenous communities across Australia since opening in 1988. We tour with annual festivals and our outreach programs spend a number of weeks every year in remote communities.

From presenting workshops about relevant science and technology to building Burarra Gathering - an exhibition about traditional knowledge - we always gain as much as the communities we work with. Acting on our Reconciliation Statement is one small way we can help to redress disadvantage in these communities.

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The Environment

We don't just talk about "protecting the environment" at Questacon. Under the guidance of our Environmental Policy, we're working hard to turn words into action.

In 2007, we reduced our use of electricity by more than 10% by installing more efficient lighting and being smarter in the way we heat and cool our Centre in Canberra. We reduced our use of water and natural gas too. And our biggest touring program, the Shell Questacon Science Circus, is now carbon neutral, using carbon offsets to cover flights, hire cars and the thousands of kilometres the truck travels every year.

There's lots of ways you can reduce your environmental impact too. We're hoping to highlight a whole bunch of ideas in an upcoming exhibition we're working on with the National Water Commission. Together, we can make a difference.

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Educational Approach

Our educational approach is simple: people learn by doing.

In our exhibitions, shows, outreach programs, and even online we strive to provide fun, engaging ways for you to explore science and technology.

We know that everyone brings their own thoughts and feelings to new learning situations. Our interactive experiences give you a chance to add to what you already know - and maybe even change your mind.

This "constructivist" way of learning guides the way we develop new programs and is what makes us different in the way we try to explain the world around us.

We've got more information for educators in our document, The Questacon Learning Experience.

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