Looking for family-friendly winter holiday activities in Melbourne?
Scienceworks in Spotswood is shining a light on the science and magic of colour, light, vision and illusions these school holidays. Explore the new interactive exhibition Colour: See the World in a New Light, join a free hands-on Colour Workshop (included with exhibition entry), chase the rainbow with a free outdoor scavenger hunt, catch a free colour-themed amphitheatre show, and more! There’s something for every budding scientist and curious explorer.
What’s On at Scienceworks Winter School Holiday Program
1. Colour: See the World in a New Light
- Dates: Daily until Tuesday 26 January 2027
- Time: 10am-4:30pm
- Cost: Children $10 / Member child $8 / Concession $10 / Adult $25 / Senior $20. Includes Scienceworks entry
Colour invites young makers to explore 21 hands-on experiences, each designed to spark curiosity through play. That’s the sweet spot for kids — learning without even realising they’re learning.
Read our review of Colour at Scienceworks.
2. Nature: A Kaleidoscope of Colour
- Dates: Saturday 27 June to Sunday 12 July
- Time: 12 noon, 1pm and 2pm (30 minutes)
- Cost: Children $10 / Member $8 / Concession $10 / Adult $25 / Senior $22. Included with Colour exhibition entry
Nature: A Kaleidoscope of Colour is a hands-on workshop at Scienceworks that blends science and artistry, taking kids on a deep dive into the world of iridescence in nature. They’ll peer at natural objects under the microscope, uncover the science behind vibrant colours in the natural world, and create their own iridescent bug to take home.
Space is limited — sign up on the day.
3. Lights, Colour, Action!
- Dates: Saturday 27 June to Sunday 12 July
- Time: 12 noon & 2pm (20 minutes)
- Cost: Free with museum entry
Lights, Colour, Action! is a free live science show at Scienceworks that’s all about what happens when colours mix, bend and bounce. Expect surprising demonstrations, audience participation and plenty of “wow” moments for curious minds.
4. Solar System Adventures: The Planets
- Dates: Saturday 27 June to Sunday 12 July
- Time: 12 noon & 2pm (45 minutes)
- Cost: Children $10 / Member $8 / Concession $10 / Adult $25 / Senior $22. Includes museum entry
- Ages: 6+
Solar System Adventures: The Planets is a presenter-led planetarium show at Scienceworks that takes kids on a tour of our solar system, starting from Melbourne’s night sky and venturing all the way out to the gas giants. Along the way they’ll discover what makes each planet special — and strange.
5. Black Holes
- Dates: Various sessions — Term 2 weekdays 2:30pm, weekends 2pm; school holidays 3pm
- Time: 45 minutes
- Cost: Children $10 / Member $8 / Concession $10 / Adult $25 / Senior $22. Includes museum entry
- Ages: 8+
Black Holes is a planetarium show narrated by Geoffrey Rush that plunges audiences into one of the universe’s most extreme phenomena — where time stands still and the laws of physics break down. From their origins as an extraordinary 18th-century idea to their detection nearly 200 years later, the show traces the remarkable story of how black holes went from science fiction to scientific fact.
6. Tycho Goes to Mars
- Dates: Daily
- Time:11am & 3pm
- Cost:$10 Child and concession / $8 Member
- Suitable for ages 5 to 8
Tycho, our favourite cheeky dog with a knack for getting into trouble, is finally blasting off to discover the red planet, Mars! Book into the Planetarium and enjoy an out-of-this-world show exclusive to Scienceworks.
7. FlushBack
- Dates: Daily
- Time: 10.30am, 1.30pm and 3pm
- Cost: General $3 + museum entry / Members $2 + entry / Extra iPad $5 / Under 3s free
FlushBack, Scienceworks’ award-winning AR adventure, brings to life the awe-inspiring heritage-listed Spotswood Pumping Station.
Travel back to 1942 and complete challenges based on real historical events. You must ensure the Pumping Station continues to operate so Melbourne doesn’t turn back into ‘Smellbourne’!
You’ll be guided by actual workers from the past, brought to life on your device using augmented reality (AR). They will introduce you to each of the major components that enabled the Pumping Station to pump Melbourne’s sewage away from the city for treatment.
8. Lightning Room Shows
Dates: Daily
Time: 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm
Cost: Child $10 / Member child $8 / Concession $10 / Adult $25 / Senior $20
Take a seat in our Lightning Room and be mesmerised by The Glow Show, a stunning 30-minute live science show.
Explore the fascinating processes behind luminosity, including the many ways a glow can be produced. Discover the science of fluorescence, how animals can appear bright at night and the brilliant, coloured effects of using different materials to make light.
In the spectacular finale, witness a giant Tesla coil light up the theatre with lightning using more than 2 million volts of electricity
9. Pumping Station Tours
- Date: Daily
- Time: 11.00am
- Cost: Included with museum entry
Sniff out some of the smelly stories from the pumping station straining well and explore the magnificent engine room, marvelling at the engineering feat that helped overcome the stench of 19th century Melbourne in daily Pumping Station tours.
Pumping Station Tours are available every day and run for thirty minutes. However, do note that the tours are sometimes closed for private events so it would be best to check Sciencework’s What’s On Page first to see if tours are running.
10. Collection Store Tours
- Dates: Daily
- Time: 12pm and 2pm
- Cost: Included with entry
Take an exclusive look behind the scenes with a tour of the Scienceworks Collection Store.
Get a glimpse of some of the rare 40,000 collection items stored at Scienceworks, and hear some amazing stories belonging to these unique objects.
Check out the Scienceworks’ permanent exhibitions including Ground Up and Beyond Perception
Eat and drink at Grazeland next door
Click here for more things to do in Melbourne this Winter
