Looking for your next big day out with the kids? Tinkertown at Scienceworks is now open – and it’s every little inventor’s dream come true! This colourful, interactive exhibition is packed with STEM-powered play, making it one of the best spots in Melbourne for hands-on family fun.
Tinkertown at Scienceworks is the perfect place for families to explore, experiment, and tinker together.
What is Tinkertown?
Scienceworks has launched its newest exhibition, and it’s all about getting kids to build, tinker, and create.
Tinkertown is an interactive playground for future innovators. This fictional village is filled with quirky structures and engaging landscapes that invite visitors to design, build, and experiment in a playful way.
Whether it’s constructing cubby houses, inventing wild contraptions, solving tricky engineering puzzles, or sending secret messages, there’s an adventure waiting in every corner.
The heart of Tinkertown lies in its focus on hands-on learning. Kids get to experience the iterative design process—testing ideas, refining their creations, and discovering that trial and error is just part of the fun!
The exhibition introduces important STEM concepts like forces, material properties, and estimation, making engineering accessible and exciting for young minds.
Our experience at Tinkertown
We headed to the opening launch of Tinkertown and can confirm – it’s an absolute winner.
My two little ones (aged 2 and 4) made a beeline for the giant soft tiles, creating cubbies and towers like life-sized Magna-Tiles. They also couldn’t get enough of the ball run, watching the paths twist and turn as they raced to build the perfect track.
Joyce’s older kids were equally impressed. They spent ages in the design zone, picking out materials and crafting everything from buildings to imaginative vehicles. The space encourages big ideas and independent thinking, and it was such a joy to see the kids so focused, creative and completely immersed in their projects.
Whether your child loves to build, invent, imagine or explore – there’s something here for everyone.
Why Tinkertown is a Must-Visit
Tinkertown offers an experience that nurtures problem-solving skills, resilience, and teamwork. This is for kids who love building, creating, or experimenting. They’ll have the chance to think outside the box and explore the world of engineering in a hands-on way.
Here’s what to expect:
- Invent and Create: Design and build cubby houses, tinker with materials, and test out wacky contraptions.
- Solve Engineering Puzzles: Take on interactive challenges that encourage problem-solving and critical thinking.
- Send Secret Messages: Explore creative ways to communicate and share ideas.
- Learn by Doing: Kids will be encouraged to test, tweak, and improve their designs—just like real engineers.
- All Ages Fun: Tinkertown isn’t just for kids! It’s a perfect intergenerational experience, where parents, grandparents, and children can tinker, create, and learn together.
Inspiring Future Engineers and Designers
Tinkertown also has a bigger mission—to inspire the next generation of engineers, designers, and problem-solvers, particularly encouraging more girls and women to explore STEM. With only 15% of STEM-qualified jobs held by women, exhibitions like Tinkertown are an important step in breaking down barriers and sparking a love of science and engineering from an early age.
Lynley Crosswell, CEO and Director of Museums Victoria, says:
“Building on the success of past in-house designed exhibitions like Illuminate and Air Playground, Tinkertown solidifies Scienceworks as the ultimate destination for curious minds. Packed with opportunities to build, invent, and explore, visitors of all ages are invited to unleash their curiosity, push the boundaries of imagination, and tinker to their hearts’ content.”
Plan Your Visit to Tinkertown
Tinkertown is now open at Scienceworks in Spotswood and tickets include entry to the museum.
Location: Scienceworks, 2 Booker Street, Spotswood
Dates: Open now
You can book tickets online or at the door.
Stop by the Ground Up exhibition, perfect for kids 5 years and under. For older kids, Beyond Perception on the first floor is a must-visit, and is included with your ticket entry.
Tips for Visiting Scienceworks with Kids
- Pram parking is available at the cloakroom free of charge, along with storage for large bags;
- You can park your pram in designated areas;
- The best family bathrooms are in the Ground Up exhibition and include spacious accessible toilets, feeding room and baby change facilities;
- Give yourself and your kids at least 2 hours, they’ll want plenty of time to explore the entire museum;
- There is a small cafe offering drinks and snacks; there’s also seating inside and outside for people to eat. The kids lunchboxes ($9.50) are a hit and include a sandwich, fruit drink, choice of piece of fruit and cookie;
- If you’re a Museums Victoria member you get 10% discount at the cafe and gift shop.
Tinkertown Ticket Prices:
- Adults: $25
- Seniors: $20
- Children: $10
- Concession: $10
- Members: $8
Location: Scienceworks, 2 Booker Street, Spotswood
Gather your little builders and get ready to tinker, create, and explore at Tinkertown—where creativity is always under construction, and innovation happens one playful step at a time!
Ground Up: Building Big Ideas, Together, Scienceworks
Beyond Perception: Seeing the Unseen, Scienceworks, Spotswood
A Fun Guided Adventure Awaits For Melbourne Museum Kids
