Aquavan at Nanofest! Discovering our coastal treasures
Meet your coastal neighbours with live animal exhibits at the Aquavan!
Book Signing with Giselle Clarkson
Stop by to meet Giselle Clarkson, author and illustrator of The Observologist. Bring a book to sign while you say hello!
Brick Pit (with machine learning!)
Build brick creations based on suggestions from the brick-specific machine-learning app BrickIt.
Chain Reactions
Grab your family and friends and help us create a chain reaction from our fun mix of toys, kitchen equipment, blocks and balls.
Computer de/reconstruction workshop
Learn about the inner workings of a computer by taking one apart and rebuilding it to take home!
Disaster Resilience & Preparedness
Hear about our nation’s unique risk context and learn about preparedness and resilience strategies from a South Island perspective.
DOC Seed Bombs
Join the Dunedin Department of Conservation team to create some native seed bombs!
Dr Rock
Bring your favourite rocks, minerals, fossils and pebbles for Drs Rock to chat about and identify.
Drones for Conservation
Drone technology is changing how conservationists do their work, presenting novel research methods and new perspectives.
Drones, Mental Wellbeing, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence
Come and learn how to relax while playing with a drone and robot dog!
Drones on the museum reserve!
Watch a drone in action and see how a sky-based viewpoint provides a new perspective.
E-waste dropoff point
Bring us your old electronic devices and we'll give them new life!
Festival Hub - Quiet Hours
Enjoy the Festival Hub in a sensory-friendly manner.
Genome Science of Life
Every living thing has a genome from the tiniest virus to the largest animal on earth. Learn what a genome is and why it makes us who we are
Imagination Playground
The big blue blocks are back! Play is only limited by what you can imagine – we provide the blocks, you provide the fun.
Keen on Streams
Learn some stream health facts and do some fun activities with the students of Town Belt Kaitiaki.
Kiwi Kai
Grab your virtual gumboots and become a farmer!
Little Creatures
Flex your creative muscles and take part in a unique three-step process to create little creatures.
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Mahi Toi, Mahi ora
Mixed media mahi toi workshops hosted by local artists Savannah Kerekere and Michael-Lydia Winiana.
Marine Encounters at the NZ Marine Studies Centre
Connect with your coast, meet local marine species at our touch tanks, and discover what makes them special!
Meet New Zealand's tenth meteorite!
See New Zealand's tenth meteorite up close and learn about the meteor tracking camera network that helped us find it.
Meet the Scientists
Join us to hear from scientists who contributed to the Memory + Mind exhibition.
Memory + Mind
The tenth Art+Science Exhibition, with 'memory and mind' as its focus.
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Mixed Reality @ the Festival Hub
Pop on a VR headset and jump into a mixed reality where your imagination is the only limit!
Molecular magic: the wonderful building blocks that power life!
How does life work? Discover the molecular machines that allow our cells and bodies to operate at the smallest scale.
Mould your muscle!
Build your own heart and blood vessel model out of playdough.
NanoFest Makerspace
Beat the winter weather with some indoor fun at Tūhura Otago Museum's NanoFest Makerspace!
Participatory science at the NZ Marine Studies Centre
Marine Metre Squared, Shark Spy, & Seasons of the Sea: Come and see all the science projects that you can be a part of!
Physics Show
Witness captivating physics demonstrations that showcase the wonders of science in action.
Re:Gear E-Waste Reconstruction
Experimental space with an array of electronic oddities and DIY materials to tinker with.
Science Academy Science Communication Expo
A collection of short talks, films, shows & podcasts on a range of interesting science topics. Presented by Yr. 13 Science Academy students.
Science Storytime
Join the UBS story teller for magical adventures and creative crafts!
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Sharks: Inside and Out
Join scientists from the University of Otago's Marine Science Department as they dissect a 1.8m porbeagle shark.
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Squishy Circuits
Creativity, electricity and playdough combine in this hands-on workshop that explores the basics of electrical circuits.
Storytelling for Scientists: using improvisation to improve communication
Unlock the power of improvisation to enhance your scientific communication!
Te Riu-a-Māui / Zealandia underwater map
Explore Earth's 8th continent, Te Riu-a-Māui / Zealandia on this giant coloured map of undersea ridges, plateaus and valleys.
The Detective's Den - The Science of Crime
Experience a hands-on crime scene investigation for all ages, using forensic science to uncover clues and crack the case!
Transformers - Where in the world does it come from?
Find out where everyday products come from - the ground, plants, the beach and more. Can you work out their life cycle?
Why little things are worth looking at: A conversation with Giselle Clarkson
Author and natural science illustrator Giselle Clarkson in conversation with Claire Concannon, host of RNZ's Our Changing World podcast.
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Be an Observologist!
Come and learn how to be an observologist from the world’s premiere expert on observology, Giselle Clarkson!
Festival Hub
NanoFest's drop-in space hosting fun and fascinating stalls and events every day!
Lights, Camera, Science! SciComm Student Film Premiere
The FINAL evening of phenomenal films produced by the University of Otago’s Science Communication Master’s students.
He kōrero whetū – let’s talk stars
A public talk about Matariki, maramataka and tātai aroraki (Māori Astronomy).