Between 9:30-10:30am on the mornings of Thursday 11 and Sunday 14 July, the Festival Hub will be open and opertational in a Quiet Hour manner. Please see the list of Festival Hub stall holders/events to see what day may interest you the most!

During this time, we will be ensuring low noise and light inside the Annex building. This includes the elimination of any auiditory elements from the Hub displays, as well as encouraging visitors and staff to use quiet and calm voices. Road noise unfortunately cannot be totally elminated inside the Annex. Soft, warm lighting will be used inside the Postmaster Gallery, however the Conservatory remians bright with natural light due to the number on windows in the space. There are benches on the Otago Muesem Reserve if at any point fresh air and a sitdown is needed. Please see the senory map below for more information.

Please be aware that from 10:00am onwards, the Festival Hub will be open to the public with Quiet Hour regulations in place until 10:30am. The space may get more crowded from 10am on, but we will work to encourage a calm and quieter atmosphere.

To keep visitor numbers low during this time, people wanting to partipate in the sensory friendly experience are required to reserve a free ticket. Any accompanying adults do not need tickets.

Note that at 9.30am, Science Storytime will be happening in the Conservatory of the H.D. Skinner Annex which may attract a crowd, however it is a quiet activity in its nature. If Quiet Hour particpants wish to listen to the Science Storytime they are most welcome to, however a separate ticket must be reserved here. Otherwise, a sensory friendly experience in the Hub awaits!

If you have any further questions regarding Thursday and Sunday's Quiet Hours please contact Andrea Liberatore: programmes[at] scifest.org.nz.

Sensory Map of the Festival Hub space: