National Science Week 2025: Your Family Guide to the Best STEM Adventures Around Sydney
🧪 Decode the Universe: Top National Science Week Events for Inner West Families (9–17 August 2025)
Get ready to decode the universe, one slime experiment, rocket launch, and robot battle at a time. From Redfern to Rhodes, St Peters to Centennial Park, National Science Week 2025 (9–17 August) is packed with hands-on science, tech and eco-experiences for kids of all ages – and their grown-ups too.
Whether you’re wrangling a curious kindergartener or a too-cool Year 10 teen, there’s something to spark wonder (and maybe a future Nobel Prize dream). Here’s your go-to guide to the most family-friendly, fun-packed, and fascinating Science Week events around Sydney, all parent-approved and kid-endorsed 👍
Winny the Muttaburrasaurus at the Sydney Science Trail Community Day. Image courtesy of James Horan @ The Australian Museum.
🎉 Sydney Science Trail: Community Day at the Australian Museum
🗓 Date: Saturday 9 August, 10 am–1:30 pm or 1:30–5 pm (choose a session) | 📍 Location: Australian Museum, Sydney CBD
Kick off Science Week with a free, family-friendly science extravaganza hosted by Ruben Meerman, The Surfing Scientist. Expect spectacular demos, dinosaur puppets like “Winny the Muttaburrasaurus,” T‑Rex autopsies, Dr Karl Q&A, and interactive expo stations. Booking required. It’s the ultimate introduction to STEM for kids of all ages.
Sydney Science Trail Schools Day August 2022. Image courtesy of James Horan @ The Australian Museum.
🏞️ Sydney Science Trail: School Excursions (Primary & Secondary)
🗓 Dates: 11–15 August (primary & secondary schools) | 📍 Locations: Australian Museum & Royal Botanic Garden Sydney
These full‑day excursions are tailored for Years 3–6, Years 7–11, and diverse learner groups, offering four sessions between 9:30 am–2:30 pm: Science Shows, STEM workshops, Science Expo, and Naval-style Scientist Panels. Cost is around $25 per student, bookings open now.
Stem Careers & Decoding the Ocean. Image courtesy of the National Maritime Museum.
🌊 Decoding the Ocean (High School Students)
🗓 Date: Friday 15 August, 9:30 am–2:30 pm | 📍 Location: Australian National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour
Specifically for secondary school students, this event merges oceanography, meteorology and STEM career inspiration. Featuring speakers from ocean science and the Royal Australian Navy, plus access to exhibitions like Ultimate Depth and the Navy destroyer. Free for school groups.
The Indigenous Science Experience. Image courtesy of National Science Week.
🌿 Indigenous Science Experience – Redfern Community Centre
🗓 Date: Saturday 9 August, 10:00 am–3:00 pm | 📍 Location: Redfern Community Centre
This FREE community open day invites families to explore 60000+ years of Indigenous knowledge. Highlights include yarning with Elders on bush foods and medicines, Indigenous astronomy, weaving and VR experiences, cultural performances, plus hands‑on physics and chemistry activities. Begins with a traditional smoking ceremony and includes arts/crafts stalls and food.
Rhodes Science Fair 2025. Image courtesy of City of Canada Bay.
🧪 Rhodes Science Fair (Rhodes)
📅 Saturday 9 August, 10 am–2 pm | Free community event at The Connection, Rhodes
A hands-on science extravaganza embracing this year’s “Decoding the Universe” theme. Perfect for primary-aged kids (and curious parents), with activities like liquid nitrogen shows, AI and robotics demos, nature-pattern investigations and First Nations storytelling. Four Auslan-interpreted stage segments ensure accessibility.
Sydney City Farms. Image courtesy of City of Sydney.
🌿 Sydney City Farm Open Day – Nature’s Patterns (St Peters)
📅 Saturday 9 August, 10 am–2 pm | Free with booking essential
Explore the wild side of science outdoors! Botanical art, cyanotype printing, butterfly symmetry discovery, pollinator gardening, and a farm-based nature scavenger hunt – all designed to showcase patterns in nature through multi-sensory experiences.
📅 Thursday 14 August, 12 – 12:45 pm & 1:30 – 2:15 pm | Free, register required
Led by sustainability innovators Defy Designs, this hands-on workshop shows kids & adults how to transform single-use plastics destined for landfill into functional recycled items. A live lesson in circular economy and conscious design. Hosted at UNSW Library, Kensington campus.
Science experiment. Image courtesy of National Science Week.
🚀 Play & Explore at Hurstville Library (Hurstville)
📅 Saturday 9 August, 10 am–2 pm | Free or low-cost, bookings essential
Ideal for junior primary audiences, this fun-filled event includes scientific storytelling, fizz-bang explosion demos, rocket launches, fossilisation exhibits, star visuals, science crafts and interactive challenges. Tailored to Decoding the Universe and sure to intrigue budding young scientists.
Science in the Swamp. Image courtesy of Centennial Park.
🦕 Science in the Swamp (Centennial Park)
📅 Sunday 17 August, 11 am–3 pm | Free, drop-in
A massive pop‑up science village in a green setting: meet Ginger, a life-sized Australovenator dinosaur; watch explosive science shows, explore the Young Entomologist Lab, slime exhibits, forensics, drone soccer, body anatomy models, bushcraft & interactive stalls with real scientists. Great for the whole family.
Writer, foodie and ideas-sponge, Francesca grew up in the Inner West and loves writing about all things IW related from playgrounds and podcasts, restaurants and retail, bubble tea and basketball courts. Mum to an active child, she also knows a thing or two about keeping a little one entertained on a rainy day.
