Scienceworks, Interactive science museum in Spotswood, Australia
Scienceworks is a science museum in Spotswood, a western suburb of Melbourne, where visitors engage with hands-on exhibits and attend shows at an on-site planetarium. The exhibition spaces are laid out so that people can test concepts directly rather than simply observe them.
The building that now houses the museum was originally Melbourne's main sewage pumping station, which opened in 1897. It operated until 1965 and was later converted into the science museum that stands today.
Scienceworks draws a steady flow of school groups and families who engage directly with the exhibits rather than walking past them. The hands-on setup encourages children and adults to work through the same experiments side by side.
The museum is within walking distance of Spotswood station and has free on-site parking for those arriving by car. A visit works well as a half-day or full-day outing, since the different exhibition areas and planetarium shows take time to explore.
The museum grounds have two parabolic sound dishes placed about 100 meters apart from each other. A person who whispers into one dish can be heard clearly by someone standing at the other, even across the open outdoor space.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
