Questacon, Science and technology museum in Parkes, Canberra, Australia.

Questacon occupies a building on the south shore of Lake Burley Griffin, given by Japan for Australia's 1988 Bicentenary. Its facade of light grey square panels is crossed by darker horizontal and vertical bands, and a curved glass front carries the name and a circular logo. Inside are more than 200 interactive exhibits in eight galleries, from MiniQ for children up to six to Awesome Earth with its Tesla coil and earthquake simulator.

Questacon began as an Australian National University project in spare rooms at Ainslie Public School, opening with 15 exhibits and staffed by volunteers under physics lecturer Mike Gore. Its present building, a gift from Japan for Australia's 1988 Bicentenary, opened on 23 November 1988; the Japanese government and businesses gave ¥1 billion, half of the A$19.64 million capital cost.

The center encourages hands-on learning through interactive exhibits where visitors become active participants in scientific discovery. This approach shapes how people here experience and understand science in their everyday lives.

The center has a café, gift shop, performance space, and dedicated areas for different age groups. There is also a specialized zone for preschoolers if you are visiting with very young children.

NKRYPT, installed outside in 2013 for Canberra's centenary, consists of eight laser-etched stainless steel poles, each carrying an encoded message. A prize was offered to the first person to solve one of the puzzles. The installation is part of the Science Garden of outdoor exhibits.