2026 National Science Week Activities

National Science Week Launch

When: Friday 14 August, 5.30pm - 8pm 
Where: South Australia Museum's Science Centre

Kick off National Science Week 2026 (15-23 August) with an evening of discovery, creativity, and hands-on fun at the National Science Week Launch for South Australia!

This free public event provides a taste of the exciting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) experiences available during National Science Week in South Australia, with exclusive activities and shows available for one night only.

Want to see what happens behind the scenes at the South Australian Museum? Throughout the evening, guided tours of the Science Centre will provide access to laboratories, collection spaces and working research areas that are rarely open to the public. Discover how Museum scientists investigate biodiversity, evolution and extinction, and learn how specimens and collections help tell the story of life on Earth.

Find out more here.

The Dating Game at the Discovery Centre

Visit the SA Museum between 15-23 August and play The Dating Game. Step into the shoes of a museum curator as you learn about scientific techniques that will help discover clues and determine the age of these ancient relics. This free interactive activity is open for all ages. 

Find out more here.

Native Seed Box

Native Seed Box offers curriculum-aligned Australian classroom resources designed to bring biodiversity, pollination, seed germination and sustainability learning to life through hands-on environmental science. Their classroom seed bomb kits include teacher guides, lesson slides, student worksheets and curriculum mapping, making it easy for schools to explore native ecosystems and habitat creation through practical STEM learning.

Find hands-on classroom resources and Australian native seed kits for Science Week here.

Scientific Photoraphy Competition

The Adelaide Optics Chapter is hosting their annual Scientific Photography Competition. The competition is open to students of all ages and there are over $1000 in prizes to be won. Submissions to the photo competition will be on display at a free-to-attend exhibition at the Australian Space Discovery Centre (ASDC) on the 28 August. 

Find out more details here. 

Plants for Space - Mission to the Moon

Saturday 15 August, 2pm-3.15pm
Australian Space Discovery Centre

Plants are essential to life as we know it on Earth, and we’ll need them to survive as humans travel to the Moon and Mars.

Join the Australian Space Discovery Centre and Plants for Space for an out-of-this-world workshop this National Science Week!

In this workshop, you’ll put yourself in the shoes of plant scientists, psychologists, food chemists and more to prepare a plant-inspired solution for a space mission. You’ll hear from real researchers about how plants grow in space; with limited food, water and space onboard, you’ll need to think creatively!

Book your spot here. 

Mobile Planetarium

Friday 21 August, 10am-5pm
West Torrens Library

Explore the wonders of space during National Science Week with a mobile planetarium experience from SciWorld.

Join us in the West Torrens Library Auditorium for an immersive journey through the night sky. Sessions will run throughout the day for different ages groups, including junior primary, upper primary, junior high and the general public.

Bookings are essential. Make your booking here. 

Secrets of the Seed - Exploring South Australian Plant and Seed Science

Saturday 22 August, 10:30am-12:00pm
Goodman Building, Adelaide Botanic Garden
Tickets: From $10.00 per person

Step behind the scenes of South Australia's plant conservation efforts. 

You will meet rare and threatened plant species, learn about the state's seed bank, and discover how our scientists and flora ecologists protect plants from extinction. 

Get involved with some hands-on propagation techniques, with your own native paper daisy seed to grow and take home. 

Book your ticket to this workshop, an introduction for anyone interested in learning more about plant conservation. 

Booking info here. 

CSIRO Robot Responders

Designed for curious minds, this year’s National Science Experiment invites young people to explore how robots move, sense the world, and solve problems – and how they can work with us to take on tasks that are too dangerous or difficult for humans to do alone.

Find out more and register your involvement here.

FREE Webinars - Join the CSIRO Research Bessel (RV) Investigator on the Great Barrier Reef

Bring seafloor science into your classroom! Join researchers onboard the RV Investigator as they explore the seafloor of the southern Great Barrier Reef. 

These webinars will be in the final week of the voyage; the perfect time to hear from the science team, learn about the expedition highlights and what it is like to live and work on a research vessel on the Great Barrier Reef.

Session times:

• Monday 17 August 10.30am - 11.30am (AEST)
• Tuesday 18 August 10.30am - 11.30am (AEST)
• Tuesday 18 August 6.30pm - 11.30am (AEST)

Find out more here. 

National Science Week Premiere - Little Scientists Big Blue

When: Saturday 22 August, 10.30am - 12pm 
Where: The Piccadilly, 181 O'Connell Stree, North Adelaide

Little Scientists, Big Blue - a brand-new animated short film created with Fastbreak Films especially for National Science Week 2026. Join Porci the Porcupine Fish on an imaginative underwater journey exploring kelp forests, deep-sea ecosystems, marine wildlife and the science helping protect our oceans.

Hosted by the Marine Discovery Centre with National Parks and Wildlife Service SA, this family-friendly event combines animation, marine science and hands-on discovery to inspire future ocean explorers.

Book your tickets here. 

Naracoorte ROCKS - The world benearth our feet

When: Friday 14 August - Sunday 16 August
Where: Naracoorte Caves

Naracoorte Rocks is a three-day regional science festival at the Naracoorte Caves combining live performance, storytelling, and community events.

The event begins on Friday 14th August with a LIVE recording of the podcast, Palaeo Jam in The Caves Cafe.

On Saturday, head to the The Caves Cafe for a meet and greet with singing palaeontologist Professor Flint, and for advice for anyone entering this year's Mary Anning Art Prize. 

On Sunday, in the magical surrounds of Blanche cave, The Ammonites are putting on a FREE family show with science you can dance to, for the community. 

Find our more and book your tickets here.

Chaos in the Kitchen - The science show

When: Saturday 1 AUgust
Where: Old Noarlunga Institute Hall

This high‑energy show starts with a simple recipe, but things don’t stay simple for long. Every ingredient—eggs, cornflour, cabbage and carrot—suddenly turns into a hands‑on science experiment.  

Cooking up curiosity one experiment at a time Dr Julie asks questions, makes predictions, and shows students how to think like scientists while keeping everything fun and easy to understand. Kids get to join in and guess what will happen next.

It’s messy, it’s funny, and it turns ordinary ingredients into extraordinary science. Want to see what your kitchen can really do?

Find out more here. 

Creative Communication Competition

To celebrate National Science Week, nine ARC Centres of Excellence have come together to run the first Creative Communication Competition - a showcase of the creativity, innovation and research taking place across Australia's Centre of Excellence community.

Researchers have come up with creative ways to highlight their work through photography, microscopy, digital art, paintings, sculptures, memes, short videos and graphic novels, all designed to communicate science in accessible and engaging ways.

From 1-14 August, the public is invited to explore the online gallery and vote for their favourite entry in each category, with winners announced during National Science Week.

Entries can be viewed and voted on at www.scienceart.com.au

Aussie Space-Inspired Cookbook Launches for National Science Week

Ingredients being studied for space missions could soon make their way into your kitchen, thanks to a space-inspired cookbook released by the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space (P4S) this August! 

The free learning resource is part of the Australian research consortium's National Science Week celebrations, aiming to connect readers with cutting-edge space research through the accessible lens of cooking. Containing more than 25 curated community-sourced submissions from P4S researchers, international collaborators, students, and key figures in the Australian space sector, the book also includes curriculum connections (ACV9) and classroom lesson inspiration for all ages.

Through collaborative and co-designed community initiatives, P4S are inspiring the public to engage with science and explore how it can contribute to solving real-world challenges.

Plants for Space: Recipes for the Modern Space Cook is available to download here. 

This resource will launch the morning of Friday 31 July 2026.

What's in My Bag?

Get ready to peek inside a scientist’s bag and be amazed by science! 

Through a fun "show and tell" format, scientists will share stories about their work, the environments they study, and the tools they use in the field. Students will discover how scientists investigate animals, plants, water and ecosystems, and how science helps inform decisions that protect Australia's environment and wildlife.

Along the way, students will learn how science happens outside of the classroom—out in nature, in extreme weather, and in places most people never get to visit. The event is designed to inspire curiosity, encourage students to ask questions about the world around them, and showcase the diverse careers available in science. 

This free online event will be available on demand from 15 August 2026 on the DCCEEW website here: DCCEEW - National Science Week 2026

Adelaide University will be delivering a series of free public lectures across SA exploring AI creativity, ethics, and responsible use. These one-hour sessions will take place after teaching hours, from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm.

The sessions will feature engaging presentations showcasing common myths and facts about AI through research from Adelaide University researchers.

Future Minds: Creativity and Ethics in the Age of AI
Event dates and locations:

• 12 August — Adelaide (Marion Cultural Centre)
• 18 August — Whyalla
• 20 August — Adelaide (MOD., CBD)
• 25 August — Mount Gambier
• 27 August — Adelaide (Mawson Lakes)

Attendance is free, but places are limited. Register early to secure a spot.

New Fossil Rock Episode Coming Science Week!

Journey back more than 550 million years to the strange and wonderful world of the Ediacaran with the complete six-part Fossil Rock series, rolling out during National Science Week.

Created in collaboration with palaeontologists, the series brings some of Earth’s earliest complex life back to life through original songs, science experiments, animation and plenty of fossil facts, making some seriously big science fun and accessible for young audiences.

Watch the trailer here.

Restone Science Schools Challenge

The Restore Science Schools Challenge gives students the opportunity to explore how science shapes their lives and why investment in research matters for Australia's future.

It's a chance to connect classroom learning with real-world issues, spark discussion and encourage students to think about the role science plays in creating a healthier, smarter and more resilient Australia.

Check out the dedicated schools page on the Restore Science website. Here you’ll find information about the campaign, including curriculum-aligned resources developed by the Primary Connections and Science Connections teams, scaffolded from Foundation to Year 10.