SparkLab at Queensland Museum

Your experience

Explore SparkLab at Queensland Museum, a hands-on STEM space with 40 interactive exhibits, live experiments, and maker challenges.

Getting started

Enter SparkLab at Queensland Museum Kurilpa using your Standard Entry Ticket for the permanent exhibition. After your ticket is checked, move into the main exhibition area and choose how you want to begin, from interactive exhibits to live program spaces. Visitor numbers are limited, so arriving with pre-purchased tickets helps you head straight into the session you have booked.

What to expect

SparkLab permanent exhibition

SparkLab is an indoor STEM space designed for children aged 6 to 13 to investigate science, technology, engineering and maths through play and exploration. Across three zones, you can move at your own pace, trying different exhibits, taking breaks in access to seating areas, and returning to favourites during your session.

Features

• Access to 40 interactive exhibits across three zones lets children and adults experiment, ask questions, test ideas, and make observations using many of the same skills scientists, engineers, and mathematicians use every day.

• Wheelchair access to exhibits, restrooms, and café, along with accessible parking, supports visitors with mobility needs throughout the SparkLab permanent exhibition.

• Sensory Friendly Sessions on select dates, clearly marked noise zones, and the option for personal hearing protection help visitors who prefer a lower-stimulation environment.

• Auslan-interpreted sessions are available, providing signed access to key programs so Deaf visitors can fully engage with the experience.

Science Bar

The Science Bar is SparkLab’s live experiment space where staff run demonstrations that connect everyday curiosities with core STEM ideas. You can drop in during your visit to watch changing programs throughout the day.

Features

• Science Bar live experiments and programs show real-time demonstrations that invite you to observe closely, think about what is happening, and discuss possible explanations.

• Drop-in Science Bar programs, which change daily, mean that repeat visits can feature different experiments and themes within the same space.

• Facilitated sessions often encourage children to share their thinking with others, building on new ideas and questions as the experiments unfold.

Maker Space

Maker Space is SparkLab’s hands-on building and design zone where visitors tackle open-ended challenges. It is set up to encourage imagination, problem-solving, and trial-and-error learning.

Features

• Hands-on challenges at the Maker Space invite you to design, build, and test your own solutions, from simple constructions to more complex ideas, using everyday materials.

• Maker Space activities and materials include cardboard, paper, paddle pop sticks, straws, pipe cleaners, tape, string, and extra materials that are supplied for you, so you do not need to bring your own.

• Both structured prompts and self-directed building time support different learning styles, letting children revisit and improve their designs during the session.

Science on a Sphere

Science on a Sphere is an immersive globe-based display that presents Earth and space data on a large spherical screen. You can join different sessions to see how global systems work in a visual, dynamic format.

Features

• Access to Science on a Sphere sessions includes both facilitated and self-led programs, so you might watch a guided presentation or explore looping content at your own pace, depending on the schedule.

• Visualisations help visitors connect big-picture phenomena, like weather patterns or planetary motion, to ideas they may have explored at the interactive exhibits in the main zones.

• All sessions in Science on a Sphere are included with your SparkLab ticket, with no extra on-the-day payment required.

Electric Sparks Tesla Coil demonstrations

Electric Sparks is SparkLab’s Tesla Coil demonstration area where electricity and lightning-like effects are showcased using specialised equipment. Sessions operate subject to schedule and visitor suitability.

Features

• Access to Electric Sparks Tesla Coil demonstrations, schedule and suitability permitting, lets visitors see controlled high-voltage effects that highlight core principles of electricity and energy transfer.

• Tesla Coil demonstrations may not be suitable for visitors with pacemakers or sensitivity to flashing lights and lightning effects, and participation is restricted accordingly for safety.

• These demonstrations are included in your SparkLab visit when scheduled, so there is no separate charge if you attend.

Access, sessions, and visit options

SparkLab provides a range of session types, tickets, and support options to suit families, schools, and individual visitors. You can choose how often you visit and what kind of access works best for your group.

Features

• Sensory Friendly Sessions on select dates, combined with clearly managed visitor numbers, create a calmer environment for those who prefer reduced noise and lower crowd levels.

• Discounts for school and children’s groups are available, with bookings essential, making it easier for classes and organised groups to plan STEM-focused excursions.

• Free entry for Companion Card holders and free entry for Members with a card are offered, as long as a valid card or ID is presented with the booking.

• A free teacher preview with registration allows educators to explore SparkLab ahead of a visit so they can plan how to connect exhibits, the Science Bar, Maker Space, and Science on a Sphere to their classroom programs.