Less a museum, more a playful science lab, Canberra's Questacon has become one of its most popular attractions. It lies on Parkes Place, on the lakeside between the National Library and the High Court. But there's nothing bookish or law-bound here – except obeying the maxim of having as have much fun as is scientifically possible. Ever since it opened in 1988, as the National Science and Technology Centre, it has pursued the idea that hands-on is better than glass-case. Most of its more-than-200 exhibits are interactive – some spectacularly so.
There are six themed-galleries at Questacon: Deep Oceans (exploring the monsters of the deep), Wonderworks (looking at light and sound), Awesome Earth (placing rocks and our planet at your fingertips), Qlab (looking to reveal your inner scientist), H2O (for soaking up the science of water) and Excite@Q (which takes the science+fun equation to its extreme). In them you can try your hand at creating a pulsating harmonograph, launching a rocket powered by water, experiencing the enormous pressure (and total black-out) of deep-sea dives, or the terror of an earthquake.
One of the exhibits with the longest queues is the Excite@Q's Free Fall. This mathematically calculated 'slide' is six metres high, and is designed to let you feel a few fleeting moments of zero gravity. It's well worth the wait. Somewhat less physical is the pulling-up of a seat, in one of the Centre's theatres, to watch Questacon's own troupe of performing scientists: The Excited Particles. The promise is of an explosive mix of rockets, dinosaurs, spiders, and liquid nitrogen – with a beaker full of wacky humour, all stirred vigorously together.
Questacon also has science 'trolleys' being wheeled around the museum, from which staff perform impromptu science experiments, for anyone watching. Small kids are catered for at the miniQ, which is great for those aged six or under. Big kids are catered for just about everywhere else. And on your way out, with your brain suitably stimulated, you could have a go at cracking the NKRYPT code. This part-sculpture, part-puzzle sits outside the museum – eight stainless-steel poles, laser-inscribed with cryptic codes. A prize awaits the first person to crack it. Now then – were you really paying attention back at the Cryptography exhibit?
