This National Science Week (10-18 August) join the Australian National Maritime Museum in a deep dive into the science of ocean environments and the extraordinary animals that live there. The Museum will host a range of activities both online and in-person so that Science Week can be enjoyed by students across Australia.
Science Week at the Museum sees a variety of events and special exhibitions including Sea Country Stories which highlights the Yuin Gadu peoples and cultures, the Sea the Weed display which explores the underwater forests of crayweed and highlights a hoodie made from seaweed fibre, and an event for the presentation of the Blue World Foundation Valerie Taylor Ocean Protection Prize for 2024.
The Ocean Health Lab and Underwater Drones programs will also run during the week, allowing everyone the opportunity to get hands on and discover a new perspective on what lies beneath the water’s surface.
The Museum will be bringing Science Week into the classrooms of students across the country with two Zoom workshops, as well as hosting a variety of onsite activations and participating in offsite events including the Sydney Science Trail and the Science in the Scrub & Swamp.
Teachers are catered for with an onsite event dedicated to teaching in a climate and biodiversity crisis, including presentations from classroom teachers, museum professionals and environmental advocates.
Head of Education, Mathew Sloane has said “National Science Week is a time to celebrate our scientists, to inspire the next generation of inquisitive researchers, and to be amazed by what science has revealed to us. The Museum is proud to be offering such a wide variety of activities and activations throughout National Science Week to engage learners of all ages with STEAM opportunities.”
Full details of the Museum’s Science Week programming can be found below or on our website: Science Week - Australian National Maritime Museum (sea.museum)
ONSITE ACTIVATIONS:
Sea Country Stories
10-18 August
Australian National Maritime Museum
Throughout Science Week, the Australian National Maritime Museum will be hosting the second edition of Sea Country Stories in partnership with Green Island Creative and the Marine Stewardship Council. This exhibition highlights the experience of being on Country, linking ancient and modern knowledge systems, and inspiring the next generation of Sea Country custodians.
A pop-up exhibition highlighting the Yuin Gadu peoples and culture will also be on display throughout Science Week in the Bamal gallery.
Sea Country Stories - Free public event
3 August (12 pm-2 pm)
Australian National Maritime Museum
Come and join a special launch event for Sea Country Stories which includes an engaging panel discussion hosted by Science Educator, Laura Wells, delicious canapés made with MSC certified sustainable seafood and the premiere of a 20-minute short film with Yuin elder, Joe Brown-McLeod, his daughter Lesha and granddaughter Alaynah, in which they share intergenerational stories about the gathering of ceremonial ochre and muriyira whale song.
Register for this FREE public event at: Sea Country Stories - Yuin Gadu | Humanitix
Support for this project was provided by Australian Government Grants for National Science Week 2024.
For more information, please visit: Science Week - Australian National Maritime Museum (sea.museum)
Valerie Taylor Ocean Prize 2024 Celebrations
16 August, 6pm AEST
Australian National Maritime Museum
Head to the Australian National Maritime Museum to see the presentation of the Valerie Taylor Ocean Prize for 2024, presented by Valerie herself.
Established by Blue World, this prize honours the achievements of ground-breaking conservationist and marine advocate, Valerie Taylor, throughout the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
At this exciting event, guests will hear a presentation from Professor David Booth, enjoy a performance from jazz pianist Matt McMahon inspired by underwater imagery created by diver and filmmaker Duncan Heuer, followed by prize announcements.
Tickets to this Science Week event also include complimentary access to the museum galleries as well as light refreshments after the ceremony.
An exhibition of small sculptures will be also shown in the Tasman Light Gallery as part of this event, featuring work by Susanna Strati, Rox de Luca, Eric Lobbecke, and Merran Hughes.
For more information, please visit: Blue World's Valerie Taylor Ocean Prize 2024 Tickets, Fri 16/08/2024 at 6:30 pm | Eventbrite
Teaching in a Climate and Biodiversity Crisis
13 August, 5pm AEST
Australian National Maritime Museum
Join us for an evening of elective PD and hear from education professionals as they share their ideas and experiences of implementing environmental and sustainability solutions into their teaching. Discover how teachers are developing learning opportunities to inspire solutions and action for a sustainable future.
This event will include presentations from classroom teachers, museum education professionals and environmental advocates. Guests will have the opportunity to explore the museum galleries and enjoy complimentary refreshments while networking with other teachers. This event can also be joined remotely via Zoom.
To register to attend live, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/teaching-in-a-climate-and-biodiversity-crisis-tickets-951256843827
To register for online only, please visit: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ti-kVG-BTQazLqX1dl65pA
Sea the Weed
8-18 August
Australian National Maritime Museum
Vast underwater forests of ‘Crayweed’ (Phyllospora comosa) once covered Sydney’s coastal shallow reefs, but they disappeared in the 1980s. Operation Crayweed is a project run by researchers from the Sydney Institute of Marine Science (SIMS) to ‘reforest’ these underwater habitats and support greater marine biodiversity.
In partnership with Operation Crayweed, AIME (Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience) developed a hoodie made of seaweed fibre. Sale of the hoodies helps to finance the replanting of crayweed around Sydney Harbour. In support of this novel partnership and design innovation, the Museum is displaying the hoodie within the Sydney Harbour Gallery for National Science Week.
For more information, please visit: SEA THE WEED HOODIE – AIME (aimementoring.com)
Ocean Health Lab: Exhibition and drop-in program
12-16 August, 11:30am – 1:30pm AEST
Australian National Maritime Museum
The Seabin Ocean Health Lab is the first of its kind in the world, Seabin scientists analyse marine debris – from macroplastics to tiny nurdles, sucked from the sea by the 30 Seabins stationed around Sydney Harbour. Dive deep into the stories behind the data and learn about what we can do to turn the tide on marine pollution.
For more information, please visit: Ocean Health Lab - Australian National Maritime Museum (sea.museum)
Underwater Drones: Open-Age Workshop
10 + 17 August, 12 – 3pm AEST
Australian National Maritime Museum
Explore below the surface of the harbour like an ocean superhero with our newest underwater drones. Have fun testing your gaming skills by challenging family and friends to see who’s the best U-Drone Pilot. Underwater drone sessions include a private workshop with our ocean-science educators and access to amazing underwater footage highlights to keep and share.
For more information, please visit: Underwater Drones - open age workshop Tickets, Multiple Dates | Eventbrite
ONLINE ACTIVATIONS:
SciFest 2024: Lunchtime Ocean Life Trivia
13 August, 1-2pm AEST
Online
This free online trivia event is open to all ages and is a perfect classroom lunchtime activity. From science to sustainability, kelp forests to coral reefs, camouflage to categorization, have your knowledge of your favourite ocean creatures tested, and discover some new quirky facts along the way.
This initiative is supported by Inspiring Australia NSW as part of National Science Week and proudly brought by Virtual Excursions Australia.
To register: SciFest 2024: Lunchtime Ocean Life Trivia - DART Learning
SciFest 2024: Our ocean, our future
13 August, 1-2pm AEST
Online
Aimed at students in stages 2-4, this virtual session is designed to build on UNESCO’s Ocean literacy principles to help students understand why the ocean is important for all life on Earth. There will be discussions about the pollution problem facing our ocean and students will learn about real life examples of sustainability and brainstorm achievable ways to help the ocean in our everyday lives.
This initiative is supported by Inspiring Australia NSW as part of National Science Week and proudly brought by Virtual Excursions Australia.
To register: SciFest 2024: Our ocean, our future - DART Learning
OFFSITE ACTIVATIONS:
Science in the Scrub & Swamp
11 August 11am-3pm AEST
Western Sydney Parklands, Lizard Log
18 August 11am-3pm AEST
Centennial Parklands
Meet the pint-sized planet protectors that save our seas, phytoplankton and zooplankton, at the Maritime Museum’s pop-up Ocean Lab.
Explore aquatic specimens under the microscope and upcycle marine debris into spectacular new creations. See the biodiversity of Sydney Harbour as captured by underwater drones and get hands-on with preserved creature specimens and slippery, slimy experiments inspired by the sea.
For more information, please visit:
https://www.greatersydneyparklands.nsw.gov.au/whats-on/science-in-the-scrub-2024
https://www.greatersydneyparklands.nsw.gov.au/whats-on/science-in-the-swamp-2024
Sydney Science Trail
12-17 August
Australian Museum
The Australian National Maritime Museum will be holding a stall for learners of all ages at the Sydney Science Trail held at the Australian Museum.
Students will engage in a range of activities designed to help them better understand marine environments and waste management, these include building boats out of plasticine to learn about buoyancy, observing plankton under the digital microscope, sorting plastic caught in the Seabin and discovering the latest technological innovations being used to tackle pollution.
For more information, please visit: Sydney Science Trail 2024 - The Australian Museum
ENDS
High-res images available here.
For media enquiries and images please contact:
Alex Gonzalez e: alex.gonzalez@sea.museum m: 0401 545 778
