Visitors with Sensory Sensitivity

To make your visit easy and fun, we’ve got some strategies to help you out:

Noise cancelling headphones are available from the Information Desk on the ground floor, and in each gallery.
Wrist bands are available from the Information Desk, to write contact details on.
Pre-purchasing tickets online will guarantee entry to Questacon at your preferred time. It also allows you to check into Questacon quicker, minimising the wait time in line.
You can plan your trip with our online map before you come.

Quiet Times

Questacon can get very busy with lots of visitors, including school groups.

It’s generally, but not always, quieter:

Between 3:00pm and 5:00pm on weekdays, during ACT school terms.
Monday and Friday afternoons, during ACT school terms.
During February.

To plan a visit during a quiet day, contact us on (02) 6270 2800 or info@questacon.edu.au to find out our expected quiet days or to schedule a visit around school groups.

Quiet Spaces

A quick look at our quieter spaces in the galleries:

Aquarium Alcove, in the stairs between CURIOSITY: Building Breakthroughs in LEGO® Bricks and Fundamental.
Cloud Chamber, in the stairs between Fundamental and Awesome Earth.
Book Tree, in Q Lab.
Embedded specimens’ cabinet, in Q Lab.
Calm Space in Mini Q for children aged 0 – 6.

If you’d like a private space, ask a staff member and they can show you to a room that you can use.

Gallery Information

Each gallery varies in lighting, noise, and other sensory experiences. If you have any questions or would like more detail, ask our staff at the Information Desk.

Outside the Questacon building is under construction and there may be loud noises.

CURIOSITY: Building Breakthroughs in LEGO® Bricks

CURIOSITY: Building Breakthroughs in LEGO® Bricks and Fundamental

Sound: Ambient gallery sound with noises from exhibits

Light: Regular light with some dark corners and brightly lit areas

High Sensory Exhibits:

Illusions: Optical illusions designed to trick the brain
Building spaces: these areas can become loud and crowded easily.

Aquarium Alcove

Between CURIOSITY: Building Breakthroughs in LEGO® Bricks and Fundamental

Sound: Low sound, protected from gallery noise

Light: Dim, blue lighting.

Fundamental

Sound: Noises from exhibits

Light: Regular light, some darker corners and flashing

High Sensory Exhibits:

Gravitram – Constant clanking sound
Persistence of Vision (POV) – Flashing strips of light on the wall
Frozen Shadow – Loud countdown with masculine voice, bright flash
Recollections – Coloured lights on screen
Vibrating Screen – Shaking platform with reflective pins; low, constant noise; emergency stop available.

Cloud Chamber

Between Fundamental and Awesome Earth

Sound: Low sound, protected from gallery noise

Light: Dim lighting.

Awesome Earth

Sound: Low, ambient sound with some loud exhibit noises

Light: Dim lighting

High Sensory Exhibits:

Caged Lightning – 15-minute countdown to lightning strike; flashing light and loud sound for about 20 seconds before countdown resets
Earthquake House – flashing screens, lights, and loud sounds throughout the experience
Gravity Well – Loud echoing sound of pool balls rolling on hard surface

Q Lab

Sound: Noisy exhibits, activities

Light: Regular lighting

High Sensory Exhibits:

Beehive – Inconsistent bee sounds coming through speaker; red, dim lighting
Dynamic Screen – Video series on a large screen controlled by a dial
Bench activities – Various activities involving lights and sounds. Talk to staff member for more detail.

The Shed

Sound: Noisy exhibits, activities

Light: Regular lighting

High Sensory Exhibits:

Wind Table – Table with fan built in, loud noise
Pipe Wall – Ball run with magnetic pieces, ball and magnetic pieces make clanking sounds when dropped or attached to the wall
Activity Space – Various activities involving lights and sounds. Talk to staff member for more detail.

Mini Q

Sound: Ambient sound

Light: Regular lighting

High Sensory Exhibits:

Water Play – Running water, bucket elevator splashes water inconsistently.

Excite@Q

Sound: Loud gallery noise

Light: Coloured, dim lighting

High Sensory Exhibits:

Excite@Q can become crowded and loud quickly. Most exhibits in this gallery are high sensory.
Social Script for Free Fall.

Friend or Foe

Sound: Robot voice and high-pitched digital noises

Light: Dim lighting

High Sensory Exhibits:

QMax Screen – Large screen with moving images and text.

Spectacular Science Shows

Each Spectacular Science Show has different sensory aspects. If you have any questions, please ask the presenter before the show.

A social script for Spectacular Science Shows is available.

	Sound	Light	Additional Considerations
Colour!	Minimal loud noises	Lots of coloured lights, theatre goes dark often	This is often a lower-energy show.
Liquid Nitrogen!	Multiple loud bangs	Changing coloured lights	This is often a high-energy show.
Your Energy	Multiple loud bangs	Strobing lights, theatre goes dark often	This is often a high-energy show.
Changing Planet	Minimal loud noises	Dim theatre lighting	This is often a lower-energy show. Contains potentially sensitive topics.
How Did Dinosaurs?	Minimal loud noises	Dim theatre lighting	This is often a lower-energy show.
evolUtion	Minimal loud noises	Lights change colour and go dark once	This is often a lower-energy show.
Mummies	Minimal loud noises	Dim theatre lights	This is often a lower-energy show. Contains images of deceased and decaying humans and animals, along with frank discussions about the facts of death.
Move it	Minimal loud sounds	Bright theatre lighting	This is often a medium-energy show. Has many demonstrations that require audience volunteers.