Love the Museum’s Explorer Backpacks?

You’ll go wild over our new take-home Adventurer’s Backpack, guaranteed to keep your child busy on rainy and sunny days. Create an ancient oil lamp, make an exotic Egyptian death mask or fashion your very own fossils. The Adventurer’s Backpack is chock-full of awesome activity cards and materials sure to unleash young imaginations!

Satisfy your sweet tooth and put your culinary skills to the test as you create beautiful chocolate butterflies to tempt your tastebuds.

Saturday 12 July and Wednesday 16 July
1.30pm - 3.30pm
Great for ages 7 and up!

Let your fingers do the talking in our new Search Centre sign language programme! New Zealand sign language has been recognised as an official language since 2006, so zip your lips and learn to communicate in a whole new way!

Every Saturday and Sunday during July

Monday – Mammalian Aliens
Until the arrival of humans and the mammals they brought with them, New Zealand was a haven for unique and unusual animals. Uncover the adverse impact that introduced mammals have had on New Zealand’s native wildlife.

Tuesday – Magical Human Replicas
People have long sought to recreate the human form through artistic endeavours. Join us as we reveal the secrets behind the Museum’s human replicas, from simple ornaments and toys, to souvenirs of revenge or servants for the dead.

Wednesday - Ted McCoy - architect
Ted McCoy is Otago’s best-known living architect. Focusing almost entirely on Otago, his career has spanned the second half of the twentieth century. Learn how Ted’s vision for the South has shaped many of the places and spaces that we inhabit today!

Thursday – The Art of Eeling
The Southern Māori used elaborate, cleverly designed nets called hīnaki as a means of catching eels – a great source of protein! Discover the traditional methods of catching and preserving these fish and earn about the hīnaki on display at the Otago Museum.

Friday – The Little Blue Penguin
At a mere 25cm, the Little Blue Penguin is the world’s smallest penguin. Come along and discover more about what makes this icon of the Otago Peninsula unique.

Saturday – Tapa - bark cloth of the South Pacific
Discover the importance of tapa – bark cloth - an essential material valued by the people of the Pacific for its functional and artistic worth.

Sunday – Ancient Egyptian Amulets
Ancient Egyptians habitually carried or wore amulets; ornaments thought to invoke the gods and hold magical powers. Join us to learn more about this ancient Egyptian talisman.

DAILY, 2pm and 4.30pm
Contact the Information Desk, ph 474 7474

Friday 4 July
Join Tom Kelly for some light lunchtime entertainment and tunes on the piano

Saturday 5 July
Gail Quayle and Kevin Mcloughlin from Swingset deliver a repetoire of acoustic swing jazz from the 20s to the 40s

Friday 11 July
Vocalist Alison Palmer soothes with her soulful jazz arrangements on piano

Saturday 12 July
Trevor Coleman performs original and improvised pieces with new approaches to jazz and latin standards

Friday 18 July
Join 2008 Girdler's Scholar Emma Hutton as she performs her favourite piano pieces and a selection of personal compositions

Saturday 19 July
Liz Bolwell and Gail Guayle of Mood Indigo form a classy cabaret duo - a fine blend of voice and guitar playing classic torch songs and sassy little numbers

Friday 25 July and Saturday 26 July
Join Shanara Hemi for a special Māori Language Week performance of Māori waiata

Check out the wicked Warbirds Over Wanaka display in our Otago’s Otago exhibition and construct your own paper model of a World War II Fighter Plane!

Saturday 5 July - Sunday 13 July
10.30am and 2pm

The ancient tomb of Ahtenyerald was recently discovered by Egyptologists. Amazingly, some of his favourite objects exist right here in this very Museum! Follow the clues and decipher the hieroglyphics to solve the mystery of how he perished to claim a Cadbury treat!

DAILY during the school holidays
Great for ages 7 and up

Robots Rule!
Experience life as a robot and see what it’s like to have your every move programmed for you. Freewill is a thing of the past in this cyber-tastic new Science Show!
Every Saturday and Sunday and DAILY during school holidays
11am and 3pm

Look! Its the Earth & Beyond!
Prepare yourself for an inter-stellar trip! How long have we humans been part of this amazing planet? And why is the Earth so different to every other planet? Come and see! It’s the Earth and beyond!
Every Saturday and Sunday and DAILY during school holidays
1pm

Throughout history many cultures have gone to great lengths to conform to accepted standards of beauty and fashion. Examine fantastic footwear from the Museum collection close up – from traditional Chinese slippers to super-high stilettos!

Every Saturday and Sunday during July and August
12pm and 3.30pm

Join us for some shocking and surprising science experiments investigating our bewildering brain! Explore the mysteries and mechanics of the mind that will make your head spin.

Sunday 6 July, Tuesday 8 July, Thursday 10 July and Sunday 13 July
2.15pm

Ever wanted to programme robots to do whatever you choose? Join us and make it happen! Programme robots to act like caged animals, toy poodles or sumo wrestlers! Let your imagination run wild!

Morning Beginners Workshops - 10am - 12pm
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the school holidays
Wanting to programme robots for world domination, but wondering where to start? Uncover the basics of robot programming and develop the skills to take you to the advanced level.

Afternoon Advanced Workshops - 1pm - 3pm

Monday
The Amazing Maze
Send your robot into a complex maze armed with only the knowledge you programme it with. Can you help it find it’s way out of this maze faster than your opponents?
Monday 7 July and Monday 14 July, 1pm - 3pm

Wednesday
Sumo Away
Challenge your opponents to the ultimate robot sumo wrestling competition. Design and programme robots to do battle. Who will emerge as top-bot?
Wednesday 9 July and Wednesday 16 July, 1pm – 3pm

Friday
So You Think Your Robot Can Dance?
Tear up the dance floor! Programme robots to feel the groove and dance to your favourite track. Showcase your robot choreography in the great dance-off!
Friday 11 July and Friday 18 July, 1pm – 3pm

Whole day sessions: 8.30am – 5.30pm
Morning sessions: 8.30am – 1pm
Afternoon sessions: 1pm – 5.30pm

Monday 7 July - Friday 11 July
Monday 14 July - Friday 18 July

Children 5 – 12
Bring a packed lunch, dress for mess
Fully supervised
Bookings required - contact the Information Desk, ph 474 7474

Week 1

Spaced Out Monday
Space - what exactly is out there? Uncover the mysteries of space as you explore what lies beyond Planet Earth. How do astronauts wash their underwear? What is a black hole? How big is the sun? Get prepared for some out-of-this-world experiences to answer all these questions and more!
Monday 7 July
All day sessions: 8.30am - 5.30pm
Morning sessions: 8.30am - 1pm
Afternoon sessions: 1pm - 5.30pm

That’s Cool Tuesday
Come and chill out for a day of unforgettably cool activities as we explore the cultures of the polar regions on Earth, from fishing through holes in the ice and making designer earmuffs to the science of liquid nitrogen!
Tuesday 8 July
All day sessions: 8.30am - 5.30pm
Morning sessions: 8.30am - 1pm
Afternoon sessions: 1pm - 5.30pm

Konichi Wa Wednesday
Join us for a day of Japanese culture. Discover the art of origami, make scrumptious sushi and create your own flowering bonsai to take home – no watering required!
Wednesday 9 July
All day sessions: 8.30am - 5.30pm
Morning sessions: 8.30am - 1pm
Afternoon sessions: – 1pm - 5.30pm

When in Rome Thursday
Calling all courageous centurions and gallant gladiators. Rome needs you! Equip yourself with armour and dress to impress in your own stylish toga. Join the legion today!
Thursday 10 July
All day sessions: 8.30am - 5.30pm
Morning sessions: 8.30am - 1pm
Afternoon sessions: 1pm - 5.30pm

Pacific Friday
Sail into the Museum these holidays and explore the wonders of the Pacific. Unleash the fashionista within as you create Polynesian feather headdresses, adorn yourself in kapakap, and then produce and compete in a tapa-inspired fashion show.
Friday 11 July
All day sessions: 8.30am - 5.30pm
Morning sessions: 8.30am - 1pm
Afternoon sessions: 1pm - 5.30pm

Week 2

Extinction Monday
Discover dinosaurs, trilobites and sabre tooth cats! What made these animals become extinct? Create miniature meteorites, learn cool tricks to help you survive an ice age and become a crypto-zoologist for the day!
Monday 14 July
All day sessions: 8.30am - 5.30pm
Morning sessions: 8.30am - 1pm
Afternoon sessions: 1pm - 5.30pm

Secret Spy Development Squad Tuesday
If sneaky tricks, secret codes, and mysterious disguises are your thing, then we have the development squad for you! Learn about the science behind invisible ink, how to set and follow bush trails, how to cross a venomous snake pit, and much more! The Secret Spy Development Squad is everything a budding super sleuth needs to prepare for a successful secret career!
Tuesday 15 July
All day sessions: 8.30am - 5.30pm
Morning sessions: 8.30am - 1pm
Afternoon sessions: 1pm - 5.30pm

Tropical Wednesday
Fancy a tropical holiday? Leave the cold Dunedin winter behind as you create crafty critters, consume handmade butterfly chocolates and participate in your own Buhndi Butterfly festival. Now that’s hot!
Wednesday 16 July
All day sessions: 8.30am - 5.30pm
Morning sessions: 8.30am - 1pm
Afternoon sessions: 1pm - 5.30pm

Rollin’ with the Rodents Thursday
Investigate one of the world’s most misunderstood group of mammals; the rodent! Become a Museum mouse and search through the galleries on the great cheese hunt, send coded messages with a beaver tail and learn to work as a team - become a rat king!
Thursday 17 July
All day sessions: 8.30am - 5.30pm
Morning sessions: 8.30am - 1pm
Afternoon sessions: 1pm - 5.30pm

Go-Go Friday
Get up and go-Go-GO… get moving. Create your own juggling balls, rhythm ribbons and fox tails for fun games to get you activated. We’ve got skipping, juggling and lots of other indoor sports and games to keep you entertained.
Friday 18 July
All day sessions: 8.30am - 5.30pm
Morning sessions: 8.30am - 1pm
Afternoon sessions: 1pm - 5.30pm

Join us this Science Festival for the NHNZ X Force Science Series!
From The Science of Surfing to the Science of Mountain Biking … not to be missed!

X Force: The Science of Surfing
Billing: For most surfers riding giant 40ft waves off the Hawaiian Island of Oahu will only ever be a dream. Join a young surfer from New Zealand as he prepares to take on the surf giants, with the help of two Australian veterans of the big surf who pass on the skills he’ll need to survive and succeed.
Monday 7 July

X Force: The Science of Mountaineering
Billing: A group of experienced climbers embark on one of the most challenging climbs to the summit of the world’s fifth highest mountain, Makalu, in the Himalayas. Half of the adventurers who have taken on the challenge have failed, and 12% did not return to base alive. Experience drama, danger and apprehension as the climbers attempt to overcome the odds and conquer the mountain.
Tuesday 8 July

X Force: The Science of Sailing
Billing: This is a sporting clash of life and death proportions as Grundig, a 66ft lightweight racing yacht, is pitched against the huge maxi-yachts taking part in the annual Sydney to Hobart race, crossing one of the most dangerous stretches of water in the world.
Wednesday 9 July

X Force: The Science of Mountain Biking
Billing: Join two extraordinary mountain bikers as they are given the most up-to-date, high tech mountain bikes and sent into the highest city in the world to begin one of the most extreme mountain biking adventures ever conceived. Then watch as the athletes complete the challenges by pushing their bodies and mental endurance to the max.
Thursday 10 July

X Force: The Science of Diving
Billing: This is the story of two starkly different extreme diving feats. Both push the limits of human survival at extreme depths: one using sophisticated technology and the other, just a single breath. The programme joins divers as they descend to new depths and explores the danger, technical demands and psychological stresses of deep-diving.
Friday 11 July

Chocoholics delight as we investigate the history and discovery of your favourite sweet stuff. Run chocolatey experiments and find out what our sense of taste and smell have to do with it all!

Sunday 13 July, Tuesday 15 July, Thursday 17 July and Sunday 20 July
2.15pm