The Search Centre is not only a useful facility for the research enthusiast. It's also a great tool for families, children, travellers, teachers and home school groups.

Families
The Search Centre is a great place for informal family learning. A range of resources means the whole family can enjoy learning together. We have a series of free factsheets on a wide range of topics, from local spiders to raising monarch butterflies at home. Fascinating specimen drawers contain samples of local insects and spiders, shells, plants, and rocks, making it an ideal base from which to explore the world around us.

Children
There's so much cool stuff at the Search Centre! And it's free! Bring friends and family in to look at insects under the microscope (imagine a giant spider!), use our cd-roms to find out about whales, insects or dinosaurs, surf the net or try to guess what's in our Curiosity Case. Take an Activity Box down from the shelf and look at all sorts of amazing specimens from around the world. Touch a real moa bone, read a book about moa, or watch a video about them - the choice is yours. Help us to answer tricky questions on the Question and Answer Board or bring in your own questions (we're also pretty good at helping with school projects).

Travellers
Just passing through? Drop into the Search Centre to research where you are going next. Find out about the history of Dunedin and New Zealand using our library, or use our maps to help plot your next route. Look inside the specimen drawers to get to know the plants, insects, shells and rocks of Dunedin, and there is a great range of quality magazines and videos that relate to the Museum collections. Internet facilities offer a quiet space to check email and our friendly Search Centre Communicators are more than happy to help you decide where to go and what to see!

Teachers
The aim of the Search Centre is to encourage individual exploration of natural and human history and environmental issues and to develop the research skills needed to access this information. It inspires curiosity and builds students' confidence in their ability to do their own research through proactive investigation. There is a wonderful selection of books, magazines, cd-roms and specimens, as well as computer and internet resources freely available. The Search Centre Communicators are very happy to assist with students' queries related to homework, school, or science projects. We also offer education programmes for students of all levels. 
Find out more information for teachers at Otago Museum.

Home School Groups
The Search Centre has a great range of resources for home-school families. Information is organised so that children can find it for themselves, although staff are readily available to help students find the best resources. Topics such as dinosaurs, fossils, bones, the environment, geology, Maori and Pacific culture and insects can be developed using Search Centre resources. The Search Centre has a great natural history video library as well as a vast range of science and archaeology magazines that can help parents develop exciting programmes for their children.