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Giant Bubbles and Battle Bots to Bring Science to Life in Newcastle - Newcastle, NSW
Smart summary
Newcastle Museum will host the fifth annual Hunter Science Festival on 23 August, featuring 40 interactive exhibits, combat robots, science shows and hands-on activities for families.
Science is set to take centre stage in Newcastle as the Hunter Science Festival returns to Newcastle Museum for National Science Week. The City of Newcastle announced the program today, 13 August 2026, with this year's event expanding to include more exhibitors, interactive activities and a new outdoor stage.
The free, family-friendly festival will take place on Sunday, 23 August, at Newcastle Museum and the surrounding grounds. Organisers are bringing together scientists, educators, innovators and community organisations for a full day of activities designed to make science accessible and entertaining for people of all ages.
The 2026 festival will feature 40 stalls, giving visitors opportunities to explore different areas of science and technology through practical demonstrations and hands-on experiences. The event is now in its fifth year and has continued to grow in popularity, attracting around 7,000 visitors in 2025.
One of this year's major attractions will be combat robotics. Visitors will be able to operate small, remote-controlled, 3D-printed battle robots inside a specially designed perspex arena. The activity will give children and families an opportunity to learn about robotics while experiencing the technology themselves.
The festival will also feature a robot dog from Fizzics Education and a humanoid robot from the University of Newcastle's NUbots team. These displays will give visitors a closer look at modern robotics and demonstrate how engineering, electronics, programming and design can be combined to create interactive machines.
Science entertainment will take place on a new outdoor stage in Museum Park. The program includes science magic from The Pretty Amazing Jono, explosive demonstrations from Fizzics Education and a bubble theatre performance by The Bubble Laboratory.
Beyond robotics and live shows, visitors will have access to a wide variety of interactive science activities. These include building and racing solar-powered miniature electric vehicles, examining a real shark egg, using a radio telescope and exploring rocks, fossils and dinosaur displays.
The popular HMRI Poo Palace will also return. The interactive attraction takes visitors on a walk-through journey through the digestive system, providing an entertaining way to learn about human biology.
City of Newcastle teams will also participate in the festival. Visitors will be able to climb aboard a garbage truck, collect native seeds to take home and learn about sustainability, climate change and local wildlife.
The festival has been developed with the Hunter Innovation and Science Hub (HISH) and includes organisations such as the Newcastle Astronomical Society, Australian Native Bee Association and the University of Newcastle's SMART Program. HISH will also provide a free bushcraft boat-building activity using locally sourced, biodegradable materials.
The event is supported by a $20,000 National Science Week grant from the Australian Government. National Science Week runs from 15 to 23 August, with Newcastle Museum hosting additional science-related events during the week.
For Newcastle families, the festival provides an opportunity to explore science outside the classroom through experiments, demonstrations and creative activities. Organisers hope the hands-on approach will encourage children and young people to become curious about science, technology, engineering and innovation.
ScienceWillNewcastleFestivalVisitors
Science is set to take centre stage in Newcastle as the Hunter Science Festival returns to Newcastle Museum for National Science Week. The City of Newcastle announced the program today, 13 August 2026, with this year's event expanding to include more exhibitors, interactive activities and a new outdoor stage.
The free, family-friendly festival will take place on Sunday, 23 August, at Newcastle Museum and the surrounding grounds. Organisers are bringing together scientists, educators, innovators and community organisations for a full day of activities designed to make science accessible and entertaining for people of all ages.
The 2026 festival will feature 40 stalls, giving visitors opportunities to explore different areas of science and technology through practical demonstrations and hands-on experiences. The event is now in its fifth year and has continued to grow in popularity, attracting around 7,000 visitors in 2025.
One of this year's major attractions will be combat robotics. Visitors will be able to operate small, remote-controlled, 3D-printed battle robots inside a specially designed perspex arena. The activity will give children and families an opportunity to learn about robotics while experiencing the technology themselves.
The festival will also feature a robot dog from Fizzics Education and a humanoid robot from the University of Newcastle's NUbots team. These displays will give visitors a closer look at modern robotics and demonstrate how engineering, electronics, programming and design can be combined to create interactive machines.
Science entertainment will take place on a new outdoor stage in Museum Park. The program includes science magic from The Pretty Amazing Jono, explosive demonstrations from Fizzics Education and a bubble theatre performance by The Bubble Laboratory.
Beyond robotics and live shows, visitors will have access to a wide variety of interactive science activities. These include building and racing solar-powered miniature electric vehicles, examining a real shark egg, using a radio telescope and exploring rocks, fossils and dinosaur displays.
The popular HMRI Poo Palace will also return. The interactive attraction takes visitors on a walk-through journey through the digestive system, providing an entertaining way to learn about human biology.
City of Newcastle teams will also participate in the festival. Visitors will be able to climb aboard a garbage truck, collect native seeds to take home and learn about sustainability, climate change and local wildlife.
The festival has been developed with the Hunter Innovation and Science Hub (HISH) and includes organisations such as the Newcastle Astronomical Society, Australian Native Bee Association and the University of Newcastle's SMART Program. HISH will also provide a free bushcraft boat-building activity using locally sourced, biodegradable materials.
The event is supported by a $20,000 National Science Week grant from the Australian Government. National Science Week runs from 15 to 23 August, with Newcastle Museum hosting additional science-related events during the week.
For Newcastle families, the festival provides an opportunity to explore science outside the classroom through experiments, demonstrations and creative activities. Organisers hope the hands-on approach will encourage children and young people to become curious about science, technology, engineering and innovation.
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