An adults-only SciNight is coming to Questacon—Fairy Bread martini anyone?

Posted on 10 November, 2022

It’s time to relive your childhood with the ultimate adults-only night out—that’s right, SciNights are returning to Questacon and it’s set to be way more fun than your Year 6 excursion!

And after a long hiatus, come and relive your childhood with your friends (and no one to limit your silly putty purchasing) as Questacon opens its doors for this adults-only special night. The night-time event is the perfect opportunity to head back to Canberra’s much-loved national institution for a fun-filled—and slightly more grown-up—experience with a very, very appropriate theme: nostalgia.

From a Blue Light Disco to box forts and a menu that is the perfect accompaniment to Red Frog mojitos and Fairy Bread martinis, as well as the opportunity to finally prove that you’re brave enough to conquer Free Fall (…maybe), you won’t want to miss this.

Here are eight must-do experiences for the ultimate night out. Meet you at the photobooth?

Dance the night away at the Blue Light Disco

Remember the good old days when you’d pack on the glitter, grab a glow stick (or 20) to accessorise, and dance the night away? SciNight is bringing back the Blue Light Disco—with a twist. Bask in the glow of the giant moon sculpture (located in Gallery 8) and show off your best disco moves, complete with UV face paint, glitter tattoos, and glow sticks thanks to the Gecko Gang. And the best part is, there will be no children competing with you for the funkiest face paint.

Sip away at the Cocktail Canteen

At SciNight, Questacon is yours to explore, exactly how you remember it. Well maybe not exactly, there probably wasn’t a bar when you were in Year 6, but let’s be honest—doesn’t the addition of a Glow Bar make the night a whole lot better?

Start your evening out on the deck, enjoying golden hour as the cocktail canteen serves a range of beverages, including Red Frog mojitos (the perfect experience of an iconic Aussie lolly in a whole new, grown-up way—think a drink that combines sweet raspberries, red frogs, rum, and mint), Fairy Bread martinis (a childhood favourite with a makeover featuring Baileys and vodka) and a classic Negroni (because some things don’t need to be changed). We’ll drink to that.

Nibble on some classic (and nostalgic) snacks

Pizza pockets, Chiko rolls, Warheads — name a more iconic trio, we’ll wait. Pair your cocktail at SciNight with a menu offering that promises to evoke memories of your childhood. Make sure to check out the grazing box featuring all the school lunch box classics (including Atomic Café’s spin on a devon, cheese, and tomato sauce sandwich), taking grazing to a whole new (nostalgic) level.

Perfect for a picnic on the grass, make sure to pre-order in advance—and add a bottle of wine for a little something extra—before ending the night with a special treat: a pit stop at their lolly store.

And if that’s not enough, Wandering Wood Fired Pizza and the Cannoli Brothers will also be there on the night from 5 pm if you’re looking for something to go along with your mac and cheese croquettes. Did someone say pizza party?

Watch Professor Fizzbin’s Old-Timey Miraculous Science Shows

Who doesn’t love explosive demos? Get ready to travel back in time to the very first model of science shows —it’s been decades since Professor Fizzbin (often called the grandfather of modern science show performers) retired from performing, but Questacon has brought him back out of retirement for one night only.

The Professor will have free reign of all the equipment, and he’s picked the most exciting and explosive demos that he could find. And we’ve checked—the staff at Questacon are at least 80% sure he still knows what he’s doing…attend at your own risk.

Are you smarter than a 5 year old – STEM Trivia

Join Australia’s premier drag “scientist”, Toni Kola, as she takes you through Are You Smarter Than a 5 Year Old? Expect questions covering topics from everyday science, to the niche topics kids know, love, and ramble about for longer than you could ever expect!

 Have a go at the Free Fall (and actually go through with it)

Sure, it was terrifying in your younger years—will it still be as terrifying now? Probably, but at least you’ll (hopefully) have more upper body strength this time around. Fall in love (get it?) with Questacon’s Free Fall in Gallery 7 and actually let go of the bar to experience the thrill of this two-storey tall vertical slide.

This is the same weightlessness that astronauts experience when orbiting the Earth, so be prepared to feel like you’re falling through space and time (and then you can tick that childhood dream off the bucket list).

Make it a night to remember at the photo booth

Forget school photos, we promise this is better (because you won’t need to wear a uniform). Make a special trip to SciNight’s photo booth for some sweet memories featuring funny nostalgic props. It might take you back to your school years, but at least your braces (and Justin Bieber side fringe) remain in the past.

Step into the Lab

Take full advantage of the SciNight experience and skip straight to Q Lab.

While we all remember that the mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell (just me?), we can agree the best part of science class was the weird—and wonderful—experiments teachers would do on a Friday afternoon, and this won’t be any different. Think film canister rockets, liquid nitrogen, dry ice, and elephant’s toothpaste.

Sound like a blast from the past?  

Make sure to book ahead, get your permission slips signed, and get ready for a good time.