Wollongong is an easy 90-minute drive from the Sydney CBD and those with science-obsessed kids would gladly make the journey to divert them with a couple of hours of hands-on, science-based fun.
Science Space is a big cheerful building near the beach that boasts more than 90 interactive exhibits. See your body through a heat-sensitive lens, test your strength, come face to face with animatronic dinosaurs, and be amazed by the power of magnetism. A favourite exhibit is the Vertical Wind Tunnel that blows a little man on a parachute up into the air to waft safely to the floor – hours of fun.
Science Space has another other big drawcard: a much bigger and better planetarium than can be found anywhere else in NSW. It's equipped with angled seating and a 4K laser projection system, and space-nutty kids can gaze in awe at presentations about the solar system, black holes, the Moon, the true scale of the universe, Mars and more.
Live science shows, meanwhile, cover popular kids’ topics such as bubbles, liquid nitrogen and sound and music. Live shows and Planetarium presentations attract a modest supplementary charge of $4 per head but are highly recommended.