Sydney Science Trail Secondary Program
Sydney Science Trail excursions are back this August. Explore the program and book your secondary school class excursion for National Science Week.
Royal Botanic Garden Sydney and Australian Museum
19 – 21 August 2026
9.30am – 2.30pm
Stage 4, 5 and 6
$25 per student (incl. gst).
Minimum charge of 20 students per booked group applies.
Teachers attend free of charge.
Science to inspire
The Sydney Science Trail is back this August!
Ignite your students’ curiosity at our secondary school science education days. With topical Scientist Talks or thrilling science shows, challenging hands-on workshops and interactive exhibitions, our secondary program is sure to truly engage students in STEM and leave them wanting to learn more.
Don't miss out on this celebration of science! Explore the full excursion program and book your spot now.
Program overview
Sessions
Program entry includes four activity sessions between 9.30am and 2.30pm across both Royal Botanic Garden Sydney and Australian Museum sites.
The four sessions include:
- Scientist Talk (Wednesday and Friday only) OR Science Show (Thursday only) at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney
- Science Expo at the Australian Museum
- Interactive STEM Workshop at either the Australian Museum or the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney
- Teacher-led experience at either the Australian Museum or the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney
Structure
Class groups rotate through four 60-minute sessions across two historic venues – two sessions at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney and two sessions at the Australian Museum.
- Morning sessions: 9.30am – 10.30am and 10.30am – 11.30am
- Lunch and change venues: 11.30am – 12.30pm
- Afternoon sessions: 12.30pm – 1.30pm and 1.30pm – 2.30pm
Scientist Talks
Our Science Talks align with the 2026 National Science Week theme, Seeds of Science: Naturing knowledge for all. Featuring scientists from the Australian Museum Research Institute, Botanic Gardens of Sydney and University of Technology Sydney, your students will learn how a spark of curiosity can ignite the development of scientific knowledge and concepts that help us understand the world around us.
For school bookings on Wednesday 19 and Friday 21 August 2026, students will attend one of the following Science Talks.
Citizen science projects are often based on opportunistic collection of data or evidence from members of the community, but the contribution to science that these initiatives have can be exponential.
Speakers include scientists from the Botanic Gardens of Sydney, Australian Museum and University of Technology Sydney.
Scientists across the world are collecting evidence of the impacts of climate change. Hear from leading scientists about their research and how it applies to better understanding one of the biggest challenges of our time - climate change.
Speakers include scientists from the Botanic Gardens of Sydney, Australian Museum and University of Technology Sydney.
Scientists ask questions, lots of questions! Learn how innovations in technology or research methods often stem from the need to find scientific solutions to these questions.
Speakers include scientists from the Botanic Gardens of Sydney, Australian Museum and University of Technology Sydney.
Science discoveries and collections of the past are often used to inform science for the future. Learn how scientific knowledge evolves as we continuously develop our understanding of the world around us.
Speakers include scientists from the Botanic Gardens of Sydney, Australian Museum and University of Technology Sydney.
Science Show
The Great Big Science Show from Kaleidoscope Science features a variety of spectacular and highly visual demonstrations, including liquid nitrogen, chemical reactions and fireballs - an unforgettable celebration of science. The focus is on maximum excitement with the most energetic and crowd pleasing demonstrations from across a range of science disciplines. Throughout the show we’ll consider how scientists find out new things by doing experiments, testing predictions then using their knowledge to solve problems, build inventions and create technology. We'll keep the pace and energy high for maximum crowd-pleasing engagement.
For School Bookings on Thursday 20 August 2026.
Science Expo at the Australian Museum
Celebrate National Science Week and have your students’ burning questions answered by experts from over 20 research organisations and universities including the University of Technology Sydney. Wander through our Science Expo stalls and chat citizen science, frogs, fossils, marine science and more – even ask our scientists about their career paths. Ignite your students’ love for science by giving them the rare opportunity to touch base with real-life scientists, undertake experiments and get hands-on with cutting-edge innovations in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
All students will access the Science Expo as part of the program.
Interactive STEM Workshop
Students will attend one of the following workshops at either the Australian Museum or Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.
In this hands-on workshop, students will explore how genetic information is transferred in DNA and watch how it can be extracted for genetic analysis. Students will also learn about the important research conducted in the Australian Museum Research Institute and will complete their own investigation to determine how DNA can be used to compare and identify species.
Become a food scientist and put everyday foods to the test. Students analyse taste perception, compare sugar levels using refractometers, and assess egg freshness—discovering how science ensures food quality, safety, and consistency.
This workshop is presented by University of Technology Sydney.
Seed collections are like tiny time capsules - small, powerful, and packed with the potential for whole forests! The Botanic Gardens of Sydney plays a key role in preventing plant extinctions by preserving seeds under carefully controlled conditions. In this workshop, students will discover the techniques PlantBank scientists use to store seeds safely and explore the story of an iconic Australian species, building their understanding of conservation in a hands-on and engaging way.
Students jump into a dynamic investigation of the journeys that seeds, stories and knowledge take across Country. By pairing cultural perspectives with scientific thinking, they will uncover surprising links and discover how First Nations knowledge systems open up new ways to understand ecological relationships.
Teacher-led Experience
Guide your students through either a gallery at the Australian Museum or amongst the living plant collection at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.
Teachers will be allocated an explore session at only one venue, depending on which group rotation they are placed in. Optional teacher resources will be available to assist your students.
